The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2003 CIA World Factbook

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Title: The 2003 CIA World Factbook

Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Release date: December 18, 2008 [eBook #27558]
Most recently updated: March 14, 2025

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Al Haines

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2003 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***

THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2003

CONTENTS

Countries and Locations

Field Listings

Rank Orders

Appendixes

Notes and Definitions

History of The World Factbook

Contributors and Copyright Information

Purchasing Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

What's New

- Country information has been updated as of 18 December 2003.

- For Rank Order pages and downloadable, tab-delimited rank-order files, a Rank Order page for Highways has been added.

- Entries for Natural Gas - production, Natural Gas - consumption, Natural Gas - exports, and Natural Gas - imports have been added to the Economy category of each country.

The World Factbook 2003 printed version provides a "snapshot" of the world as of 1 January 2003.

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

Country Listing

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

A

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

B

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

C

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

D

Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

E

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

F

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

G

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

H

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

I

Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy

J

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

K

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

L

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

M

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

N

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

O

Oman

P

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

Q

Qatar

R

Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S

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

T

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

U

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V

Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands

W

Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
World

Y

Yemen

Z

Zambia
Zimbabwe

Taiwan

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

Field Listings

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

Code Field Description

2001 GDP 2002 Population growth rate (%) 2003 GDP - real growth rate (%) 2004 GDP - per capita 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure (%) 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector (%) 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2015 Television broadcast stations 2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female) 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes (m) 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military manpower - military age (years of age) 2025 Military manpower - fit for military service 2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%) 2038 Electricity - production (kWh) 2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh) 2043 Electricity - imports (kWh) 2044 Electricity - exports (kWh) 2045 Electricity - production by source (%) 2046 Population below poverty line (%) 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%) 2048 Labor force - by occupation (%) 2049 Exports - commodities 2050 Exports - partners (%) 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population) 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline (km) 2061 Imports - partners (%) 2062 Economic aid - donor 2063 Constitution 2064 Economic aid - recipient 2065 Currency 2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population) 2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups (%) 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 Fiscal year 2081 Flag description 2085 Highways (km) 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate (%) 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births) 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%) 2093 Waterways (km) 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries (km) 2097 Land use (%) 2098 Languages (%) 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth (years) 2103 Literacy (%) 2105 Military manpower - availability 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population) 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines (km) 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and harbors 2121 Railways (km) 2122 Religions (%) 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate (%) 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land (sq km) 2147 Area (sq km) 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2152 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2158 Currency code 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production (bbl/day) 2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day) 2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day) 2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day) 2177 Median age (years) 2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl) 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m) 2180 Natural gas - production (cu m) 2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m) 2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m) 2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)

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

Rank Orders

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

Guide to Rank Order Pages

Rank Order pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Rank Order pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Rank Order pages are available for the following 34 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.

Geography

Area - total

People

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

Economy

GDP
GDP - real growth rate
GDP - per capita
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Industrial production growth rate
Electricity - production
Electricity - consumption
Oil - production
Oil - consumption
Oil - exports
Oil - imports
Oil - proved reserves
Natural Gas - proved reserves
Exports
Imports
Debt - external

Communications

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

Transportation

Railways - total
Highways - total

Military

Military expenditures - dollar figure
Military expenditures - percent of GDP

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

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

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

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

Median age
Literacy
Population below the poverty line
Highways
Waterways
Airports

This page was last updated on 21 October, 2003

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

Appendixes

Appendix A - Abbreviations

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

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

Notes and Definitions

In addition to the updated information, The World Factbook printed version features seven new entries. In the People category, an entry has been added for Median age. In the Economy category, entries have been added for Oil - production, Oil - consumption, Oil - exports, Oil - imports, Oil - proved reserves, and Natural gas - proved reserves. The web site version features four additional entries: Natural gas - production, Natural gas - consumption, Natural gas - exports, and Natural gas - imports. Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. The revised maps include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products This entry is a rank ordering of major crops and products starting with the most important.

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

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

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

Appendixes
This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Country data codes see Data codes

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

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

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

Crude oil
See "Oil" entries

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

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

Date of information In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the preparation of this edition.

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

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation The US Government has diplomatic relations with 185 independent states, including 183 of the 189 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN - Holy See.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Entities Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 268 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:

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

OTHER
     1 Taiwan

DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China - Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland 16 France - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna 2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 15 UK - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

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

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

Environment - current issues This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form. biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat. biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume. carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits. catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972. defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems. drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non- commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean". ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments. effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste, which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it. endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction. freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers. greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 125,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a panel convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change. metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings. overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms. poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species. pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste. potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed. salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment . soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification. ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. water-born diseases - those in which the bacteria survive in, and is transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

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

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

Ethnic groups This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government type This entry gives the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).

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

Gross domestic product see GDP

Gross national product see GNP

Gross world product see GWP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hydrographic data codes see Data codes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Infant mortality rate This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.

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

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

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
This entry supplies the number of Internet Service Providers within a
country. An ISP is defined as a company that provides access to the
Internet.

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

International disputes see Disputes - international

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

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

Introduction
This category includes one entry, Background.

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

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

Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Merchant marine Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc.; or a grouping of merchant ships by nationality or register. This entry contains information in two subfields - total and ships by type. Total includes the total number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc. that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of the ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers. A captive register is a register of ships maintained by a territory, possession, or colony primarily or exclusively for the use of ships owned in the parent country; it is also referred to as an offshore register, the offshore equivalent of an internal register. Ships on a captive register will fly the same flag as the parent country, or a local variant of it, but will be subject to the maritime laws and taxation rules of the offshore territory. Although the nature of a captive register makes it especially desirable for ships owned in the parent country, just as in the internal register, the ships may also be owned abroad. The captive register then acts as a flag of convenience register, except that it is not the register of an independent state. A flag of convenience register is a national register offering registration to a merchant ship not owned in the flag state. The major flags of convenience (FOC) attract ships to their registers by virtue of low fees, low or nonexistent taxation of profits, and liberal manning requirements. True FOC registers are characterized by having relatively few of the registered ships actually owned in the flag state. Thus, while virtually any flag can be used for ships under a given set of circumstances, an FOC register is one where the majority of the merchant fleet is owned abroad. It is also referred to as an open register. A flag state is the nation in which a ship is registered and which holds legal jurisdiction over operation of the ship, whether at home or abroad. Maritime legislation of the flag state determines how a ship is crewed and taxed and whether a foreign-owned ship may be placed on the register. An internal register is a register of ships maintained as a subset of a national register. Ships on the internal register fly the national flag and have that nationality but are subject to a separate set of maritime rules from those on the main national register. These differences usually include lower taxation of profits, use of foreign nationals as crewmembers, and, usually, ownership outside the flag state (when it functions as an FOC register). The Norwegian International Ship Register and Danish International Ship Register are the most notable examples of an internal register. Both have been instrumental in stemming flight from the national flag to flags of convenience and in attracting foreign-owned ships to the Norwegian and Danish flags. A merchant ship is a vessel that carries goods against payment of freight; it is commonly used to denote any nonmilitary ship but accurately restricted to commercial vessels only. A register is the record of a ship's ownership and nationality as listed with the maritime authorities of a country; also, it is the compendium of such individual ships' registrations. Registration of a ship provides it with a nationality and makes it subject to the laws of the country in which registered (the flag state) regardless of the nationality of the ship's ultimate owner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Natural Gas - exports This entry is the total quantity of natural gas exported in cubic meters.

Natural Gas - imports This entry is the total quantity of natural gas imported in cubic meters.

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

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

Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Personal Names - Capitalization The Factbook uses all uppercase letters for personal names by which the subject is usually referred to in various media. An example is President Vicente FOX Quesada of Mexico. Members of royal families are usually referred by other than their family name (King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands, or King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet of Thailand). Some Asians are referred to by the first element of their name - also their surname, such as President NO Muh-hyun of South Korea.

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

Personal Names - Titles The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is lowercased. Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government.

Petroleum
See "Oil" entries

Petroleum products
See "Oil" entries

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Railways This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, dual, narrow, standard, and other.

Reference maps
This section includes world and regional maps.

Religions This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This page was last updated on 23 October, 2003

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A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2003 marks the 56th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 60th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

This page was last updated on 23 October, 2003

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Contributors and Copyright Information

In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the preparation of this edition.

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

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

Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:

Central Intelligence Agency
Attn.: Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20505
Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623
FAX: [1] (703) 482-1739

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

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Purchasing Information

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) publishes The World Factbook in printed and Internet versions. US Government officials may obtain information about availability of the Factbook from their organizations or through liaison channels to the CIA. Other users may obtain sales information about printed copies from the following:

Superintendent of Documents
P. O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800; toll free: [1] (866) 512-1800
FAX: [1] (202) 512-2250
http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: [1] (800) 553-6847 (only in the US); [1] (703) 605-6000 (for outside US) FAX: [1] (703) 605-6900 http://www.ntis.gov/

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

This page was last updated on 11 August, 2003

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

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

General
Geography
Spelling and Pronunciation
Policies and Procedures
Technical

General

Can you provide additional information for a specific country?

The staff cannot provide data beyond what appears in The World Factbook. The format and information in the Factbook are tailored to the specific requirements of US Government officials and content is focused on their current and anticipated needs. The staff welcomes suggestions for new entries.

How often is The World Factbook updated?

Formerly our Web site (and the published Factbook) were only updated annually. Beginning in November 2001 we instituted a new system of more frequent online updates.

The annual printed version of the Factbook is usually released about midyear. US Government officials may obtain information about Factbook availability from their own organizations or through liaison channels to the CIA. Other users may obtain sales information through the following channels:

Superintendent of Documents
P. O. Box 371954 Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800
FAX: [1] (202) 512-2250
http://www.bookstore.gpo.gov

National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: [1] (800) 553-6847 (only in the US); [1] (703) 605-6000 (for outside US) FAX: [1] (703) 605-6900 http://www.ntis.gov

Can I use some or all of The World Factbook for my Web site (book, research project, homework, etc.)?

The World Factbook is in the public domain and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission. However, US Code prohibits use of the CIA seal in a manner which implies that the CIA approved, endorsed, or authorized such use. If you have any questions about your intended use, you should consult with legal counsel. Further information on The World Factbook's use is described on the Contributors and Copyright Information page. As a courtesy, please cite The World Factbook when used.

Why doesn't The World Factbook include information on states, departments, provinces, the European Union, etc., in the country format?

The World Factbook provides national-level information on countries, territories, and dependencies, but not on subnational administrative units within a country or supranational entities like the European Union. A good encyclopedia should provide state/province-level information.

Is it possible to access older editions of The World Factbook to do comparative research and trend analysis?

Only the current version is available for browsing on the CIA Web site. The year 2000 and 2001 editions are available for download. In the future, the staff hopes to post electronic versions of The World Factbook as far back as 1986. Hardcopy editions for earlier years are available from libraries.

Would it be possible to set up a partnership or collaboration between the producers of The World Factbook and other organizations or individuals?

The World Factbook does not partner with other organizations or individuals, but we do welcome comments and suggestions that such groups or persons choose to provide.

Geography

I can't find a geographic name for a particular country. Why not?

The World Factbook is not a gazetteer (a dictionary or index of places, usually with descriptive or statistical information) and cannot provide more than the names of the administrative divisions (in the Government category) and major cities/towns (on the country maps). Our expanded Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names, however, includes many of the world's major geographic features as well as historic (former) names of countries and cities mentioned in The World Factbook.

Why is Taiwan listed out of alphabetical order at the end of the
Factbook entries?

Taiwan is listed after the regular entries because even though the mainland People's Republic of China claims Taiwan, elected Taiwanese authorities de facto administer the island and reject mainland sovereignty claims. With the establishment of diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1979, the US Government recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China.

Since we have an ambassador who represents the US at the Vatican, why is this entity not listed in the Factbook?

Vatican City is found under Holy See. The term "Holy See" refers to the authority, jurisdiction, and sovereignty vested in the Pope and his advisors to direct the worldwide Catholic Church. The Holy See has a legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties as the juridical equal of a state and to send and receive diplomatic representatives. Vatican City, created in 1929 to administer properties belonging to the Holy See in Rome, is recognized under international law as a sovereign state, but it does not send or receive diplomatic representatives. Consequently, Holy See is included as a Factbook entry, with Vatican City cross-referenced in the Geographic Names appendix.

Why are the Golan Heights not shown as part of Israel or Northern
Cyprus with Turkey?

Territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United States
Government are not shown on US Government maps.

Why don't you include information on entities such as Tibet, Kashmir, or Kosovo?

The World Factbook provides information on the administrative divisions of a country as recommended by the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is a component of the US Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names—domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features.

Also included in the Factbook are entries on parts of the world whose status has not yet been resolved (e.g., West Bank, Spratly Islands). Specific regions within a country or areas in dispute among countries are not covered.

Spelling and Pronunciation

Why is the spelling of proper names such as rulers, presidents, and prime ministers in The World Factbook different than their spelling in my country?

The Factbook staff applies the names and spellings from the Chiefs of State link on the CIA Web site. The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings. Surnames are always spelled with capital letters; they may appear first in some cultures.

The spelling of geographic names, features, cities, administrative divisions, etc. in the Factbook differs from those used in my country. Why is this?

The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) recommends and approves names and spellings. The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names— domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to use uniform names of geographic features. (A note is usually included where changes may have occurred but have not yet been approved by the BGN). The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings.

Why doesn't The World Factbook include pronunciations of country or leader names?

There are too many variations in pronunciation among English-speaking countries, not to mention English renditions of non-English names, for pronunciations to be included. American English pronunciations are included for some countries like Qatar and Kiribati.

Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?
When American and British spellings of common English words differ, The
World Factbook always uses the American spelling, even when these
common words form part of a proper name in British English.

Policies and Procedures

What is The World Factbook's source for a specific subject field?

The Factbook staff uses many different sources to publish what we judge are the most reliable and consistent data for any particular category. Space considerations preclude a listing of these various sources.

The names of some geographic features provided in the Factbook differ from those used in other publications. For example, in Asia the Factbook has Burma as the country name, but in other publications Myanmar is used; also, the Factbook uses Sea of Japan whereas other publications label it East Sea. What is you policy on naming geographic features?

The Factbook staff follows the guidance of the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names—domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features. The position of the BGN is that the names Burma and Sea of Japan be used in official US Government maps and publications.

Why is most of the statistical information in the Factbook given in metric units, rather than the units standard to US measure?

US Federal agencies are required by the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-168) and by Executive Order 12770 of July 1991 to use the International System of Units, commonly referred to as the metric system or SI. In addition, the metric system is used by over 95 percent of the world's population.

Why don't you include information on minimum and maximum temperature extremes?

The Factbook staff judges that this information would only be useful for some (generally smaller) countries. Larger countries can have large temperature extremes that do not represent the landmass as a whole. In the future, such a category may be adopted listing the extremes, but also adding a normal temperature range found throughout most of a country's territory.

What information sources are used for the country flags?

Flag designs used in The World Factbook are those recognized by the protocol office of the US Department of State.

Why do your GDP (Gross Domestic Product) statistics differ from other sources?

GDP dollar estimates in The World Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the Notes and Definitions section on GDP methodology for more information.

On the CIA Web site, Chiefs of State is updated weekly, but the last update for the Factbook was an earlier date. Why the discrepancy?

Although Chiefs of State and The World Factbook both appear on the CIA Web site, they are produced and updated by separate staffs. Chiefs of State includes fewer countries but more leaders, and is updated more frequently than The World Factbook, which has a much larger database, and includes all countries.

Some percentage distributions do not add to 100. Why not?

Because of rounding, percentage distributions do not always add precisely to 100%. Rounding of numbers always results in a loss of precision—i.e., error. This error becomes apparent when percentage data are totaled, as the following two examples show:

Original Data Rounded to whole integer

  Example 1 43.2 43
                  30.4 30
                  26.4 26
                  —— —
                 100.0 99

  Example 2 42.8 43
                  31.6 32
                  25.6 26
                  —— —
                 100.0 101

When this occurs, we do not force the numbers to add exactly to 100, because doing so would introduce additional error into the distribution.

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?

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This page was last updated on 21 October, 2003

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

@Afghanistan

Introduction Afghanistan

Background:
  Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil
  unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw
  10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and
  trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
  subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
  rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
  Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
  force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
  most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
  primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
  support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
  attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
  from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
  and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
  structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
  Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
  The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
  and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
  Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
  Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
  adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
  elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
  anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
  violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
  remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
  enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
  mines.

Geography Afghanistan

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

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

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

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

Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 87.65% (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

People Afghanistan

Population:
  28,717,213 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.8% (male 6,123,971; female 5,868,013)
  15-64 years: 55.4% (male 8,240,743; female 7,671,242)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 427,710; female 385,534) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 19.1 years
  female: 18.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.38%
  note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
  its continuing impact (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  17.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 142.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 138.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 145.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.97 years
  male: 47.67 years
  female: 46.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Afghan(s)
  adjective: Afghan

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

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

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

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

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

Government Afghanistan

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

Government type:
  transitional

Capital:
  Kabul

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

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

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution:
  the Bonn Agreement called for a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) to be
  convened within 18 months of the establishment of the Transitional
  Authority to draft a new constitution for the country; the basis for
  the next constitution is the 1964 Constitution, according to the
  Bonn Agreement

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

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

Executive branch:
  note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama bin LADIN
  to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11 September 2001
  terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international coalition was
  formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by coalition
  forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan
  opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November
  2001; in December 2001, a number of prominent Afghans met under UN
  auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the
  country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up
  of 30 members, headed by a chairman - was inaugurated on 22 December
  2001 with a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year
  Transitional Authority (TA), after which elections are to be held;
  the structure of the follow-on TA was announced on 10 June 2002,
  when the Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) convened establishing the
  Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA), which has 18
  months to hold a Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and 24 months to
  hold nationwide elections
  chief of state: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June
  2002); note - presently the president and head of government
  head of government: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10
  June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government
  cabinet: the 30-member TISA
  elections: nationwide elections are to be held by June 2004,
  according to the Bonn Agreement

Legislative branch:
  nonfunctioning as of June 1993

Judicial branch:
  the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a Supreme Court;
  there is also a Minister of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
  NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux and many
  prominent players have plans to create new parties; the Transitional
  Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) is headed by President Hamid
  KARZAI; the TISA is a coalition government formed of leaders from
  across the Afghan political spectrum; there are also several
  political factions not holding positions in the Transitional
  government that are forming new groups and parties in the hopes of
  participating in 2004 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional Islamic State
  of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential Afghans, diaspora
  members, and former political leaders

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: ambassador Seyyed Tayeb JAWAD
  chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: 202-483-6487
  consulate(s) general: New York
  telephone: 202-483-6410

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN; note -
  embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001, following closure in
  January 1989
  embassy: Great Masood Road, Kabul
  mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
  telephone: [93] (2) 290002, 290005, 290154
  FAX: 00932290153

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

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview:
  Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly
  dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising (sheep and
  goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic
  considerations have played second fiddle to political and military
  upheavals during more than two decades of war, including the nearly
  10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989).
  During that conflict, one-third of the population fled the country,
  with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of 4 to 6 million
  refugees. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the
  past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the
  disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the
  nation's difficulties in 1998-2002. The majority of the population
  continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and
  medical care, and a dearth of jobs, problems exacerbated by
  political uncertainties and the general level of lawlessness.
  International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the
  Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002,
  when $4.5 billion was pledged, $1.7 billion for 2002. Of that
  approximately $900 million was directed to humanitarian aid - food,
  clothing, and shelter - and another $90 million for the Afghan
  Transitional Authority. Further World Bank and other aid came in
  2003. Priority areas for reconstruction include upgrading education,
  health, and sanitation facilities; providing income generating
  opportunities; enhancing administrative and security arrangements,
  especially in regional areas; developing the agricultural sector;
  rebuilding transportation, energy, and telecommunication
  infrastructure; and reabsorbing 2 million returning refugees. The
  replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of
  GDP - and the search for oil and gas resources in the northern
  region are two major long-term issues.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $19 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  10 million (2000 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  334.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.3% hydro: 63.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  511.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  200 million kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  49.98 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports:
  $1.2 billion (not including illicit exports) (2001 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Pakistan 26.8%, India 26.5%, Finland 5.8%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.4%,
  Belgium 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Pakistan 25.1%, South Korea 14.4%, Japan 9.4%, US 9%, Kenya 5.8%,
  Germany 5.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  NA (1996 est.)

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

Currency:
  afghani (AFA)

Currency code:
  AFA

Exchange rates:
  afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (October-December 2002), 3,000
  (2001), 3,000 (2000), 3,000 (1999), 3,000 (1998), note: before 2002
  the market rate varied widely from the official rate; in 2002 the
  afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized

Fiscal year:
  21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
  domestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established between
  Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through
  satellite and microwave systems
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
  commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

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

Radios:
  167,000 (1999)

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

Televisions:
  100,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .af

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Afghanistan

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

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

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

Pipelines:
  gas 651 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Airports:
  47 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military Afghanistan

Military branches:
  NA; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia
  forces to come under the authority of the central government, but
  regional leaders have continued to retain their militias and the
  formation of a nation army will be a gradual process; Afghanistan's
  forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines

Military manpower - military age:
  22 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 7,160,603 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 275,223 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $525.2 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  7.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international:
  thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran and Pakistan;
  isolating terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in Pakistan make
  cross-border activities difficult to control; prolonged regional
  drought strains water-sharing arrangements for Amu Darya and Helmand
  River states

Illicit drugs:
  world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy -
  used to make heroin - expanded to 30,750 hectares in 2002, despite
  eradication; potential opium production of 1,278 metric tons; source
  of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country;
  drug trade source of instability and some government groups profit
  from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from
  Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the
  hawala system

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Albania

Introduction Albania

Background:
  Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
  Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
  transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to
  deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure,
  widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents.
  International observers judged legislative elections in 2001 to be
  acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified
  serious deficiencies that should be addressed through reforms in the
  Albanian electoral code.

Geography Albania

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

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline:
  362 km

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

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

Terrain:
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

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

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

Land use: arable land: 21.09% permanent crops: 4.45% other: 74.46% (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

People Albania

Population:
  3,582,205 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 520,714; female 486,911)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 1,115,887; female 1,196,477)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 115,754; female 146,462) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.5 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 28.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 39.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.37 years
  male: 69.53 years
  female: 75.42 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian

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

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

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

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

Government Albania

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

Government type:
  emerging democracy

Capital:
  Tirana

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

Independence:
  28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

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

Legal system:
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party of Albania or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
  Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Communist Party of Albania or
  PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA];
  Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or
  PLL [Guri DUROLLARI]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK
  [Abaz ERMENJI]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI];
  Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy or DS
  [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI];
  Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos
  NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Omonia [Vangjel DULES]

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Washington, DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 232222

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

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:
  Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the
  difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
  government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
  economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
  from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
  Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
  which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
  drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
  plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out
  of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors,
  and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports
  to relieve the shortages. In addition, the government is moving to
  improve the poor national road network, a long-standing barrier to
  sustained economic growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $15.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 27% services: 24% (2002 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2002 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
  5.289 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.898 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  221 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.2 billion kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  185.5 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.316 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports: $340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Italy 76.6%, Germany 5.6%, Greece 2.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Italy 39.4%, Greece 24.5%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $784 million (2000)

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

Currency:
  lek (ALL)

Currency code:
  ALL

Exchange rates:
  leke per US dollar - NA (2002), 143.49 (2001), 143.71 (2000),
  137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Albania

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  250,000 (2001)

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

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

Radios:
  1 million (2001)

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

Televisions:
  700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .al

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2001)

Internet users:
  12,000 (2001)

Transportation Albania

Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

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

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

Pipelines:
  gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine:
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 21,954 GRT/34,412 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 11, roll on/roll off 1, includes some
  foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
  Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  12 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Albania

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

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 906,168 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 742,837 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 36,985 (2003 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international:
  the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
  ethnic Albanians outside its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia
  and Montenegro, and in the northern Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia, while continuing to seek regional cooperation; some
  outside ethnic Albanian groups voice union with Albania

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

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

Geography Algeria

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

Geographic coordinates:
  28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
  998 km

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

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

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 3.21% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 96.58% (1998 est.)

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

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

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

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

People Algeria

Population:
  32,818,500 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.8% (male 5,485,197; female 5,285,434)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 10,460,475; female 10,224,389)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 624,839; female 738,166) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 22.3 years
  female: 22.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.65% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 37.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 40.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.54 years
  male: 69.14 years
  female: 72.01 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Algerian(s)
  adjective: Algerian

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

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

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

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

Government Algeria

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Algiers

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

Independence:
  5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of
  vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing
  candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud

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

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN (as of 10 July 2003) embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186 FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

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

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview:
  The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting
  for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of
  export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural
  gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks
  14th in oil reserves. Algeria's financial and economic indicators
  improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms
  supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club.
  Algeria's finances in 2000-03 benefited from substantial trade
  surpluses, record foreign exchange reserves, and reductions in
  foreign debt. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and
  increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to
  diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment
  outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in
  reducing high unemployment and improving living standards.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $173.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 60% services: 32% (2002 est.)

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.4 million (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  31% (2002 est.)

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
  24.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.7% hydro: 0.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  22.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  340 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  275 million kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  13.1 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.739 trillion cu m (37257)

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

Exports:
  $19.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Italy 18.9%, Spain 13.1%, France 13%, US 12.1%, Netherlands 6%,
  Brazil 5.9%, Canada 5.7%, Turkey 5.3%, Belgium 5.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 31%, Italy 10%, US 8.3%, Germany 6.6%, Spain 5.9%, Turkey
  4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $21.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $162 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:
  DZD

Exchange rates:
  Algerian dinars per US dollar - 79.68 (2002), 77.22 (2001), 75.26
  (2000), 66.57 (1999), 58.74 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Algeria

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  33,500 (1999)

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

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

Radios:
  7.1 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  180,000 (2001)

Transportation Algeria

Railways:
  total: 3,973 km
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2002)

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

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 1,344 km; gas 87,347 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;
  oil 6,496 km (2003)

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

Merchant marine:
  total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 884,032 GRT/1,010,777 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas
  10, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 4,
  specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered
  here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  136 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 54 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 82 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 under 914 m: 19 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 38

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Algeria

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

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 9,243,884 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,646,418 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 412,545 (2003 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Algeria

Disputes - international:
  Libya claims about 32,000 sq km in a dormant dispute still
  reflected on its maps in southeastern Algeria; armed bandits based
  in Mali attack southern Algerian towns; border with Morocco remains
  closed over mutual claims of harboring militants, arms smuggling;
  Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
  Moroccan administration of Western Sahara

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@American Samoa

Introduction American Samoa

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

Geography American Samoa

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

Geographic coordinates:
  14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  116 km

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

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

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

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

Natural resources:
  pumice, pumicite

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

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons common from December to March

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

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

People American Samoa

Population:
  70,260 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.6 years
  male: 21.1 years
  female: 22.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.22% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.75 years
  male: 71.35 years
  female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

Government American Samoa

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

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

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Pago Pago

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

Independence:
  none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:
  ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of
  vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID
  (independent) 47.8%
  note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the
  death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
  head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
  following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003;
  TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor
  cabinet: NA

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

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

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Economy American Samoa

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

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

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

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

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  14,000 (1996)

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

Unemployment rate:
  6% (2000)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  130 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  120.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

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

Exports:
  $345 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners:
  Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $452 million (1999)

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

Imports - partners:
  Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

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

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,550 (1997)

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

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

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  14,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .as

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation American Samoa

Railways: 0 km

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

Waterways:
  none

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

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Andorra

Introduction Andorra

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

Geography Andorra

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

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

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

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
  rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

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

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

Land use: arable land: 2.22% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  avalanches

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

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

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

People Andorra

Population:
  69,150 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974)
  15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 39.4 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.06% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 83.49 years
  male: 80.58 years
  female: 86.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Andorran(s)
  adjective: Andorran

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

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (predominant)

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

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

Government Andorra

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

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

Capital:
  Andorra la Vella

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

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

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

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group
  or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc
  FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL
  [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO
  SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc MATEU ZAMORA];
  New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND)
  [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial
  d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA]
  note: there are two other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to
  Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are
  represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain);
  mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
  telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705

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

Economy Andorra

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

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

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

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

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

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

Labor force:
  33,000 (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  0%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

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

Exports:
  $58 million f.o.b. (1998)

Exports - commodities:
  tobacco products, furniture

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

Imports:
  $1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, food, electricity

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

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Andorra

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

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

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

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

Radios:
  16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  27,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ad

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  24,500 (2001)

Transportation Andorra

Railways: 0 km

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

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military Andorra

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

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

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international:
  none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in dispute (a
  few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer of 35
  hectares of land to Andorra)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Angola

Introduction Angola

Background:
  Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from
  Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided
  for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government
  and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
  of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
  hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives
  may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The
  death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent
  cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.

Geography Angola

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

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
  1,600 km

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

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

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

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

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

Land use: arable land: 2.41% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 97.19% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

People Angola

Population:
  10,766,471 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,363,829; female 2,317,610)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,941,999; female 2,842,923)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 134,330; female 165,780) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.2 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.97% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  25.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 193.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 180.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 206.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 36.96 years
  male: 36.13 years
  female: 37.83 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  350,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  24,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Angolan(s)
  adjective: Angolan

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

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

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

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

Government Angola

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

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

Capital:
  Luanda

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

Independence:
  11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Angola

Economy - overview:
  Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century
  of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was
  established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on
  February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue
  including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence
  agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population.
  Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the
  economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of
  exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully
  take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds,
  extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits -
  Angola will need to continue reforming government policies. While
  Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from 325%
  in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make
  sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as
  increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater
  transparency in government spending. Increased oil production should
  bring about 6% GDP growth in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $18.36 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  106% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5 million (1997 est.)

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

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  1%

Electricity - production:
  1.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.4% hydro: 63.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.348 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  5.691 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  79.57 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports: $8.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  US 41.2%, China 13.7%, France 8%, Belgium 6.3%, Taiwan 6.3%, Japan
  4.9%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $4.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Portugal 20.2%, US 13.9%, South Africa 12.4%, France 6.7%, Brazil
  5.8%, Belgium 5.3%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $9.9 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $383.5 million (1999)

Currency:
  kwanza (AOA)

Currency code:
  AOA

Exchange rates:
  kwanza per US dollar - 43.53 (2002), 22.06 (2001), 10.04 (2000),
  2.79 (1999), 0.39 (1998); note - in December 1999 the kwanza was
  revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Angola

Telephones - main lines in use:
  72,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  25,800 (2000)

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

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

Radios:
  815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2000)

Televisions:
  196,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .ao

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2002)

Transportation Angola

Railways: total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

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

Waterways:
  1,295 km

Pipelines:
  gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30 km;
  oil 845 km; refined products 56 km (2003)

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

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,311 GRT/48,924 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 7, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  243 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 211
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
  914 to 1,523 m: 95
  under 914 m: 80 (2002)

Military Angola

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

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,568,082 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,290,884 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 109,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $222.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international:
  gives shelter to thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic
  of the Congo while thousands of Angolan refugees still remain in
  neighboring states as a consequence of the protracted civil wars in
  both states

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Anguilla

Introduction Anguilla

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

Geography Anguilla

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

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

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

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  61 km

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

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

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

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

Natural resources:
  salt, fish, lobster

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
  commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

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

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

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

People Anguilla

Population:
  12,738 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.3% (male 1,575; female 1,526)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 4,504; female 4,262)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 387; female 484) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30 years
  male: 30 years
  female: 29.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.21% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.7 years
  male: 73.79 years
  female: 79.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:
  black (predominant), mulatto, white

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

Languages:
  English (official)

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

Government Anguilla

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

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  The Valley

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:
  Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or
  UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla
  Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Economy Anguilla

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

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

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

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

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3%

Labor force:
  6,049 (2001)

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

Unemployment rate:
  6.7% (2001)

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

Industries:
  tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

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

Electricity - production:
  NA (2000)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  42.6 million kWh

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

Exports:
  $2.6 million (1999)

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

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

Imports:
  $80.9 million (1999)

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

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

Debt - external:
  $8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $3.5 million (1995)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

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

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,974 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,629 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern internal telephone system
  international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
  (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  919 (2000)

Transportation Anguilla

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Anguilla

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Antarctica

Introduction Antarctica

Background:
  Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not
  confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial
  operators and British and Russian national expeditions began
  exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of
  the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
  Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
  Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
  century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
  research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
  year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
  territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In
  order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
  continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
  nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
  1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location:
  continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
  90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 14 million sq km
  note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
  America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
  subcontinent of Europe
  land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
  ice-covered) (est.)

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on International disputes

Coastline:
  17,968 km

Maritime claims:
  none; 20 of 27 Antarctic consultative nations have made no claims
  to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have reserved the
  right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the other
  nations; also see the Disputes - international entry

Climate:
  severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance
  from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica
  because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most
  moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the
  coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:
  about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with
  average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges
  up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of
  southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area,
  and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves
  along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves
  constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
  highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
  note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
  Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
  discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:
  iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other
  minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
  uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
  and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high
  interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
  cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
  coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
  Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
  calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:
  in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole
  was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers;
  researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming
  through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish
  lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm
  one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of
  ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:
  the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;
  during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South
  Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly
  uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally staffed
  research stations
  note: approximately 27 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic
  Treaty, send personnel to perform seasonal (summer) and year-round
  research on the continent and in its surrounding oceans; the
  population of persons doing and supporting science on the continent
  and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the
  region covered by the Antarctic Treaty) varies from approximately
  4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000
  personnel including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard
  research are present in the waters of the treaty region; summer
  (January) population - 3,687 total; Argentina 302, Australia 201,
  Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16, Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11,
  France 100, Germany 51, India 60, Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea
  14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway 40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia
  254, South Africa 80, Spain 43, Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378
  (1998-99); winter (July) population - 964 total; Argentina 165,
  Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China 33, France 33, Germany 9,
  India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10, Poland 20, Russia 102,
  South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99); year-round stations - 42
  total; Argentina 6, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, Finland
  1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ
  1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 6, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Ukraine 1,
  UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (1998-99); summer-only stations - 32 total;
  Argentina 3, Australia 4, Bulgaria 1, Chile 7, Germany 1, India 1,
  Japan 3, NZ 1, Peru 1, Russia 3, Sweden 2, UK 5 (1998-99); in
  addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous
  occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary
  facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (July 2003
  est.)

Government Antarctica

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

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Legal system:
  Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative
  member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by
  these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their
  own national laws. US law, including certain criminal offenses by or
  against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extra-territorially.
  Some US laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the
  Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides
  civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless
  authorized by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or
  birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry
  into specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of
  pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from
  Antarctica. Violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries
  penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison. The
  National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share
  enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic
  Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions
  from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of
  Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which
  reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic
  Treaty. For more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar
  Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230;
  telephone: (703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov.

Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview:
  Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for
  the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2000-01 (1
  July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons. Unregulated
  fishing, particularly of tooth fish, is a serious problem. Allegedly
  illegal fishing in antarctic waters in 1998 resulted in the seizure
  (by France and Australia) of at least eight fishing ships. The
  Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
  determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total
  of 12,248 tourists visited in the 2000-01 antarctic summer, down
  from the 14,762 who visited the previous year. Nearly all of them
  were passengers on 21 commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several
  yachts that made trips during the summer. Most tourist trips lasted
  approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  0
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA; Iridium system in use

Telephone system:
  general assessment: local systems at some research stations
  domestic: NA
  international: via satellite from some research stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic
  Network-McMurdo)
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions:
  several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code:
  .aq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Transportation Antarctica

Ports and harbors:
  there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most
  coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
  transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
  helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
  stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
  W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
  "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
  sparse and intermittent

Airports:
  30
  note: 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party to the
  Antarctic Treaty, have aircraft landing facilities for either
  helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial enterprises
  operate two additional aircraft landing facilities; helicopter pads
  are available at 27 stations; runways at 15 locations are gravel,
  sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable for landing wheeled,
  fixed-wing aircraft; of these, 1 is greater than 3 km in length, 6
  are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are between 1 km and 2 km in
  length, 3 are less than 1 km in length, and 2 are of unknown length;
  snow surface skiways, limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing
  aircraft, are available at another 15 locations; of these, 4 are
  greater than 3 km in length, 3 are between 2 km and 3 km in length,
  2 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 2 are less than 1 km in
  length, and 4 are of unknown length; aircraft landing facilities
  generally subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting
  from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing
  facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the
  respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization
  required for landing; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports: 27 stations have helicopter landing facilities (helipads) (2002)

Military Antarctica

Military - note:
  the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,
  such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the
  carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of
  weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for
  scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international:
  Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in
  Government type entry); sections (some overlapping) claimed by
  Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK; the US and
  most other states do not recognize the territorial claims of other
  states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve
  the right to do so); no claims have been made in the sector between
  90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states with land
  claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data
  to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to
  extend their continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction Antigua and Barbuda

Background:
  The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and
  Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the
  islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early
  settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English
  who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar
  plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an
  independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

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

Geographic coordinates:
  17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

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

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  153 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

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

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

Natural resources:
  NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:
  arable land: 18.18%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 81.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

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

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors
  and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population:
  67,897 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 9,706; female 9,371)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 22,929; female 22,845)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,218; female 1,828) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.1 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 29.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.64% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.31 years
  male: 68.99 years
  female: 73.75 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

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

Religions:
  Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some
  Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  English (official), local dialects

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

Government Antigua and Barbuda

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

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Capital:
  Saint John's

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

Independence:
  1 November 1981 (from UK)

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

Constitution:
  1 November 1981

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives
  (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to
  serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ALP 53.2%, UPP 45.5%,
  independent 1.3%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next
  to be held prior to March 2004)

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

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

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

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

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

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $750 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.9%
  industry: 19.2%
  services: 76.8% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

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

Labor force:
  30,000

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

Unemployment rate:
  11% (2001 est.)

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
  105.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  97.89 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

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

Exports:
  $40 million

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

Exports - partners:
  France 68.5%, Germany 26.4%, Italy 1.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $357 million (2000 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  France 23.4%, Germany 14.2%, US 13.2%, Poland 9.8%, South Korea
  8.3%, Singapore 5%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $231 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998) (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,300 (1996)

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

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

Radios:
  36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ag

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2001)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

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

Highways:
  total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Saint John's

Merchant marine:
  total: 816 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,135,866 GRT/6,648,143 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3, Colombia 1, Cuba
  1, Estonia 1, Germany 747, Greece 1, Iceland 8, Latvia 1, Lebanon 2,
  Lithuania 1, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 6,
  South Africa 1, Sweden 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 7 (2002
  est.)
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 474, chemical tanker 8, combination
  bulk 3, container 255, liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large-load
  carrier 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll
  off 35

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Antigua and Barbuda

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the
  US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Arctic Ocean

Introduction Arctic Ocean

Background:
  The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after
  the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently
  delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and
  Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal
  waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes
  circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north
  of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
  90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 14.056 million sq km
  note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
  East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
  Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  45,389 km

Climate:
  polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively
  narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by
  continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear
  skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy
  weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain:
  central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that
  averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may
  be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort
  Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New
  Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and
  Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer,
  but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the
  encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental
  shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central
  basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera,
  Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards:
  ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;
  icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme
  northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked
  from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from
  October to May

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile
  ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or
  damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note:
  major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to
  the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between
  North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes
  of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated
  by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20
  to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10
  months

Economy Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural
  resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation Arctic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - note:
  sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest
  Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are
  important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Argentina

Introduction Argentina

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

Geography Argentina

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

Geographic coordinates:
  34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references:
  South America

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

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

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

Coastline:
  4,989 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 9.14% permanent crops: 0.8% other: 90.06% (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

People Argentina

Population:
  38,740,807 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.2% (male 5,185,548; female 4,955,551)
  15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,274,625; female 12,282,772)
  65 years and over: 10.4% (male 1,659,641; female 2,382,670) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 29 years male: 28 years female: 29.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.05% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 18.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.48 years
  male: 71.72 years
  female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,800 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Argentine(s)
  adjective: Argentine

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

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

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.1%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Government Argentina

Country name:
  conventional long form: Argentine Republic
  conventional short form: Argentina
  local short form: Argentina
  local long form: Republica Argentina

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions:
  23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous
  city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital
  Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,
  Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio
  Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del
  Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,
  Tucuman
  note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution:
  1 May 1853; revised August 1994

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); note
  - declared winner of a runoff election by default after Carlos Saul
  MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election; Vice
  President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
  note - declared winner of a runoff election by default after Carlos
  Saul MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election; Vice
  President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  election results: results of the presidential primary of 27 April
  2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
  MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
  8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; the last election held was the
  presidential primary election of 27 April 2003 (next election to be
  held NA 2007); a runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 between the
  two candidates receiving the highest votes in the primary was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently
  one-third of the members being elected every two years to a six-year
  term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by
  direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a
  four-year term)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%;
  seats by bloc or party - PJ 40, UCR 24, provincial parties 6,
  Frepaso 1, ARI 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or
  party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 113, UCR 74, provincial
  parties 27, Frepaso 17, ARI 17, AR 9
  elections: Senate - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held
  intermittently by province before December 2003); Chamber of
  Deputies - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held intermittently
  by province before December 2003)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Argentina

Economy - overview:
  Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate
  population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
  diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
  country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation,
  external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000
  was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained
  skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the
  peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic
  situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine
  bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in
  consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a
  "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore
  economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting
  economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in
  January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange
  rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the
  economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. Strong demand for
  the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange
  markets to curb its appreciation in early 2003. Led by record
  exports, the economy began to recover with output up 5.5% in 2003,
  unemployment falling, and inflation sliced to 4.2% at year-end.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $403.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -10.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 28% services: 66% (2000 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  41% (2002, yearend)

Labor force:
  15 million (1999)

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

Unemployment rate:
  21.5% (37377)

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
  97.17 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 6.7%

Electricity - consumption:
  92.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  5.662 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  7.417 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  828,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.927 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  768 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports:
  $25.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 23.6%, US 10.9%, Chile 9.7%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 42%, US 12.8%, Germany 4.4% (2002)

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

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

Currency:
  Argentine peso (ARS)

Currency code:
  ARS

Exchange rates:
  Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.06 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1
  (1999), 1 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Argentina

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3 million (December 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to
  competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications
  Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of
  modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines
  are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are
  entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being
  improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and
  making telephone service universally available will take time
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
  satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
  more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
  use is rapidly expanding
  international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international
  gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

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

Radios:
  24.3 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
  7.95 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ar

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  33 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.88 million (2001)

Transportation Argentina

Railways:
  total: 34,463 km (168 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 20,736 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,115 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 215,471 km
  paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Waterways:
  10,950 km

Pipelines:
  gas 26,797 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km; refined
  products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2003)

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

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 141,851 GRT/208,821 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 8, railcar carrier 1,
  refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1,
  specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered
  here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 1, Uruguay 1
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1,342 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 145
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
  914 to 1,523 m: 44
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1,197
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
  914 to 1,523 m: 572
  under 914 m: 571 (2002)

Military Argentina

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

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 9,780,063 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 7,942,837 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 331,011 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Argentina

Disputes - international:
  claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South
  Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, but in
  1995 ceded the right to settle the dispute by force; Beagle Channel
  islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed
  incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in
  Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic
  disputes); unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug
  trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants; uncontested dispute
  between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the
  Quarai/Cuareim leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question

Illicit drugs:
  used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and
  the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border
  Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Armenia

Introduction Armenia

Background:
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt
  Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over
  the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
  including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
  incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
  leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
  Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
  region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
  Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
  struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
  the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
  Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
  significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
  sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
  toward a peaceful resolution.

Geography Armenia

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 17.52% permanent crops: 2.3% other: 80.18% (1998 est.)

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

Natural hazards:
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis
  of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
  firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
  draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
  source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
  Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
  seismically active zone

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

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

People Armenia

Population:
  3,326,448
  note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in
  October 2001; official results are not expected until late 2003
  (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 356,587; female 346,648)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 1,113,241; female 1,158,245)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 147,156; female 204,571) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.3 years
  male: 30.6 years
  female: 34.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.07% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.16 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 40.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 36.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.68 years
  male: 62.41 years
  female: 71.17 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 2,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:
  Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 4%
  (2002)
  note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
  Armenia

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

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Armenia

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Yerevan

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

Independence:
  21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
  2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
  and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
  refuses to accept their program
  election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
  vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 75
  members selected by direct vote, 56 by party list)
  elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,
  Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National
  Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party -
  Republican Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak)
  11, National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
  frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
  independent
  note: electoral law was changed in 2002 so ratio in next elections
  will be 75 deputies elected by party list, 56 by direct election

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik
  MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN,
  chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Ruben
  MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
  ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
  [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
  National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
  People's Party); National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
  National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity
  Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia
  [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram
  SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
  Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; Union of
  Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party
  [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSSIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
  embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
  Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-177, 542-132, 524-661,
  527-001, 524-840
  FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy Armenia

Economy - overview:
  Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed
  a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and
  other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw
  materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December
  1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the
  large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural
  sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated
  technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace,
  but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration.
  Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold,
  bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the
  ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup
  of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union
  contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By
  1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious
  IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth
  rates in 1995-2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation,
  stabilize the local currency (the dram), and privatize most small-
  and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia
  suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy
  supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is
  now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
  generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under
  international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system
  was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been
  offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the
  economy, and foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia
  remain close, especially in the energy sector.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $12.13 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  12.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 26% services: 44% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, services 30%, industry 25% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $402 million
  expenditures: $482 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  15% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.479 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 30.7%

Electricity - consumption: 5.784 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

Exports:
  $525 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 21.5%, Russia 14.6%, Israel 10.3%, Iran 9.4%, US 8.2%,
  Switzerland 6.8%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $991 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  US 15.3%, Russia 12.9%, Belgium 12.3%, Iran 10.3%, UAE 6.3%,
  Germany 5.5%, Italy 4.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $905 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $170 million (2000)

Currency:
  dram (AMD)

Currency code:
  AMD

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

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  600,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  50,000 (2002)

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

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

Radios:
  850,000 (1997)

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

Televisions:
  825,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .am

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2001)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2001)

Transportation Armenia

Railways:
  total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include
  industrial lines
  broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 15,918 km
  paved: 15,329 km (includes 7,527 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 589 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA km

Pipelines:
  gas 2,031 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  15 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Armenia

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

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 919,582 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 727,770 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 37,209 (2003 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Armenia

Disputes - international:
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
  and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for
  Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate
  dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh
  dispute; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in
  Turkey have subsided; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of
  Georgia seek greater autonomy, closer ties with Armenia

Illicit drugs:
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
  consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
  opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Aruba

Introduction Aruba

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

Geography Aruba

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

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  68.5 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

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

Natural resources:
  NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use:
  arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.47% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Environment - current issues:
  NA

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

People Aruba

Population:
  70,844 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955)
  65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.1 years
  male: 35.3 years
  female: 38.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.55% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.83 years
  male: 75.48 years
  female: 82.34 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

Ethnic groups:
  mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

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

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

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

Government Aruba

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

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

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Oranjestad

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

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

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution:
  1 January 1986

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%,
  PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP
  12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1

Judicial branch:
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to
  Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

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

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview:
  Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with
  offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The
  rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted
  in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has
  boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition,
  the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source
  of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred
  growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led
  to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in
  wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the
  aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The
  government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade
  balance.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  41,501 (1997 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  0.6%

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

Industries:
  tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  531.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  494.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  aloes; livestock; fish

Exports:
  $1.88 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 28.6%, Colombia 21.7%, Panama 16.8%, US 12.1%,
  Netherlands Antilles 8.3%, Venezuela 7.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  US 54.7%, Netherlands 12.7%, UK 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $285 million (1996)

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

Currency:
  Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code:
  AWG

Exchange rates:
  Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001),
  1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Aruba

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,402 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: more than adequate
  international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands
  Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

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

Radios:
  50,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  20,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .aw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  24,000 (2002)

Transportation Aruba

Railways:
  0 km

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

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Merchant marine:
  total: 3
  note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Aruba

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

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

Transnational Issues Aruba

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
  accompanying money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Introduction Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background:
  These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931;
  formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a
  rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a
  National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is
  now a marine reserve.

Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
  Australia, south of the Indonesian half of Timor island

Geographic coordinates:
  12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 5 sq km
  note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
  Cartier Island
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  74.1 km

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

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

People Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and
  fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2003 est.)

People - note:
  the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has
  become an ongoing problem

Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
  of Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:
  the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the
  Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

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

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

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the
  Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Transnational Issues Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Disputes - international:
  nationalist group in Indonesia reportedly seeks to populate reefs
  to assert claims; Australia has moved to close reefs to Indonesian
  traditional fishing and to create a national park while prospecting
  for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Atlantic Ocean

Introduction Atlantic Ocean

Background:
  The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans
  (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern
  Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund
  (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar
  (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are
  important strategic access waterways.

Geography Atlantic Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the
  Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 76.762 million sq km
  note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
  Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
  Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
  Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  111,866 km

Climate:
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near
  Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can
  occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to
  November

Terrain:
  surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark
  Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June;
  clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in
  the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the
  southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic
  Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand
  and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
  precious stones

Natural hazards:
  icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the
  northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been
  spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
  subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
  October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
  September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions,
  turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of
  fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal
  sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern
  Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake
  Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and
  municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
  Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note:
  major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar,
  access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the
  Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound
  (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic
  Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Economy Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily
  trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western
  Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of
  natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands
  (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas
  (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation Atlantic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona
  (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon
  (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),
  Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands,
  Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille
  (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),
  New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),
  Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam
  (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note:
  Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways;
  significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal
  Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico
  coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Australia

Introduction Australia

Background:
  Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It
  was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly
  develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a
  major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II.
  Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the
  ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
  especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
  Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British
  monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Geography Australia

Location:
  Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
  Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 7,686,850 sq km
  water: 68,920 sq km
  note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
  land: 7,617,930 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  25,760 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
  in north

Terrain:
  mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
  highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
  nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas,
  petroleum

Land use:
  arable land: 6.88%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 93.09% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
  urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
  to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
  agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
  animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
  coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
  increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
  concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular,
  tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs
  along the west coast in the summer

People Australia

Population:
  19,731,984 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,045,783; female 1,949,864)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 6,680,531; female 6,553,141)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,099,275; female 1,403,390) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 36 years male: 35.2 years female: 36.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.93% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.13 years
  male: 77.27 years
  female: 83.13 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Australian(s)
  adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:
  Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:
  Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
  non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Languages:
  English, native languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1980 est.)

Government Australia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
  conventional short form: Australia

Government type:
  democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as
  sovereign

Capital:
  Canberra

Administrative divisions:
  6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
  South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia,
  Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
  Norfolk Island

Independence:
  1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
  9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:
  based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael
  JEFFREY (since 11 August 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
  March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON Deputy Prime
  Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999)
  cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a
  list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,
  the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
  prime minister by the governor general
  note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12
  from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland
  territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001
  election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
  preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can
  have fewer than five representatives)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by
  February 2005); House of Representatives - last held 10 November
  2001 (next to be held by February 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor
  Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1,
  Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal
  Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65,
  independent and other 3

Judicial branch:
  High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed
  by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:
  Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party
  [Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Country
  Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal
  Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON]; One
  Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican
  Movement [leader NA]

International organization participation:
  ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
  OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE,
  UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
  chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
  embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
  Territory 2600
  mailing address: APO AP 96549
  telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
  FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
  consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a
  large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as
  the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies
  of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six
  original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and
  external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the
  Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed
  star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview:
  Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a
  per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European
  economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting
  the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains
  robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind
  the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major
  export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years
  cast a shadow over prospects for 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $525.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.2 million (37256)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.3% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $86.8 billion
  expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
  chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  198.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 8.3% other: 0.9% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  184.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  731,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.664 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.407 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports:
  $66.3 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and
  transport equipment

Exports - partners:
  Japan 18.5%, US 9.6%, South Korea 8.3%, China 6.9%, New Zealand
  6.5%, UK 4.7%, Singapore 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $68 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines,
  telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 18.3%, Japan 12.3%, China 10.1%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $176.8 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $894 million (FY 99/00)

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93 (2001), 1.72
  (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10.05 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8.6 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
  domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
  areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
  telephones
  international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
  and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian
  Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean
  regions) (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  104 (1997)

Televisions:
  10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .au

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  571 (2002)

Internet users:
  10.63 million (2002)

Transportation Australia

Railways:
  total: 41,588 km (4,612 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 2,193 km 1.600-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 15,456 km 1.067-m gauge
  dual gauge: 291 km dual gauge (2002)
  standard gauge: 23,648 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 811,603 km
  paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines:
  condensate 36 km; condensate/gas 243 km; gas 27,321 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,779 km; oil/gas/water 104 km; water 40
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania),
  Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
  Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Merchant marine:
  total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,415,810 GRT/1,806,554 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 2, UK 2, US 14 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk
  1, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7,
  roll on/roll off 6

Airports:
  444 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 294 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 126 914 to 1,523 m: 134 under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 150 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 116 under 914 m: 14 (2002)

Military Australia

Military branches:
  Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,037,538 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 142,377 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $11.39 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international:
  maritime delimitation and resource sharing agreements signed with
  East Timor resolve dispute over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon reserves; no
  agreement reached on dividing Timor Sea with Indonesia (see Ashmore
  and Cartier Islands disputes); Australia asserts a territorial claim
  to Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see Antarctica)

Illicit drugs:
  Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate
  products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium
  poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Austria

Introduction Austria

Background:
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire,
  Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World
  War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent
  occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status
  remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended
  the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
  unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
  declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
  Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part
  of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question
  since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the
  European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the
  European Monetary Union in 1999.

Geography Austria

Location:
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 83,858 sq km
  water: 1,120 sq km
  land: 82,738 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
  km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
  km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in
  lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
  in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern
  and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.89% permanent crops: 0.99% other: 82.12% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe
  with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river
  is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
  because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population:
  8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.2% (male 678,944; female 646,390)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)
  65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 38.2 years
  female: 40.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.22% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.17 years
  male: 75.02 years
  female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.41 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:
  German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes,
  Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those
  who have lived in Austria at least three generations)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Languages:
  German

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Austria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local short form: Oesterreich
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Vienna

Administrative divisions:
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
  Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
  Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence:
  1156 (from Bavaria)

National holiday:
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State
  Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and
  the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:
  1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:
  civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
  legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
  administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
  February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
  of the chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
  term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held
  in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the
  president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice
  chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
  election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of
  vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%,
  Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the
  states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
  least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term)
  and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
  by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
  42.3%, SPOe 36.9%, FPOe 10.2%, Greens 9%; seats by party - OeVP 79,
  SPOe 69, FPOe 19, Greens 16
  elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
  held in the fall of 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative
  Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
  Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party
  of Austria or FPOe [Herbert HAUPT]; Social Democratic Party of
  Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA
  [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB;
  Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian
  Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief
  lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and
  farmers

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
  UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339, 31375, 31335
  FAX: [43] (1) 5125835

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview:
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard
  of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially
  Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
  investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
  market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing growth in
  Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to only 1.2%
  growth in 2001, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. To meet increased
  competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria
  will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy,
  continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden.
  A key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in
  the labor market by its ageing population.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $227.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 33%
  services: 65% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.3 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $53 billion
  expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals,
  lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications
  equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.3% hydro: 67.2% other: 3.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  85.69 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  24.9 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Exports:
  $70 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
  paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
  foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 31.5%, Italy 9.3%, Switzerland 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK 4.9%,
  France 4.7%, Hungary 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $74 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,
  oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 42.6%, Italy 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%, Switzerland 4.8%,
  Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $12.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $410 million (2000)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999), 12.38 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use: 4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
  optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
  services are available
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are
  about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  37 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.7 million (2002)

Transportation Austria

Railways:
  total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km
  0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 200,000 km
  paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  358 km (1999)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,722 km; oil 687 km; refined products 149 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 27,551 GRT/34,225 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 4, container 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  55 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 14 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Austria

Military branches:
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,093,821 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 49,090 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international: minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
  cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Azerbaijan

Introduction Azerbaijan

Background:
  Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population
  - regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union
  in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve
  its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
  enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
  territory and must support some 800,000 refugees and internally
  displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is
  ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's
  undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
  Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:
  40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 86,600 sq km
  note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
  Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
  water: 500 sq km
  land: 86,100 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

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

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

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  dry, semiarid steppe

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 19.31% permanent crops: 3.04% other: 77.65% (1998 est.)

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

Natural hazards:
  droughts

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

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

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

People Azerbaijan

Population:
  7,830,764 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.7% (male 1,101,320; female 1,064,214)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,468,772; female 2,601,312)
  65 years and over: 7.6% (male 236,683; female 358,463) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.1 years
  male: 25.7 years
  female: 28.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 82.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.16 years
  male: 58.95 years
  female: 67.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Azerbaijani(s)
  adjective: Azerbaijani

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

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

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

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

Government Azerbaijan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
  conventional short form: Azerbaijan
  local short form: none
  former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Baku (Baki)

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

Independence:
  30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Constitution:
  adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
  confirmed by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
  election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October
  2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
  election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
  Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAROV 14%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
  CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
  note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
  seats
  note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
  basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
  on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
  referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
  next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform"
  faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" faction]; Civic
  Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party
  [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz
  AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for
  Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas
  ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shvkat HACIYEVA];
  Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [Heydar
  ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or
  PNIA [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of
  Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardust ALIZADE]
  note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh
  Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani
  Forces (UPAF)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross L. WILSON embassy: 83 Azadliq Prospekt, Baku 370007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: [9] (9412) 90-66-71

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a
  crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

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

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $28.61 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 33% services: 47% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 49% (2002 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  16% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $786 million
  expenditures: $807 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  18.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  16.65 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  700 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  400 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  307,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  589 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  62.3 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports:
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
  Italy 28.7%, Germany 17.7%, Israel 10.6%, France 8.4%, Georgia
  6.7%, Russia 4.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
  Russia 17.8%, Turkey 11.9%, Germany 10.7%, France 7%, Kazakhstan
  6.3%, China 6%, UK 5.5%, US 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code:
  AZM

Exchange rates:
  Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58
  (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  865,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  800,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and
  modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100 persons is low
  (2002)
  domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
  industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
  telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
  switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
  international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still
  serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach
  about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected
  to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)

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

Radios:
  175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  170,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .az

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Railways: total: 2,122 km broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 24,981 km paved: 23,057 km unpaved: 1,924 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 5,001 km; oil 1,631 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Baku (Baki)

Merchant marine:
  total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 251,004 GRT/313,193 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  71 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3.047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Military Azerbaijan

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

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,159,450 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,727,340 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 82,925 (2003 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
  and militarily occupies about one-sixth of Azerbaijan - Organization
  for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate
  dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratify Caspian seabed
  delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to
  insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's
  hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; ICJ decision expected to
  resolve dispute with Turkmenistan over sovereignty of certain
  Caspian oilfields

Illicit drugs:
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point
  for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent
  the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bahamas, The

Introduction Bahamas, The

Background:
  Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus
  first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British
  settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony
  in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The
  Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and
  investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a
  major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments
  to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants
  into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location:
  Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
  of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
  24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 13,940 sq km
  water: 3,870 sq km
  land: 10,070 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,542 km

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

Climate:
  tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:
  long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind
  damage

Environment - current issues:
  coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
  strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain
  of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population:
  297,477
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.8% (male 42,799; female 42,730)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 95,718; female 98,875)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 7,092; female 10,263) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27 years
  male: 26.2 years
  female: 27.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.77% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 32.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.71 years
  male: 62.3 years
  female: 69.18 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  610 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:
  black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:
  Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church
  of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages:
  English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.6%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
  conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Nassau

Administrative divisions:
  21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,
  Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,
  Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh
  Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,
  Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence:
  10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:
  10 July 1973

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
  and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body
  appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
  minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
  independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive
  Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Robert M.
  WITAJEWSKI
  embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
  mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
  Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
  20521-3370
  telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
  FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
  aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:
  The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily
  dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts
  for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of
  the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and
  a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had
  led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US
  economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in
  these sectors in 2002. Manufacturing and agriculture together
  contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth,
  despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth
  prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the
  tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of
  most of the visitors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.59 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 7%
  services: 90% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.9% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $918.5 million
  expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of
  $106.7 million (FY 99/00)

Industries:
  tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and
  transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded
  steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.56 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, vegetables; poultry

Exports:
  $560.7 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners:
  US 39.1%, Germany 15.4%, Spain 10.8%, France 7.4%, Poland 4.6%,
  Switzerland 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.86 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral
  fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:
  US 20.3%, South Korea 20.1%, Germany 11.5%, Norway 11.5%, Japan
  10%, Italy 7.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $371.6 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $9.8 million (1995)

Currency:
  Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code:
  BSD

Exchange rates:
  Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1
  (1999), 1 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
  96,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,152 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern facilities
  domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
  international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida;
  3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  67,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bs

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  16,900 (2002)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778 GRT/46,202,085 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination
  bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26,
  livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8,
  passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated
  cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized
  tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda
  1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark
  27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece
  173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy
  9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67,
  Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3,
  Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8,
  Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab
  Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  64 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches:
  Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas
  Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:
  have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary with the US

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and
  Europe; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bahrain

Introduction Bahrain

Background:
  Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
  countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
  affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
  Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
  transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
  amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
  and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
  February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
  Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
  liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
  Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
  members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
  legislature, the National Assembly.

Geography Bahrain

Location:
  Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 665 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 665 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  161 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use: arable land: 4.35% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 91.3% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  50 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues:
  desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable
  land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation
  (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting
  from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil
  refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources,
  groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs

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

Geography - note:
  close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
  location in Persian Gulf, which much of Western world's petroleum
  must transit to reach open ocean

People Bahrain

Population: 667,238 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.8% (male 97,294; female 94,930)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 266,351; female 187,473)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 10,807; female 10,383) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 31.6 years
  female: 25.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.42 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.72 years
  male: 71.28 years
  female: 76.24 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,000

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:
  Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

Religions:
  Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Languages:
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.1%
  male: 91.9%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Bahrain

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
  conventional short form: Bahrain
  local short form: Al Bahrayn
  former: Dilmun
  local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

Government type:
  constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital:
  Manama

Administrative divisions:
  12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al
  Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah
  ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah,
  Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
  note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Independence:
  15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date
  of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of
  independence from British protection

Constitution:
  adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14
  February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
  constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a
  constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999);
  Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch,
  born 21 October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa
  (since NA 1971)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
  appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
  appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
  elected to serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
  election to be held NA 2006)
  note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
  Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
  bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
  February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
  December 2002
  election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10

Judicial branch:
  High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding
  the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
  unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
  fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: [973] 272-594

Flag description:
  red with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist
  side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Economy Bahrain

Economy - overview:
  In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60%
  of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With
  its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain
  is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf.
  Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil granted as aid. A large
  share of exports consists of petroleum products made from refining
  imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial
  projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the
  depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term
  economic problems.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $9.91 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 35%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  295,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore
  banking, ship repairing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.257 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.819 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  43,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  62.28 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  46 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Exports:
  $5.8 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:
  US 4.5%, India 3.2%, Saudi Arabia 2.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $4.2 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 30.1%, US 11.7%, Japan 7.1%, Germany 6.5%, UK 5.6%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.7 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of
  Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Currency:
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code:
  BHD

Exchange rates:
  Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38
  (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:
  152,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  58,543 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
  with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
  international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave
  radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and
  Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  338,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1997)

Televisions:
  275,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  140,200 (2002)

Transportation Bahrain

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 3,261 km paved: 2,531 km unpaved: 730 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 234,599 GRT/336,528 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1,
  includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Bahrain

Military branches:
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force (includes Air
  Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force, Amiri Guards,
  National Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  15 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 222,242 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 121,739 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 6,126 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $526.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6.7% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Bahrain

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Baker Island

Introduction Baker Island

Background:
  The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano
  deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second
  half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
  colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
  Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
  Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
  Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
  of the west coast.

Geography Baker Island

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  0 13 N, 176 31 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4.8 km

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

Climate:
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,
  prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
  roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
  wildlife

People Baker Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
  remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
  middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
  Service (July 2003 est.)

Government Baker Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Baker Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Baker Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
  1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with
  vegetation and unusable (2002)

Transportation - note:
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Baker Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Baker Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bangladesh

Introduction Bangladesh

Background:
  Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan
  seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this
  extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
  season, hampering economic development.

Geography Bangladesh

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:
  24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 144,000 sq km
  land: 133,910 sq km
  water: 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline:
  580 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March
  to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use: arable land: 60.7% permanent crops: 2.61% other: 36.69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during
  the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:
  many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate
  flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water;
  water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use
  of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally
  occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling
  water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil
  degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

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

Geography - note:
  most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing
  from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel
  of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty
  into the Bay of Bengal

People Bangladesh

Population:
  138,448,210 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.1% (male 24,255,300; female 23,007,632)
  15-64 years: 62.5% (male 44,261,739; female 42,281,331)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,506,606; female 2,135,602) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 21.2 years male: 21.2 years female: 21.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.06% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 66.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.33 years
  male: 61.46 years
  female: 61.2 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  650 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bangladeshi(s)
  adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:
  Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Religions:
  Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
  Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 43.1%
  male: 53.9%
  female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Government Bangladesh

Country name:
  conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  conventional short form: Bangladesh
  former: East Pakistan

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Dhaka

Administrative divisions:
  5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note -
  there may be one additional division named Sylhet

Independence:
  16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the
  date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known
  as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state
  of Bangladesh

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date
  of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day
  and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:
  4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following
  coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);
  note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the
  13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government
  Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when
  Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at
  presidential direction - to supervise the elections
  head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
  president
  elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
  term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
  Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
  on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
  seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
  elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
  - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected
  by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the
  constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above
  the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve
  five-year terms
  elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
  partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 191, AL 62, JI 18, JP
  (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
  election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
  with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya
  Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by
  the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or
  BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
  [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul
  Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
  Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
  (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
  chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS
  embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722
  FAX: [880] (2) 8823744

Flag description:
  green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
  the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
  independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
  secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Economy Bangladesh

Economy - overview:
  Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve
  economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,
  overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is
  generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
  Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
  the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
  include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
  enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
  force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
  energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
  slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
  in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
  levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
  from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
  interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
  ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
  but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
  areas.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $238.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 19% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35.6% (FY 95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.6 (FY 95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  64.1 million
  note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
  Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
  in 1998-99 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY 95/96)

Unemployment rate:
  40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.9 billion
  expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY99/00 est.)

Industries:
  cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,
  cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  15.33 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  28.45 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  150.3 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Exports: $6.2 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)

Exports - partners:
  US 27.6%, Germany 10.4%, UK 9.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $8.5 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,
  foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Imports - partners:
  India 14.6%, China 11.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Japan 7.6%, Hong Kong
  5.4%, South Korea 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $16.5 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Currency:
  taka (BDT)

Currency code:
  BDT

Exchange rates:
  taka per US dollar - 57.89 (2002), 55.81 (2001), 52.14 (2000),
  49.09 (1999), 46.91 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:
  500,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  283,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
  domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
  include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
  fiber-optic cable in cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
  international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
  neighboring countries (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (1999)

Televisions:
  770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2000)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2002)

Transportation Bangladesh

Railways:
  total: 2,706 km
  broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 207,486 km
  paved: 19,773 km
  unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Waterways:
  up to 8,046 km depending on season
  note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes

Pipelines:
  gas 2,016 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Merchant marine:
  total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 314,437 GRT/436,465 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 23, container 11, passenger 1,
  petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  18 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Bangladesh

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes
  Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed
  Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 38,436,912 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $559 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY96)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international:
  discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of
  river boundary, demarcate and fence the porous land boundary,
  exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, allocate divided villages, and stop
  illegal cross-border trade and violence; Bangladesh protests India's
  attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary;
  dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay
  of Bengal prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim
  refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Barbados

Introduction Barbados

Background:
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in
  1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island
  until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily
  dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the
  20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political
  reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the
  UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the
  sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography Barbados

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
  Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 431 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 431 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  97 km

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

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population:
  277,264 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.2% (male 29,621; female 29,207)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 94,840; female 99,230)
  65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,355; female 15,011) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.3 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 34.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.38% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 14.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.84 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 74.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  250 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:
  Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other
  12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97.4%
  male: 98%
  female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Government Barbados

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

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
  Commonwealth

Capital:
  Bridgetown

Administrative divisions:
  11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint
  James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint
  Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may
  be given parish status

Independence:
  30 November 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:
  30 November 1966

Legal system:
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
  (since 1 June 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
  September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
  held by May 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service
  Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Political parties and leaders:
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party
  or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union
  [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY];
  Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
  consulate(s): Los Angeles
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  telephone: [1] (202) 339-9201
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Earl N. PHILLIPS, Jr.
  embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
  Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
  FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue
  with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
  trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
  colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy Barbados

Economy - overview:
  Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane
  cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years
  has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Offshore finance and
  information services are important foreign exchange earners, and
  there is also a light-manufacturing sector. The government continues
  its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign
  investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The
  economy contracted in 2002 mainly due to a 3% decline in tourism.
  Growth should be positive in 2003, the precise level largely
  dependent on economic conditions in the US and Europe.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.153 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -2.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 16%
  services: 78% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $847 million (including grants)
  expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate:
  -3.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  780 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  725.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.254 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  70.79 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Exports:
  $227 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,
  electrical components

Exports - partners:
  US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%, Saint
  Lucia 4.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $987 million (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,
  chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners:
  US 41.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $692 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $9.1 million (1995)

Currency:
  Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code:
  BBD

Exchange rates:
  Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2
  (1999), 2 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use:
  108,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,013 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  237,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Televisions:
  76,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,000 (2000)

Transportation Barbados

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,793 km paved: 1,719 km unpaved: 74 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Merchant marine:
  total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 284,222 GRT/439,810 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, The Bahamas 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece
  2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, UK 18 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 22, combination bulk 1, container 1,
  petroleum tanker 2

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Barbados

Military branches:
  Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast
  Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 77,862 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Barbados

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for
  Europe and the US; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bassas da India

Introduction Bassas da India

Background:
  This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at
  high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the
  administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.

Geography Bassas da India

Location:
  Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about
  one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 0.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 0.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  35.2 km

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

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  volcanic rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide
  and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a
  long-extinct, submerged volcano

People Bassas da India

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Bassas da India

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bassas da India

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
  Republic, resident in Reunion

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

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Bassas da India

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Bassas da India

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bassas da India

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Bassas da India

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Belarus

Introduction Belarus

Background:
  After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus
  attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political
  and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet
  republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union
  on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
  integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
  accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.

Geography Belarus

Location:
  Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
  53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 207,600 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 207,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,900 km
  border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
  Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
  continental and maritime

Terrain:
  generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
  highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources:
  forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,
  granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 29.76% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 69.55% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
  Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
  geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
  dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

People Belarus

Population:
  10,322,151 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 885,265; female 848,516)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 3,456,769; female 3,652,766)
  65 years and over: 14.3% (male 490,529; female 988,306) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.7 years
  male: 34.1 years
  female: 39.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.12% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 15.13 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.43 years
  male: 62.54 years
  female: 74.6 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Belarusian(s)
  adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups:
  Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,
  Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages:
  Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Belarus

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
  conventional short form: Belarus
  local short form: none
  former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Minsk

Administrative divisions:
  6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady,
  singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad
  Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya,
  Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk); note - when using a place name with the
  adjectival ending 'skaya,' the word voblasts' should be added to the
  place name
  note: voblasti have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Independence:
  25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date
  Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date
  of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996
  giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective
  27 November 1996

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (acting; since 10
  July 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since 13 March
  2000), Sergei SIDORSKY (since 24 September 2001), Vladimir DRAZHIN
  (since 24 September 2001), Roman VNUCHKO (since 10 July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
  1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
  however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
  referendum; new election held 9 September 2001 (next election to be
  held by September 2006); prime minister and deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the
  Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members
  elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the
  president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives
  or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal
  adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
  election results: party affiliation data unavailable; under present
  political conditions party designations are meaningless
  elections: last held October 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
  and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist
  Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN, chairman]; Belarusian Ecological Green
  Party (merger of Belarusian Ecological Party and Green Party of
  Belarus) [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian
  Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian
  Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat
  Party or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian
  Social-Democratic Party or Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH,
  chairman]; Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV]; Civic
  Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Anatol LIABEDZKA]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Party of
  Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Republican
  Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatoliy NETYLKIN, chairman];
  Social-Democrat Party of Popular Accord or PPA [Leanid SECHKA];
  Women's Party or "Nadezhda" [Valentina POLEVIKOVA, chairperson]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, NAM (observer),
  NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
  chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael G. KOZAK
  embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
  mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
  telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83
  FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Flag description:
  red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the
  width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
  bears a Belarusian national ornament in red

Economy Belarus

Economy - overview:
  Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when
  President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market
  socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed
  administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and
  expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private
  enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by high inflation and
  persistent trade deficits, businesses have been subject to pressure
  on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary
  changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive
  application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive"
  businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive
  policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. Close
  relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the
  pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus
  remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $90.19 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 40% services: 45% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  21.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  42.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.8 million (2000)

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

Unemployment rate:
  2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number
  of underemployed workers

Budget:
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
  million (1997 est.)

Industries:
  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
  motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
  radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  24.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  26.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  4.3 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  230,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
  grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Exports:
  $7.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals;
  textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Russia 50.8%, Latvia 7.3%, Ukraine 6.3%, Lithuania 4.1%, Germany
  4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $8.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
  Russia 68.2%, Germany 9.4%, Ukraine 3.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $851 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $194.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code:
  BYB/BYR

Exchange rates:
  Belarusian rubles per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75
  (2000), 248.8 (1999), 46.13 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,167 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all
  telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company)
  Beltelcom which is a monopoly
  domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
  cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
  local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
  Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
  serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form
  synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
  systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
  international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL),
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the
  Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide
  connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide
  service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure;
  additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and
  Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  2.52 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .by

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  23 (2002)

Internet users:
  422,000 (2002)

Transportation Belarus

Railways: total: 5,523 km broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 74,385 km paved: 66,203 km unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river
  systems

Pipelines:
  gas 4,519 km; oil 1,811 km; refined products 1,686 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Mazyr

Airports:
  124 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 67 (2002)

Military Belarus

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior Ministry Troops,
  Border Guards

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,756,572 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,158,875 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 86,654 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $176.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Belarus

Disputes - international:
  1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and encouraging
  illegal border crossing; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain
  undemarcated despite European Union financial support

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the
  domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via
  Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; lax money-laundering
  and banking regulations

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Belgium

Introduction Belgium

Background:
  Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was
  occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in
  the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European
  state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
  Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
  Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
  amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography Belgium

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the
  Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:
  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 30,510 sq km
  land: 30,230 sq km
  water: 280 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,385 km
  border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
  Netherlands 450 km

Coastline:
  66 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: median line with neighbors
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: median line with neighbors (extends about
  68 km from coast)

Climate:
  temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain:
  flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged
  mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: North Sea 0 m
  highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:
  coal, natural gas

Land use:
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)
  other: 75%

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected
  from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues:
  the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
  activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
  extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
  pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
  uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
  resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto
  Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals
  within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and
  NATO

People Belgium

Population:
  10,289,088 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.2% (male 905,856; female 865,589)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,400,419; female 3,346,182)
  65 years and over: 17.2% (male 725,162; female 1,045,880) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40 years
  male: 38.7 years
  female: 41.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.29 years
  male: 74.97 years
  female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  8,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Belgian(s)
  adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:
  Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages:
  Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less
  than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Belgium

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
  conventional short form: Belgium
  local short form: Belgique/Belgie
  local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

Government type:
  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital:
  Brussels

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
  provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
  Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
  Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
  Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen

Independence:
  4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from
  the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the
  throne

National holiday:
  21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Constitution:
  7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a
  constitutional package creating a federal state

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;
  judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent
  Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved
  by Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch and then approved by Parliament
  note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat
  in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular
  vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and
  a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch,
  Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 June 2003
  (next to be held in NA May 2007)
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
  governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other
  acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders
  entry
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
  15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
  5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
  VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
  senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
  15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
  11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
  23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de
  Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch,
  although selected by the Government)

Political parties and leaders:
  AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dirk HOLEMANS]; Christian Democrats and
  Flemish or CD & V [Yves LETERME]; note - used to be the Flemish
  Christian Democrats or CVP; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel
  JAVAUK, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal
  Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT]; Francophone Humanist and
  Democratic Center of CDH (used to be Social Christian Party or PSC)
  [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR (used to be
  Liberal Reformation Party or PRL) [Antoine DUQUESNE]; Francophone
  Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; National Front or FN [Daniel
  FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new
  party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU;
  Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; note
  - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note -
  new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU;
  Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL,
  WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
  chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER
  embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  the design was based on the flag of France

Economy Belgium

Economy - overview:
  This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its
  central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and
  diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated
  mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural
  resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw
  materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
  economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
  three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
  is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing
  its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began
  circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
  2001-03 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown.
  Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and
  the US.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.4% services: 74.3% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 4%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.44 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $113.4 billion
  expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17
  billion (2000)

Industries:
  engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed
  food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass,
  petroleum, coal

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  74.28 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% other: 1.8% (2001) nuclear: 59.3%

Electricity - consumption:
  78.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  6.712 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  15.82 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Exports: $162 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal
  products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 9.6%, US 7.9%,
  Italy 5.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $152 billion f.o.b. (2001)

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

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%, Ireland
  7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $764 million (1997)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999), 36.3 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.769 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  974,494 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
  completely automated domestic and international telephone and
  telegraph facilities
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
  network; limited microwave radio relay network
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  8.075 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .be

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  61 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.76 million (2002)

Transportation Belgium

Railways: total: 3,471 km standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 148,216 km
  paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt,
  Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
  total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,215 GRT/55,725 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, petroleum tanker 4,
  includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  42 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 15 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Belgium

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 60,921 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.077 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Belgium

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound
  ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and
  marijuana entering Western Europe; money laundering related to
  trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Belize

Introduction Belize

Background:
  Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
  independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
  Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
  has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
  by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
  trade, and increased urban crime.

Geography Belize

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
  Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 22,966 sq km
  water: 160 sq km
  land: 22,806 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline:
  386 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM in the north, 3 NM in the south; note - from
  the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
  territorial sea is 3 NM; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
  1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
  the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
  with Guatemala

Climate:
  tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry
  season (February to May)

Terrain:
  flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.81% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 96.09% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal
  flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
  agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
  only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
  Pacific Ocean

People Belize

Population:
  266,440 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.1% (male 55,880; female 53,706)
  15-64 years: 55.3% (male 74,612; female 72,813)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,571; female 4,858) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 18.8 years
  female: 19 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 27.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 30.56 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.36 years
  male: 65.19 years
  female: 69.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  300 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist
  3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000)

Languages:
  English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 94.1%
  female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Government Belize

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Belmopan

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence:
  21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:
  21 September 1981

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
  November 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
  August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
  minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members
  appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime
  minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
  one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
  Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
  and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
  Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
  members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
  to be held NA March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PUP 21, UDP 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
  People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party
  or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele
  CATZIM]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
  chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
  embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
  telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
  FAX: [501] 30802

Flag description:
  blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;
  centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of
  arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany
  tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the
  Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy Belize

Economy - overview:
  In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism
  industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane
  sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The
  government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
  September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000,
  4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the
  sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective
  remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international
  donors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  33% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 90,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $224 million
  expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $70
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.6% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  199.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  185.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Exports:
  $290 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners:
  US 40.5%, UK 23.2%, Peru 8.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $430 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners:
  US 35.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 6.1%, Japan 5.9%, Cuba
  5.7%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $475 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Belizean dollar (BZD)

Currency code:
  BZD

Exchange rates:
  Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2
  (1999), 2 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Belize

Telephones - main lines in use:
  31,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,023 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: above-average system
  domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  133,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  41,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  18,000 (2002)

Transportation Belize

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally
  navigable)

Ports and harbors:
  Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Merchant marine:
  total: 292 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,030,141 GRT/1,499,777 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 200, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 12, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 18,
  roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 2, Belgium 3, British Virgin Islands 6,
  Cambodia 1, China 38, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 1, Equatorial
  Guinea 1, Eritrea 1, Estonia 7, Germany 3, Greece 4, Grenada 1,
  Honduras 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 6, Italy 2, Japan 4, Jordan 1,
  Lebanon 1, Liberia 5, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall
  Islands 13, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 12,
  Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Romania 1, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, South Korea 10,
  Spain 4, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, Thailand 6, Tunisia 1, Turkey 1,
  Ukraine 3, United Arab Emirates 9, United Kingdom 2, United States
  4, Virgin Islands (UK) 6, Yemen 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  42 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Military Belize

Military branches:
  Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and
  Volunteer Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 66,332 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 39,337 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 3,046 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.7 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.87% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Belize

Disputes - international:
  Guatemala has claimed half of southern Belize; Guatemalan squatters
  continue to settle along the border despite a 2000 agreement; OAS
  brokered a Differendum in 2002 that created a small adjustment to
  land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in the
  Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and
  a substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought
  to a popular referendum

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer
  of cannabis for the international drug trade; some money-laundering
  activity related to offshore sector

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Benin

Introduction Benin

Background:
  Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African
  kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French
  Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the
  Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in
  1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment
  of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to
  representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free
  elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
  president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
  from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
  elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
  alleged.

Geography Benin

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
  Togo

Geographic coordinates:
  9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 112,620 sq km
  water: 2,000 sq km
  land: 110,620 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
  Togo 644 km

Coastline:
  121 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 15.28% permanent crops: 1.36% other: 83.36% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to
  March

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife
  populations; deforestation; desertification

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

Geography - note:
  sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
  harbors, river mouths, or islands

People Benin

Population:
  7,041,490
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47% (male 1,668,817; female 1,638,291)
  15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,739,517; female 1,834,231)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 67,504; female 93,130) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 15.9 years
  female: 16.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.95% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 86.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 91.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.08 years
  male: 50.35 years
  female: 51.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  120,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  8,100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
  Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
  south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.9%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 26.5% (2000)

Government Benin

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form: Republique du Benin

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism
  December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition
  to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Capital:
  Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
  government

Administrative divisions:
  12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,
  Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:
  1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:
  December 1990

Legal system:
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
  presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
  Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
  (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
  State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
  March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and
  HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
  run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
  a "friendly match"
  election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
  vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
  small parties) 31
  elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
  Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
  African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
  Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
  Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
  Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
  Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
  and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
  Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small
  parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
  Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's
  Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
  note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical
  green band on the hoist side

Economy Benin

Economy - overview:
  The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
  subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six
  years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase.
  Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
  raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
  investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
  development of new food processing systems and agricultural
  products, and encourage new information and communication
  technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
  telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
  initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
  creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
  speeded-up structural reforms.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $7.38 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 15% services: 47% (2002 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $377.4 million
  expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction
  materials (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  274.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  631.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  376 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.105 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  608.8 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)

Exports:
  $207 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand 6.7%,
  Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $479 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $342.6 million (2000)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Benin

Telephones - main lines in use:
  51,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  55,500 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
  cellular connections
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Radios:
  660,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1;; (2001)

Televisions:
  66,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .bj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2002)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Benin

Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 6,787 km
  paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  streams navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports and harbors:
  Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Military Benin

Military branches:
  Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: note: both sexes are liable for military service females age 15-49: 1,536,036 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 1,597,562

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 805,603
  females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 75,021
  females: 78,998 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $80.8 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Benin

Disputes - international:
  two villages are in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso;
  much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,
  remains undemarcated, but states accept 2001 arbitration over
  disputed Niger River islands; several villages along the Okpara
  River are in dispute with Nigeria; in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved
  the boundary stones - joint commission presently resurveying the
  boundary

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
  trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
  Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
  regulated financial infrastructure

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bermuda

Introduction Bermuda

Background:
  Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists
  headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American
  winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be
  important to the island's economy, although international business
  has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a
  highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on
  independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geography Bermuda

Location:
  North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east
  of North Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates:
  32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 53.3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 53.3 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  103 km

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

Climate:
  subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain:
  low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues:
  asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space;
  sustainable development

Geography - note:
  consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall,
  but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US
  Government from 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population:
  64,482 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,195; female 6,205)
  15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,110; female 22,574)
  65 years and over: 11.5% (male 3,215; female 4,183) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.7 years
  male: 37.8 years
  female: 39.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.41 years
  male: 75.38 years
  female: 79.49 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups:
  black 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Religions:
  non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  other 19%

Languages:
  English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 99% (1970 est.)

Government Bermuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
  self-government

Capital:
  Hamilton

Administrative divisions:
  9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*,
  Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's,
  Southampton, Warwick

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution:
  8 June 1968, amended 1989

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
  head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body
  appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the
  House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
  NA July 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
  seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive
  Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP
  [Chairman Wayne FURBERT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union
  or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or
  BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation:
  Caricom (observer), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr. consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flag description:
  red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion
  holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea
  Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy - overview:
  Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world,
  with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for
  international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The
  effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative
  ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new
  reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to
  the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On
  the negative side, Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over
  80% of its visitors from the US - has been severely hit as American
  tourists have chosen not to travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in
  2002, but remains below the pre-11 September level. Most capital
  equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is
  small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture
  is limited, only 6% of the land being arable.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $35,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 10%
  services: 89% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (July 2002)

Labor force:
  37,472 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.5% (1993)

Budget:
  revenues: $609.5 million
  expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of
  $54.8 million (FY 00/01)

Industries:
  tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  643.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  598.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Exports:
  $51 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
  France 77.4%, UK 2.8%, US 2.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $719 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:
  Kazakhstan 30.9%, France 24.7%, Italy 10.5%, US 9.7%, South Korea
  8.4%, Mexico 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $145 million (FY 99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code:
  BMD

Exchange rates:
  Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the
  US dollar)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,980 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
  international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (1997)

Televisions:
  66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2000)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2000)

Transportation Bermuda

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 450 km
  paved: 450 km
  note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)
  unpaved: 0 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Merchant marine:
  total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,993,227 GRT/7,089,760 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9,
  Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States
  13 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, container 14,
  liquefied gas 9, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
  cargo 13, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 4

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Bermuda

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda
  Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.028 million (January 2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bhutan

Introduction Bhutan

Background:
  In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under
  which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding
  some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in
  1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British
  agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan
  allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed
  by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
  Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
  British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
  defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
  refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
  90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese
  separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
  southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border
  incursions.

Geography Bhutan

Location:
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 47,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 47,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers
  in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:
  mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Land use: arable land: 2.98% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.59% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's
  name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent
  landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls
  several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population: 2,139,549 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.6% (male 438,784; female 407,919)
  15-64 years: 56.4% (male 621,666; female 585,550)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 43,262; female 42,368) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.1 years
  male: 19.9 years
  female: 20.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.82 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 104.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 106.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 102.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 53.58 years
  male: 53.9 years
  female: 53.25 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas—one of several
  Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
  Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.2%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Government Bhutan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan

Government type:
  monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital:
  Thimphu

Administrative divisions:
  18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
  Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel,
  Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu,
  Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
  note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence:
  8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday:
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
  December (1907)

Constitution:
  no written constitution or bill of rights; note - the King
  commissioned a committee to draft a constitution in 2001, but has
  yet to be approved

Legal system:
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  each family has one vote in village-level elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
  in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
  monarch with two-thirds vote
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
  Jigme Y. THINLEY (since 30 August 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
  monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
  five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
  (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected
  from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35
  are designated by the monarch to represent government and other
  secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2005)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed
  by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
  antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for
  Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2
  United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1]
  (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular
  jurisdiction in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although
  informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy
  in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper
  triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along
  the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from
  the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview:
  The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is
  based on agriculture and forestry, providing the main livelihood for
  more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of
  subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate
  the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure
  difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's
  through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's
  financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically
  backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most
  development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian
  migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for
  tourists are key resources. The government has made some progress in
  expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare.
  Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with
  support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic
  program takes into account the government's desire to protect the
  country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and
  uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
  and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 10%
  services: 45% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA
  note: massive lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $146 million
  expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
  Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Industries:
  cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
  calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate:
  9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.896 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  379.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  16 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
  1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Exports:
  $154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,
  cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:
  US 24.1%, UK 23.9%, Pakistan 23.1%, France 13.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
  rice

Imports - partners:
  Japan 44.5%, Germany 12.2%, UK 8.5%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 5%,
  US 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $245 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  substantial aid from India and other nations

Currency:
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
  BTN; INR

Exchange rates:
  ngultrum per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94 (2000),
  43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few
  telephones in use
  international: international telephone and telegraph service is by
  landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

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

Radios:
  37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  2,500 (2002)

Transportation Bhutan

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 3,690 km paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Bhutan

Military branches:
  Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia, Royal Bhutan
  Police, Forest Guards

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 530,860 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 283,493 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 22,755 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international:
  approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of
  whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
  camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bolivia

Introduction Bolivia

Background:
  Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away
  from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has
  consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
  Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s,
  but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty,
  social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
  foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving
  disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts,
  continuing the privatization program, and waging an anticorruption
  campaign.

Geography Bolivia

Location:
  Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
  17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,098,580 sq km
  water: 14,190 sq km
  land: 1,084,390 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,743 km
  border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
  Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:
  rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills,
  lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
  highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:
  tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver,
  iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.73% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 98.06% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
  international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
  deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
  methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
  loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
  for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:
  landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
  navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population:
  8,586,443 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,624,366; female 1,562,501)
  15-64 years: 58.4% (male 2,452,892; female 2,561,873)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 172,292; female 212,519) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 20.1 years
  female: 21.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.63% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 56.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 52.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 59.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.78 years
  male: 62.2 years
  female: 67.48 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  4,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  290 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bolivian(s)
  adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:
  Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,
  Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.2%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Government Bolivia

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of
  judiciary)

Administrative divisions:
  9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca,
  Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence:
  6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:
  2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system:
  based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of
  age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
  October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
  October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
  (next to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
  the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
  chosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
  DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
  resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, Vice
  President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
  Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -
  some members are drawn from party lists, thus not directly elected)
  elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
  30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
  of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR
  36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms
  by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department);
  provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic Solidarity
  Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz
  BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [Freddy
  ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ
  Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES]; Movement
  Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist Democratic
  Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Nationalist
  Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; New
  Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous
  Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres
  JUSTINIANO]
  note: the MNR, MIR, and UCS comprise the ruling coalition

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole
  Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Felipe
  QUISPE]

International organization participation:
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Washington, DC FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251 FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with
  the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of
  Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the
  yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview:
  Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American
  countries, made considerable progress in the 1990s toward the
  development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President
  SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade
  agreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of the
  Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization
  of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power
  company, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to
  tight government budget policies, which limited needed
  appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the
  Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances held down
  growth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to the
  global slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth picked up
  slightly in 2002, but the first quarter of 2003 saw extensive civil
  riots and looting and loss of confidence in the government. Bolivia
  will remain highly dependent on foreign aid unless and until it can
  develop its substantial natural resources.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $21.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  58.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  2.5 million

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

Unemployment rate:
  7.6%
  note: widespread underemployment (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
  handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.9% (1998)

Electricity - production:
  3.901 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% other: 1.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.634 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  9 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  44,340 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  458.8 million bbl (37257)

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

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

Natural gas - exports:
  2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  727.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber

Exports:
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood (2000)

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 24.3%, Switzerland 15.7%, US 14.1%, Venezuela 12.8%,
  Colombia 10.2%, Peru 5.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures, chemicals,
  petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 22%, Argentina 17.4%, US 15.6%, Chile 7%, Japan 5.5%, Peru
  5.4%, China 4.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.9 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $588 million (1997)

Currency:
  boliviano (BOB)

Currency code:
  BOB

Exchange rates:
  bolivianos per US dollar - 7.17 (2002), 6.61 (2001), 6.18 (2000),
  5.81 (1999), 5.51 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  327,600 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  116,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties;
  most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile
  cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
  domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
  digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
  cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios:
  5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (1997)

Televisions:
  900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  78,000 (2000)

Transportation Bolivia

Railways: total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 53,790 km
  paved: 3,496 km (including 13 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 50,294 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  10,000 km (commercially navigable)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,460 km; refined
  products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
  Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
  maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Merchant marine:
  total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 347,535 GRT/591,113 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 25, chemical tanker 4, container 4,
  livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 1,
  short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  Belize 2, China 2, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Honduras 1, Latvia 2,
  Liberia 2, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi
  Arabia 1, Singapore 1, South Korea 3, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 1, UAE
  5, US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1,081 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,069 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 225 under 914 m: 776 (2002)

Military Bolivia

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes Marines),
  Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (Policia
  Nacional de Bolivia)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,118,908 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,380,883 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 96,003 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $147 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international:
  continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama corridor
  ceded to Chile in 1884; Chile demands water rights to Bolivia's Rio
  Lauca and Silala Spring

Illicit drugs:
  world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru)
  with an estimated 24,400 hectares under cultivation in June 2002, a
  23% increase from June 2001; intermediate coca products and cocaine
  exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to the
  US and other international drug markets; eradication and alternative
  crop programs under the SANCHEZ DE LOZADA administration have been
  unable to keep pace with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation
  after significant reductions in 1998 and 1999; money-laundering
  activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders
  with Brazil and Paraguay

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October
  1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former
  Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic
  Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and
  Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning
  the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form
  a "greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the
  number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement
  creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed
  a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic
  civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December
  1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's
  international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and
  democratic government. This national government was charged with
  conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was
  a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal
  in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
  the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS
  governments were charged with overseeing internal functions. In
  1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of
  60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military
  aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led
  Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed
  hostilities. SFOR remains in place although troop levels were
  reduced to approximately 12,000 by the close of 2002.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
  44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 51,129 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 51,129 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Coastline:
  20 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short,
  cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along
  coast

Terrain:
  mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests, copper, chromium, lead,
  zinc, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.8% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 87.26% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of
  urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of
  infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is
  divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the
  territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about
  49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous
  to Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally
  has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an
  ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:
  3,989,018 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.4% (male 397,810; female 377,005)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,439,383; female 1,372,891)
  65 years and over: 10.1% (male 171,643; female 230,286) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.5 years
  male: 35.1 years
  female: 35.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.48% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 25.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.29 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 75.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bosnian(s)
  adjective: Bosnian

Ethnic groups:
  Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)
  note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
  confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:
  Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other
  10%

Languages:
  Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  local long form: none
  local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Government type:
  emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:
  Sarajevo

Administrative divisions:
  there are two first-order administrative divisions and one
  internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko
  Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika
  Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an
  administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  the district remains under international supervision

Independence:
  1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was
  completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:
  National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:
  the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new
  constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its
  own constitution

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Dragan COVIC (chairman
  since 27 June 2003; presidency member since 5 October 2002 - Croat)
  other members of the three-member rotating (every eight months)
  presidency: Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 - Bosniak) and
  Borislav PARAVAC (since 10 April 2003 - Serb); note - Mirko SAROVIC
  resigned 2 April 2003
  elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
  Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
  was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
  chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
  of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
  National House of Representatives
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
  TERZIC (since 20 December 2002),
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
  approved by the National House of Representatives
  election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
  Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
  first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
  Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
  note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
  LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
  (since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
  of the Republika Srpska: Dragan COVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the
  National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats -
  elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from the
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the Republika
  Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5
  Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National
  Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law
  specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
  administrative division entity legislatures
  election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
  10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
  party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
  2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
  NA%; seats by party/coalition - NA
  elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
  constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
  note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
  consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
  SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
  Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
  National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
  DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
  constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
  of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
  Assembly; each constituent nation and "others" will have eight
  delegates

Judicial branch:
  BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members
  are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of
  Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National
  Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the
  European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of nine
  judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal
  - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and
  appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities; note -
  a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
  note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
  number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
  Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
  has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];
  Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or
  GDS [Ilija SIMIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or HDZ [Barisa COLAK (acting)]; Croat Christian
  Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo
  IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat
  Peasants Party or HSS [Ilija SIMIC]; Democratic National Union or
  DNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];
  New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or SBiH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or
  SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
  IVANIC]; Pro-European People's Party or PROENS [Jadranko PRLIC];
  Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan KALINIC]; Serb Radical Party of
  the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Socialist Party
  of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
  ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC
  chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford G. BOND embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:
  a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow
  isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the
  remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed
  white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse
  of the triangle

Government - note:
  The Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, retained
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's exterior border and created a joint
  multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government -
  based on proportional representation similar to that which existed
  in the former socialist regime - is charged with conducting foreign,
  economic, and fiscal policy. The Dayton Agreement also recognized a
  second tier of government, comprised of two entities - a joint
  Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian
  Serb Republika Srpska (RS) - each presiding over roughly one-half
  the territory. The Federation and RS governments are charged with
  overseeing internal functions. The Bosniak/Croat Federation is
  further divided into 10 cantons. The Dayton Agreement established
  the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the
  implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement.

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republic
  of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.
  Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small
  and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of
  food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the
  socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the
  development of military industries in the republic with the result
  that Bosnia hosted a number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The
  bitter interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by
  80% from 1990 to 1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery to
  multiply. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99
  at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed
  in 2000-02. GDP remains far below the 1990 level. Economic data are
  of limited use because, although both entities issue figures,
  national-level statistics are limited. Moreover, official data do
  not capture the large share of black market activity. The marka -
  the national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to the
  euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has
  dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of
  privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only
  reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform
  accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were
  shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of
  reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the
  international community but will have to prepare for an era of
  declining assistance.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 40.9%
  services: 46.1% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.026 million

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  40% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.9 billion
  expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle
  assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and
  aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.979 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.116 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  2.569 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.405 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports:
  $1.15 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:
  Italy 31.6%, Croatia 18%, Germany 12.9%, Austria 10.1%, Slovenia
  6.9%, Greece 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Croatia 23.7%, Slovenia 14.8%, Germany 14%, Italy 13.1%, Hungary
  8%, Austria 7.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.8 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $650 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
  marka (BAM)

Currency code:
  BAM

Exchange rates:
  marka per US dollar - NA (2002), 2.19 (2001), 2.12 (2000), 1.84
  (1999), 1.76 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:
  303,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs
  modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as
  contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics
  domestic: NA
  international: no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .ba

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  45,000 (2002)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Railways:
  total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 21,846 km
  paved: 11,424 km
  unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
  NA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt,
  and debris

Pipelines:
  gas 170 km; oil 9 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all
  inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  32 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2002) 914 to 1523 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches:
  VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands
  within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are
  subordinate commands within the Army)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,132,476 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 897,856 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 29,861 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $234.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited
  about half of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River
  remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on problem
  sections of the Una River and villages at the base of Mount
  Pljesevica

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to
  Western Europe; organized crime launders money, but the lack of a
  well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility
  as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Botswana

Introduction Botswana

Background:
  Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted
  its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
  uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
  significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
  economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
  dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
  to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
  preserves. Botswana has the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDS
  infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
  comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Geography Botswana

Location:
  Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 600,370 sq km
  water: 15,000 sq km
  land: 585,370 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,013 km
  border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
  813 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:
  predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in
  southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
  highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
  silver

Land use: arable land: 0.61% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.38% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,
  carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
  visibility

Environment - current issues:
  overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People Botswana

Population:
  1,573,267
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.5% (male 314,764; female 307,024)
  15-64 years: 56% (male 424,726; female 455,967)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 30,599; female 40,187) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.1 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 19.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.55% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 32.26 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 32.32 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  38.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  330,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  26,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups:
  Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including
  Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Languages:
  English (official), Setswana

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.8%
  male: 76.9%
  female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Government Botswana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
  conventional short form: Botswana
  former: Bechuanaland

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Gaborone

Administrative divisions:
  9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
  Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
  Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence:
  30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution:
  March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review
  limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
  Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
  Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
  NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 54.3%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely
  advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight
  principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected
  by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40
  members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by
  the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999
  (next to be held NA October 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%,
  other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1

Judicial branch:
  High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each
  district)

Political parties and leaders:
  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana National
  Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP
  [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim
  Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
  note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
  BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
  are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the
  Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana
  Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU,
  OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
  chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview:
  Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates
  since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound
  management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest
  countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita
  GDP of $9,500 in 2002. Two major investment services rank Botswana
  as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of
  the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP
  and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence
  farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside,
  the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and
  poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates
  place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in
  the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.
  Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the prospects of a leveling
  off in diamond mining production.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $13.48 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 44% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  47%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.3 billion
  expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 01/02)

Industries:
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
  processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  409.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.564 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Exports:
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds 90%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Exports - partners:
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African
  Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Imports:
  $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,
  textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,
  metal and metal products

Imports - partners:
  Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%
  (2000)

Debt - external:
  $360 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $73 million (1995)

Currency:
  pula (BWP)

Currency code:
  BWP

Exchange rates:
  pulas per US dollar - 6.33 (2002), 5.84 (2001), 5.1 (2000), 4.62
  (1999), 4.23 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  131,000 (September 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  270,000 (September 2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of
  mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
  domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
  cellular service is growing fast
  international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio
  relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  252,720 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2001)

Internet users:
  33,000 (2001)

Transportation Botswana

Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  86 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 76
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 55
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Military Botswana

Military branches:
  Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana
  National Police

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 381,056 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 20,476 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $207.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Botswana

Disputes - international:
  established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residual
  disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
  along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest
  Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on
  Popa Falls; dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia,
  and Zimbabwe boundaries converge

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Bouvet Island

Introduction Bouvet Island

Background:
  This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by
  glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by
  a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was
  made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK
  waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island
  the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent
  territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,
  Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography Bouvet Island

Location:
  island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good
  Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:
  54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 58.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 58.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  29.6 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

People Bouvet Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Bouvet Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
  Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

Legal system:
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Bouvet Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications Bouvet Island

Internet country code:
  .bv

Communications - note:
  automatic meteorological station

Transportation Bouvet Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bouvet Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Bouvet Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Brazil

Introduction Brazil

Background:
  Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became
  an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous
  country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than half a
  century of military intervention in the governance of the country to
  pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the
  interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool,
  Brazil is today South America's leading economic power and a
  regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a
  pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location:
  Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 8,511,965 sq km
  land: 8,456,510 sq km
  note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
  Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
  Paulo
  water: 55,455 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 14,691 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
  1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
  Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline:
  7,491 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
  mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum,
  tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6.3% permanent crops: 1.42% other: 92.28% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in
  south

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a
  multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there
  is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in
  Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land
  degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining
  activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with
  every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People Brazil

Population:
  182,032,604
  note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
  population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
  projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
  underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
  country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
  due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
  mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
  changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
  otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 25,151,855; female 24,196,506)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 60,667,014; female 61,683,580)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 4,232,784; female 6,100,865) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 27 years male: 26.2 years female: 27.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.15% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 35.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.13 years
  male: 67.16 years
  female: 75.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  610,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  8,400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Brazilian(s)
  adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups:
  white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%,
  mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab,
  Amerindian) 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 86.1%
  female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

Government Brazil

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
  conventional short form: Brazil
  local short form: Brasil
  local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

Government type:
  federative republic

Capital:
  Brasilia

Administrative divisions:
  26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,
  Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso,
  Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco,
  Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
  Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence:
  7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution:
  5 October 1988

Legal system:
  based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory
  over 18 and under 70 years of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
  LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA
  (PSDB) 38.7%
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
  2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); runoff election held 27
  October 2002
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the
  Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each
  state or federal district elected according to the principle of
  majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
  four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
  period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3,
  PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PPB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PPB
  49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
  other 11
  elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
  of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the
  Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
  held NA October 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed by the
  president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice;
  Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER];
  Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose Carlos MARTINEZ]; Brazilian
  Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Jose ANIBAL]; Brazilian
  Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES]; Brazilian Progressive Party
  or PPB [Paulo Salim MALUF]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB
  [Renato RABELLO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA];
  Green Party or PV [leader NA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge
  BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto];
  National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO];
  Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Senator Roberto FREIRE]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose
  GENOINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  left wing of the Catholic Church; Landless Worker's Movement; labor
  unions allied to leftist Worker's Party

International organization participation:
  AfDB, BIS, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
  NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA; note - Ambassador-Designate Roberto ABDENUR expected to arrive March 2004 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife

Flag description:
  green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue
  celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state
  and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night
  sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the
  motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy Brazil

Economy - overview:
  Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
  manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
  of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
  in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits
  via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became
  more risk averse to emerging markets as a consequence of the Asian
  financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August
  1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging
  progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion
  IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January
  1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no
  longer be pegged to the US dollar. The consequent devaluation helped
  moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999, and the country
  posted moderate GDP growth in 2000. Economic growth slowed
  considerably in 2001-03 - to less than 2% - because of a slowdown in
  major markets and the hiking of interest rates by the Central Bank
  to combat inflationary pressures. New president DA SILVA, who took
  office 1 January 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex
  tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and
  continuing the fight against inflation.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.376 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 36% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  60.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.3% (2002)

Labor force:
  79 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 53%, agriculture 23%, industry 24%

Unemployment rate:
  6.4% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $100.6 billion
  expenditures: $91.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Industries:
  textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel,
  aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  321.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% other: 4.6% (2001) nuclear: 4.4%

Electricity - consumption:
  335.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)

Oil - production:
  1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.507 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  221.7 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Exports:
  $59.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners:
  US 23.8%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 5%, China 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $46.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electrical, and transport equipment, chemical products,
  oil

Imports - partners:
  US 23.3%, Argentina 12.6%, Germany 8.7%, France 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $222.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

Currency:
  real (BRL)

Currency code:
  BRL

Exchange rates:
  reals per US dollar - 2.92 (2002), 2.36 (2001), 1.83 (2000), 1.81
  (1999), 1.16 (1998)
  note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate
  was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the
  official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use:
  17.039 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4.4 million (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good working system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 64 earth stations
  international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region
  east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3
  satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM
  stations) (1999)

Radios:
  71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  138 (1997)

Televisions:
  36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .br

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  13.98 million (2002)

Transportation Brazil

Railways:
  total: 31,543 km (1,981 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 25,992 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
  electrified) (2002)
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified)

Highways: total: 1,724,929 km paved: 94,871 km unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

Waterways:
  50,000 km

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 243 km; gas 10,984 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km;
  oil 5,113 km; refined products 4,800 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto
  Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine:
  total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,257,186 GRT/5,101,578 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 23, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 7, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 53, roll
  on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

Airports:
  3,590 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 665 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 155 914 to 1,523 m: 435 under 914 m: 45 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2,925 1,524 to 2,437 m: 70 914 to 1,523 m: 1,384 under 914 m: 1,471 (2002)

Military Brazil

Military branches:
  Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines),
  Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 51,381,048 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 34,347,078 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1,744,148 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13.408 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Brazil

Disputes - international:
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
  is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking,
  and harbors Islamist militants; uncontested dispute with Uruguay
  over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary
  streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon
  region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale
  eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment
  country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and
  Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air
  transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related
  violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian,
  Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in
  Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant
  illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@British Indian Ocean Territory

Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory

Background:
  Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the
  British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to
  the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently,
  BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the
  Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands,
  Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of
  the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers,
  earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to
  Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In
  2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration
  order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the
  special military status of Diego Garcia.

Geography British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the
  way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 60 sq km
  note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 60 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  698 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and
  southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian
  Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
  the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
  were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and
  1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
  British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
  2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
  and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
  (July 2003 est.)

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:
  conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,
  resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001);
  Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
  administrator appointed by the monarch
  cabinet: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is
  in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm
  tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview:
  All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of
  Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.
  Construction projects and various services needed to support the
  military installations are done by military and contract employees
  from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no
  industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois
  return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Communications British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: separate facilities for military and public
  needs are available
  domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
  connection to the Internet
  international: international telephone service is carried by
  satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .io

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory

Highways:
  total: NA km
  paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
  Diego Garcia
  unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Diego Garcia

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military British Indian Ocean Territory

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego
  Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international:
  Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its
  former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001
  were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since
  eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military
  lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@British Virgin Islands

Introduction British Virgin Islands

Background:
  First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in
  1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and
  more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the
  legal currency.

Geography British Virgin Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 153 sq km
  note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
  islands; includes the island of Anegada
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 153 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  80 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 73.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People British Virgin Islands

Population:
  21,730 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 2,401; female 2,358)
  15-64 years: 73.1% (male 8,181; female 7,709)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 578; female 503) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.7 years
  male: 31 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.1% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.06 years
  male: 75.07 years
  female: 77.1 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
  black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Religions:
  Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
  15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Languages:
  English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government British Virgin Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
  abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Road Town

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution:
  1 June 1977

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor
  head of government: Chief Minister Orlando SMITH (since 17 June 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
  the Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by
  direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts,
  four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 8, VIP 5

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of
  Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a
  resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
  Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory
  MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau),
  IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a
  vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin
  word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the
  Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated
  45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly
  from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002
  because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the
  government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing
  to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate
  substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore
  registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance
  law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with
  regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses,
  is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive
  to international business. Livestock raising is the most important
  agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet
  domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links
  with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the
  dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1.8%
  industry: 6.2%
  services: 92% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2002)

Labor force:
  4,911 (1980)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  3% (1995)

Budget:
  revenues: $121.5 million
  expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997)

Industries:
  tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block,
  offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  38.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  35.43 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Exports:
  $25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners:
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports:
  $187 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Debt - external:
  $36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA%

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: worldwide telephone service
  domestic: NA
  international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Road Town

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/28,864 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military British Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe; large offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Brunei

Introduction Brunei

Background:
  The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and
  17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
  northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
  entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
  succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
  1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
  achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
  centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
  fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
  developing world.

Geography Brunei

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:
  4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 5,770 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  land: 5,270 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline:
  161 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:
  flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:
  seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and
  Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost
  an enclave of Malaysia

People Brunei

Population:
  358,098 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.6% (male 54,118; female 51,902)
  15-64 years: 67.6% (male 128,421; female 113,480)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 4,804; female 5,373) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 27 years
  female: 25.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.3 years
  male: 71.9 years
  female: 76.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bruneian(s)
  adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:
  Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions:
  Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous
  beliefs and other 10%

Languages:
  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.8%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 88.5% (2003 est.)

Government Brunei

Country name:
  conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
  conventional short form: Brunei

Government type:
  constitutional sultanate

Capital:
  Bandar Seri Begawan

Administrative divisions:
  4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
  Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:
  1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the
  date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of
  independence from British protection

Constitution:
  29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
  Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
  January 1984)

Legal system:
  based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
  supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage:
  none

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
  the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
  Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
  religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
  monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
  Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
  succession to the throne if the need arises
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy
  council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats;
  members appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held in March 1962
  note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by
  decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being
  considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are
  unlikely for several years

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
  for three-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA
  bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; note - the PPKB is the only
  legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985 but
  became largely inactive after 1988; it was revived in 1995 and again
  in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other
  parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and
  Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965,
  deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
  Begawan
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
  telephone: [673] (2) 229670
  FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Flag description:
  yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
  and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in
  red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
  swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
  crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:
  This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
  domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
  and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
  for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
  World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
  supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
  for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's
  leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the
  world economy will undermine internal social cohesion, although it
  became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000
  APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the
  future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment,
  strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general,
  further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 45%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  143,400
  note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
  residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.5 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
  billion (1997 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.497 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.322 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.255 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  315 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Exports:
  $3 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners:
  Japan 40.3%, South Korea 12.3%, Thailand 12.1%, Australia 9.2%, US
  8.1%, China 6.4%, Singapore 5.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.4 billion c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 30.6%, Japan 21.5%, Malaysia 17.4%, UK 6.1%, Hong Kong 4%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $0

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code:
  BND

Exchange rates:
  Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72
  (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:
  79,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  43,524 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent;
  international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US
  domestic: every service available
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the
  Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  201,900 (1998)

Internet country code:
  .bn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2002)

Transportation Brunei

Railways:
  total: 13 km (private line)
  narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Pipelines:
  gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
  ships by type: liquefied gas 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: UK 7 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports:
  3 (2002)

Military Brunei

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 110,888 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 63,966 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 3,277 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $329.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international:
  Involved in dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia,
  Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; Brunei established an exclusive
  economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly
  Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the
  offshore reefs; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration
  on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to
  ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct"

Illicit drugs:
  drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are
  serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Bulgaria

Introduction Bulgaria

Background:
  The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local
  Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
  Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
  the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
  end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
  Turks. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878, but having fought
  on the losing side in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet
  sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946.
  Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first
  multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious
  process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy
  while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime.
  Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward
  eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began
  accession negotiations in 2000.

Geography Bulgaria

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
  Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 110,910 sq km
  water: 360 sq km
  land: 110,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km,
  Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
  354 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 39% permanent crops: 1.8% other: 59.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw
  sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from
  air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
  metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes
  from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population:
  7,537,929 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.2% (male 549,142; female 520,057)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 2,551,548; female 2,632,978)
  65 years and over: 17% (male 535,165; female 749,039) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 38.4 years
  female: 42.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -1.09% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 15.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 68.26 years
  female: 75.56 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bulgarian(s)
  adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:
  Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3% (including
  Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998)

Religions:
  Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish
  0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 2.3% (1998)

Languages:
  Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
  breakdown

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Bulgaria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Sofia

Administrative divisions:
  28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
  Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
  Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
  Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
  Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:
  3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:
  civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002);
  Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime
  Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy
  Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), and Lidiya
  SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001), Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November
  and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the
  Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president;
  deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister
  election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
  - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UtdDF
  18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UtdDF 51,
  CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of March 2003 - NMS2 110, UtdDF
  50, CfB 48, MRF 20, independents 12

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
  Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
  terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
  two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
  responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
  investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
  Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
  the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
  Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for
  Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei
  STANISHEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or VMRO
  [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF
  [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
  SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda
  MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI];
  United Democratic Forces or UtdDF (a coalition between the UDF and
  other center-right parties)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  agrarian movement; Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of
  Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional,
  ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation:
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
  embassy: 1 Suborna Street, Sofia 1000
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
  Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 981-89-77

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the
  national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has
  been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat
  ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the
  dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation
  from Nazi control)

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview:
  Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European
  Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth
  since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then
  socialist government. As a result, the government became committed
  to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300 million
  stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 has
  supported government efforts to overcome high rates of poverty and
  unemployment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $49.23 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.7% industry: 28.5% services: 57.9% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 12.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.83 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  18% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.57 billion
  expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery
  and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined
  petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  41.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.8% hydro: 8.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 44.1%

Electricity - consumption:
  32.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  6.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  830 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.1 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.724 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Exports:
  $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 15.5%, Germany 9.6%, Turkey 9.4%, Greece 9.2%, France 5.3%,
  US 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $6.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals
  and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles

Imports - partners:
  Russia 14.6%, Germany 14.4%, Italy 11.4%, Greece 6.1%, France 5.7%,
  Turkey 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $10.3 billion (yearend 2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $300 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  lev (BGL)

Currency code:
  BGN

Exchange rates:
  leva per US dollar - 2.08 (2002), 2.18 (2001), 2.12 (2000), 1.84
  (1999), 1.76 (1998)
  note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
  1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,186,731 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.054 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: extensive but antiquated
  domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
  telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
  digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
  the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
  relay
  international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth
  stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat
  (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  200 (2001)

Internet users:
  585,000 (2001)

Transportation Bulgaria

Railways:
  total: 4,294 km
  standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 37,286 km
  paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)

Waterways:
  470 km (1987)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Merchant marine:
  total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 829,421 GRT/1,252,496 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 10, chemical tanker 4, container 2,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  216 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 128 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 92 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 88 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 74 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Bulgaria

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (subordinate to Ministry of
  Defense), Internal Forces (subordinate to Ministry of Interior),
  Civil Defense Forces (subordinate to the president)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,854,049 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,551,485 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 54,107 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international: joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Romania based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920

Illicit drugs:
  major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and,
  to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;
  limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of
  drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Burkina Faso

Introduction Burkina Faso

Background:
  Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper
  Volta) in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s
  were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina
  Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result
  in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Every
  year, several hundred thousand seasonal farm workers seek employment
  in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana and are adversely affected by instability
  in those regions.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location:
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 274,200 sq km
  water: 400 sq km
  land: 273,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,193 km
  border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
  Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
  southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:
  manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony,
  copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Land use: arable land: 12.43% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 87.39% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
  recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural
  activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing;
  soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,
  Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population:
  13,228,460
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,057,855; female 3,036,705)
  15-64 years: 51% (male 3,296,726; female 3,455,817)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 161,914; female 219,443) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 17.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.6% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  18.76 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 99.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 107.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 44.46 years
  male: 43.02 years
  female: 45.94 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  440,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  44,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:
  Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman
  Catholic) 10%

Languages:
  French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
  family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 26.6%
  male: 36.9%
  female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Government Burkina Faso

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Ouagadougou

Administrative divisions:
  45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
  Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
  Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
  Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri, Nayala,
  Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
  Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
  Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:
  5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:
  2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
  November 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
  April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
  term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
  the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
  amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
  appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
  note: President COMPAORE faces an increasingly well-coordinated
  opposition; recent charges against a former member of his
  Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor
  signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction
  election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
  percent of the vote

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17
  elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
  be held NA May 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
  RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy
  or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress
  or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and
  Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African
  Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and
  Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens for the
  Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe
  Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National
  Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of
  Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the
  country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
  Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
  20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 306723
  FAX: [226] 303890

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
  five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors
  of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:
  One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso
  has few natural resources, a fragile soil, and a highly unequal
  distribution of income. About 90% of the population is engaged in
  (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is vulnerable to variations
  in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable
  government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc
  currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its
  development program in conjunction with international agencies, and
  exports and economic growth have increased. Maintenance of
  macroeconomic progress depends on continued low inflation, reduction
  in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private
  investment. The internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire
  continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the
  need for international assistance.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $14.51 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 17% services: 48% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  5 million
  note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
  neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $316 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries:
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
  textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:
  14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  279.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.9% hydro: 30.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  259.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Exports:
  $250 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:
  Singapore 14.7%, Italy 11.3%, Colombia 8.6%, France 7.7%, India
  6.9%, Ghana 6%, Japan 4.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $525 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:
  France 27.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 23%, Togo 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $484.1 million (1995)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:
  53,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  25,200 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: all services only fair
  domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
  communication stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  131,340 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .bf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Railways:
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
  (2002)

Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  33 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's
  Militia

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,957,710 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,506,944 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $45.83 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:
  two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Burkina
  Faso border regions have become a staging area for Liberia and Cote
  d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in regional
  fighting; the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso of supporting
  Ivorian rebels

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Burma

Introduction Burma

Background:
  Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and
  incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a
  province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
  self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was
  attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
  1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as
  political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that
  resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory,
  the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition
  leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house
  arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention
  from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her
  supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.

Geography Burma

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
  between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 678,500 sq km
  land: 657,740 sq km
  water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,876 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
  Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:
  1,930 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
  monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
  temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
  December to April)

Terrain:
  central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead,
  coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
  hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 14.53%
  permanent crops: 0.9%
  other: 84.57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
  common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
  inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population:
  42,510,537
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 6,091,220; female 5,840,968)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 14,162,190; female 14,347,751)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 916,702; female 1,151,706) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 25.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.52% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 70.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 76.48 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 55.79 years
  male: 54.12 years
  female: 57.56 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.99% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  530,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  65,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:
  Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,
  Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:
  Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim
  4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:
  Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.1%
  male: 88.7%
  female: 77.7% (1995 est.)
  note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional
  literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)

Government Burma

Country name:
  conventional long form: Union of Burma
  conventional short form: Burma
  local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
  local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
  US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
  Myanmar)
  former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
  note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
  name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
  was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
  Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
  Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:
  military regime

Capital:
  Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

Administrative divisions:
  7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
  ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin
  State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State,
  Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*

Independence:
  4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 January (1948)

Constitution:
  3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national
  convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution;
  progress has since been stalled

Legal system:
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
  Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
  head of government: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
  Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the
  appointed Prime Minister, Gen. KNIN NYUNT (since 25 August 2003), is
  not the head of government
  cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
  so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
  September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
  Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet
  elections: none

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60

Judicial branch:
  remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is
  no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
  independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders:
  National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN
  SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime)
  [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN
  TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA
  (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general
  secretary]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA

International organization participation:
  ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador LINN MYAING
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044
  chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ
  embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
  mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
  FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Flag description:
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,
  all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing
  a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative
  divisions

Economy Burma

Economy - overview:
  Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural
  poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to
  liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese
  Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has
  been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an
  economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances -
  including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that
  overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate.
  In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the
  junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently
  ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and
  official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published
  estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because
  of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated
  to be one to two times the official economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 60% industry: 9% services: 31% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  53.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  23.7 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $7.9 billion
  expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
  billion (FY96/97)

Industries:
  agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
  products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
  pharmaceuticals; fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  6.139 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 55.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.709 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  14,170 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  142.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  7.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  314.4 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products

Exports:
  $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil;
  food products

Imports - partners:
  China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%, Taiwan
  6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $6.1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $99 million (FY98/99)

Currency:
  kyat (MMK)

Currency code:
  MMK

Exchange rates:
  kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000), 6.29
  (1999), 6.34 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:
  250,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,492 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
  intercity service for business and government; international service
  is good
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  4.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1998)

Televisions:
  320,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .mm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1
  note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for
  the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Burma

Railways: total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 12,800 km note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels

Pipelines:
  gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon,
  Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

Merchant marine:
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 352,765 GRT/536,396 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3,
  petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
  80 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 72 under 914 m: 34 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Burma

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,349,921 note: both sexes liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 12,358,507

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 6,566,122
  females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 453,420
  females: 455,422 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $39 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international:
  despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences
  remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of
  ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities

Illicit drugs:
  world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential
  production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and,
  to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000
  hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); surrender of drug warlord KHUN
  SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
  counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to
  take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment
  against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug
  effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional
  consumption

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Burundi

Introduction Burundi

Background:
  Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated
  in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since then, some
  200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense ethnic
  violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of thousands have
  been internally displaced or have become refugees in neighboring
  countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their borders,
  intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  in 1998. More recently, many of these troops have been redeployed
  back to Burundi to deal with periodic upsurges in rebel activity. A
  new transitional government, inaugurated on 1 November 2001, was to
  be the first step toward holding national elections in three years.
  While the Government of Burundi signed a cease-fire agreement in
  December 2002 with three of Burundi's four Hutu rebel groups,
  implementation of the agreement has been problematic and one rebel
  group refuses to sign on, clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Geography Burundi

Location:
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 27,830 sq km
  water: 2,180 sq km
  land: 25,650 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 974 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
  290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772
  m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies
  with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally
  moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual
  rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and
  September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and
  December to January

Terrain:
  hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
  highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:
  nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum
  (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 29.98%
  permanent crops: 12.85%
  other: 57.17% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding, landslides, drought

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
  agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
  remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
  loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
  Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
  headstream of the White Nile

People Burundi

Population:
  6,096,156
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.7% (male 1,438,759; female 1,409,567)
  15-64 years: 50.6% (male 1,516,833; female 1,564,513)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 66,355; female 100,129) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.3 years
  male: 15.9 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.18% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.72 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  17.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 71.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 78.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.2 years
  male: 42.54 years
  female: 43.88 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  8.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  390,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  40,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Burundian(s)
  adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:
  Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans
  3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:
  Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous
  beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:
  Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
  Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.6%
  male: 58.5%
  female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Government Burundi

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
  conventional short form: Burundi
  local short form: Burundi
  local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
  former: Urundi

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bujumbura

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
  Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
  Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:
  1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
  13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political
  system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution
  which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents

Legal system:
  based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April 2003);
  note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the second
  half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1
  November 2001; Vice President Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April 2003);
  note - from the Tutsi minority
  head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April
  2003); note - from the Tutsi minority
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
  elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
  part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
  Accord

Legislative branch:
  bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the transitional
  government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; term
  length is undefined, the current senators will likely serve out the
  three-year transition period)
  elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
  1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
  are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional
  government)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
  21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
  civilians 27, other parties 13

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of
  Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First
  Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders:
  the two national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity for
  National Progress or UPRONA [Alphonse KADEGE, president]; Burundi
  Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president]
  note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
  Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence
  NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or
  RADDES [Joseph NZEYIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA
  [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
  [Mathias HITIMANA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated with
  Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
  security forces

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
  chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
  embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
  telephone: [257] 223454
  FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:
  divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)
  and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk
  superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
  outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
  two stars below)

Economy Burundi

Economy - overview:
  Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
  underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
  agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
  subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
  exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
  ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
  conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
  minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
  coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
  population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
  the death of over 200,000 persons, sent 800,000 refugees into
  Tanzania, and displaced 525,000 others internally. Doubts about the
  prospects for sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only
  one in two children go to school, and approximately one in ten
  adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short
  supply.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.146 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 19% services: 31% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $125 million
  expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of
  imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  18% (2001)

Electricity - production:
  155.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  177.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  33 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the
  Congo (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Exports:
  $26 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:
  Switzerland 28.8%, Germany 20.2%, Belgium 9.4%, Kenya 7.8%, Rwanda
  6.5%, Netherlands 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Belgium 12.4%, Saudi Arabia 12.3%, Tanzania 9.3%, Kenya 7.7%,
  France 7.4%, India 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.14 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $92.7 million (2000)

Currency:
  Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code:
  BIF

Exchange rates:
  Burundi francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67
  (2000), 563.56 (1999), 447.77 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:
  18,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  30,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  440,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,000 (2002)

Transportation Burundi

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Lake Tanganyika

Ports and harbors:
  Bujumbura

Airports:
  7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Burundi

Military branches:
  Army (including naval and air units), Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age:
  16 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,375,900 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 723,516 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 79,462 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $42.13 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Burundi

Disputes - international:
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
  political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
  continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
  boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
  Uganda to gain control over populated and natural resource areas;
  government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
  continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cambodia

Introduction Cambodia

Background:
  Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces
  captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities
  and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution or
  enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge
  into the countryside and touched off almost 20 years of fighting.
  UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of
  normalcy as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the
  mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections
  in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of
  remaining Khmer Rouge forces in 1998.

Geography Cambodia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
  Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 181,040 sq km
  land: 176,520 sq km
  water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:
  timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower
  potential

Land use: arable land: 20.96% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 78.43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:
  illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining
  for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have
  resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular,
  destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil
  erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have
  access to potable water; toxic waste delivery from Taiwan sparked
  unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December 1998

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and
  Tonle Sap

People Cambodia

Population:
  13,124,764
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.3% (male 2,606,568; female 2,557,736)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 3,599,216; female 3,962,520)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 148,287; female 250,437) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.2 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.8% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 75.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 84.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 57.92 years
  male: 55.49 years
  female: 60.47 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.58 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Cambodian(s)
  adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:
  Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:
  Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages:
  Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 80.5%
  female: 60.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cambodia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
  conventional short form: Cambodia
  local short form: Kampuchea
  local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
  former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic

Government type:
  multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in
  September 1993

Capital:
  Phnom Penh

Administrative divisions:
  20 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities*
  (krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang,
  Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot,
  Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay,
  Pailin*, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu*, Preah Vihear, Prey
  Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

Independence:
  9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:
  promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:
  primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the
  United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period,
  royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of
  customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
  influence of common law in recent years

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998)
  and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 1993) and TOL LAH (since
  1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
  following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
  majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
  National Assembly and appointed by the king

Legislative branch:
  bicameral consists of the National Assembly (122 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61
  seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected by the
  National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional constituencies";
  members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
  held in July 2007); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held
  in 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
  47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
  FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution
  and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)
  exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:
  Buddhist Liberal Party or BLP [IENG MOULY]; Cambodian Pracheachon
  Party or Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Khmer Citizen
  Party or KCP [NGUON SOEUR]; National United Front for an
  Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
  FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP
  (formerly Khmer Nation Party or KNP) [SAM RANGSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROLAND ENG
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
  chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438 FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue
  with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined
  in black in the center of the red band

Economy Cambodia

Economy - overview:
  Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to the
  regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting.
  Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full
  year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and
  growth resumed at 5.0%. Despite severe flooding, GDP grew at 5.0% in
  2000, 6.3% in 2001, and 5.2% in 2002. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest
  growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in
  2001 before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Even
  given these stout growth estimates, the long-term development of the
  economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The
  population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in
  the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total
  lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political instability
  and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment
  and delay foreign aid. The government is addressing these issues
  with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.8% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $396 million
  expenditures: $607 million, including capital expenditures of $254
  million (2001 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
  rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  16% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  119 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  110.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports:
  $1.38 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners:
  US 60.2%, Germany 9.1%, UK 7.1%, Singapore 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.73 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
  machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
  Thailand 24.8%, Singapore 16.9%, China 12.1%, Hong Kong 10.9%,
  South Korea 5.5%, Vietnam 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $829 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by international donors

Currency:
  riel (KHR)

Currency code:
  KHR

Exchange rates:
  riels per US dollar - 3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75
  (2000), 3,807.83 (1999), 3,744.42 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  21,800 (mid-1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  80,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in
  Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little
  telephone service
  domestic: NA
  international: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service
  available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial
  cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean
  region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:
  1.34 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2003)

Televisions:
  94,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Cambodia

Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 12,323 km
  paved: 1,996 km
  unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Waterways:
  3,700 km
  note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km
  navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m

Ports and harbors:
  Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh

Merchant marine:
  total: 527 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,328,371 GRT/3,294,028 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 49, cargo 412, chemical tanker 2, combination
  bulk 4, container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
  passenger 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Aruba 1, Belize 11, Bulgaria 3, Cambodia 194, Canada 4,
  China 25, Cyprus 14, Egypt 10, Estonia 2, France 1, Georgia 1,
  Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Iceland
  1, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 2, Japan 2, Jordan 1, North
  Korea, 1, South Korea, 25, Latvia 3, Lebanon 6, Liberia 7, Malaysia
  1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Panama 10,
  Romania 2, Russia 75, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 5, Singapore 17, Syria 20, Turkey 18, Ukraine 16, United
  Arab Emirates 3, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vietnam 3 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  21 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 16
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 13

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Cambodia

Military branches:
  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,275,533 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,829,535 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 165,395 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (FY01 est.)

Transnational Issues Cambodia

Disputes - international:
  completed boundary demarcation with Thailand; accuses Vietnam of
  moving and destroying boundary markers and encroachments, initiating
  border incidents; accuses Thailand of preventing access to Preah
  Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;
  maritime boundary with Vietnam hampered by dispute over offshore
  islands

Illicit drugs:
  narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the
  government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
  heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
  the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
  cash-based economy and porous borders

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cameroon

Introduction Cameroon

Background:
  The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in
  1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed
  stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,
  roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite
  movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in
  the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Cameroon

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
  Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 475,440 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km
  land: 469,440 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,591 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
  Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
  km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:
  402 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 50 NM

Climate:
  varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot
  in north

Terrain:
  diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in
  center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.81% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 84.61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from
  Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;
  desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the
  country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
  current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
  mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population:
  15,746,179
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 3,372,129; female 3,291,295)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,315,672; female 4,265,286)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 227,444; female 274,353) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.02% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  15.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 70.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 74.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.05 years
  male: 47.15 years
  female: 48.97 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.63 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  11.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  920,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  53,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Cameroonian(s)
  adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:
  Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani
  10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,
  non-African less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  24 major African language groups, English (official), French
  (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
  conventional short form: Cameroon
  former: French Cameroon

Government type:
  unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition
  parties legalized in 1990)
  note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital:
  Yaounde

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,
  Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:
  1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:
  20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted;
  revised January 1996

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October
  2004); prime minister appointed by the president
  head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
  September 1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
  by the prime minister
  election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
  Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates
  boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares
  relatively meaningless

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms;
  note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the
  legislature)
  elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
  note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
  legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court
  of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by
  the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic
  Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
  Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
  Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel
  YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];
  National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
  BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of
  Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE];
  Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
  chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
  embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
  mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
  FAX: [237] 223-07-53
  branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow
  with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the
  popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview:
  Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions,
  Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in
  sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems
  facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil
  service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.
  Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World
  Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase
  efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the
  nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
  IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
  the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
  transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
  International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
  economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $26.84 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46% industry: 21% services: 33% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  47.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate:
  30% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.2 billion
  expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer
  goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  76,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  200 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  55.22 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Exports: $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,
  coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
  Italy 16.7%, Spain 16%, France 12.8%, US 8.3%, Netherlands 8.2%,
  Taiwan 7.7%, China 5.2%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:
  France 28.2%, Nigeria 12.8%, US 8%, Belgium 5.7%, Germany 5.3%,
  Italy 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt
  of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to
  $1.26 billion

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  95,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  300,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: available only to business and government
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  45,000
  note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001 (December
  2001)

Transportation Cameroon

Railways: total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,090 km (of decreasing importance) (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,124 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Airports:
  49 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Military Cameroon

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force, National
  Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,799,841 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,928,285 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 179,586 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $118.6 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi
  Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected cession
  of the peninsula, but the parties have formed a Joint Border
  Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced
  with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary; Lake
  Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
  and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region,
  which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
  militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish
  sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
  a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
  British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
  developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
  an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to
  be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its
  French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of
  the country.

Geography Canada

Location:
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
  east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the
  north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 9,984,670 sq km
  land: 9,093,507 sq km
  water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
  somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
  202,080 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
  diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
  gas, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 4.94%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 95.04% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
  development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
  result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
  North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
  snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and
  damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and
  vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;
  ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
  mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location
  between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 85% of
  the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:
  32,207,113 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.5% (male 3,052,005; female 2,903,007)
  15-64 years: 68.6% (male 11,099,907; female 10,984,903)
  65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,774,262; female 2,393,029) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 37.8 years male: 36.9 years female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.94% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.83 years
  male: 76.44 years
  female: 83.38 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  55,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:
  British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
  Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
  background 26%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
  note: based on the 1991 census

Languages:
  English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97% (1986 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Canada

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada

Government type:
  confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
  Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
  Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
  Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:
  1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
  17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the
  government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867;
  charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system:
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
  system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
  1999)
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
  five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
  governor general
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
  the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
  (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
  prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
  limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
  Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve for up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be
  held by 2005)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Liberal Party 41%, Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New
  Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 12%; seats by
  party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38,
  New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note -
  percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%,
  Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%,
  Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party
  172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party
  13, Progressive Conservative Party 12

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
  through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal
  Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court
  of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
  Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stephen
  HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack
  LAYTON]; Progressive Conservative Party [Peter MACKAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA,
  MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
  Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI
  embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
  telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
  FAX: [1] (613) 688-3097
  consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
  and Vancouver

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with
  white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered
  in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely
  resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of
  production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the
  impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors
  has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one
  primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
  Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
  (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in
  trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close
  cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United
  States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.
  Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
  2001, with moderate recovery in 2002. Unemployment is up, with
  contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors.
  Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor
  force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
  prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing
  constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas,
  which has been raising the specter of a split in the federation.
  Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of
  professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense
  high-tech infrastructure. A key strength in the economy is the
  substantial trade surplus.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $934.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 26.5%
  services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  16.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  7.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $178.6 billion
  expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed
  minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
  petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% other: 1.3% (2001) nuclear: 12.9%

Electricity - consumption:
  504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  5.112 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.691 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports:
  $260.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
  telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
  pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:
  US 87.7%, Japan 2%, UK 1.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $229 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
  chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 62.6%, China 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.9 billion $NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Currency:
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:
  CAD

Exchange rates:
  Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49
  (2000), 1.49 (1999), 1.48 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,802,900 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,751,300 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
  32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ca

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
  16.84 million (2002)

Transportation Canada

Railways: total: 49,422 km standard gauge: 49,422 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 1.408 million km
  paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Waterways:
  3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)

Pipelines:
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Ports and harbors:
  Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
  Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St.
  John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder
  Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Merchant marine:
  total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,840,272 GRT/2,740,864 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 64, cargo 11, chemical tanker
  6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger
  2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 3, Monaco 16, United Kingdom 1, United States 1
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1,389 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 507 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 245 under 914 m: 80 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 882 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 363 under 914 m: 446 (2002)

Heliports: 12 (2002)

Military Canada

Military branches:
  Canadian Armed Forces (comprising Land Forces Command, Maritime
  Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command)

Military manpower - military age:
  16 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 8,391,120 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 7,158,016 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 216,488 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.861 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,
  Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
  Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark
  over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between
  Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of
  hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of
  high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine
  entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering
  because of its mature financial services sector

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:
  The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the
  Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading
  center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
  resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
  independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
  Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
  until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
  to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
  Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
  significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
  Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
  Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:
  Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west
  of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 4,033 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 4,033 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
  temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:
  steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use: arable land: 9.68% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring
  dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in
  deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened
  several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
  extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major
  north-south sea routes; important communications station; important
  sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:
  412,137 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41% (male 85,254; female 83,716)
  15-64 years: 52.3% (male 103,690; female 111,992)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,498; female 16,987) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 17.9 years
  female: 19.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.79% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.95 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -12.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 50.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 55.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.83 years
  male: 66.53 years
  female: 73.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.04% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:
  noun: Cape Verdean(s)
  adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:
  Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant
  (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:
  Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.6%
  male: 85.8%
  female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
  conventional short form: Cape Verde
  local short form: Cabo Verde
  local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Praia

Administrative divisions:
  17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
  Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
  Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
  Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:
  5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:
  new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a
  major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the
  powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create
  the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:
  derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
  February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA
  February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly
  and appointed by the president
  election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
  Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
  election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
  ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
  Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
  Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
  Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
  Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for
  Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic
  Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work
  and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
  consulate(s) general: Boston
  FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
  embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
  mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
  telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17
  FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white
  (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;
  a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist
  end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:
  This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,
  including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term
  drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
  tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although
  nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of
  agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts
  for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,
  mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
  runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances
  from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.
  Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and
  attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects
  for 2003 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism,
  remittances, and the momentum of the government's development
  program.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 17% services: 72% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  21% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $112 million
  expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Industries:
  food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt
  mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  42.03 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  39.08 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish

Exports:
  $30 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:
  Portugal 38.5%, UK 26.4%, France 23.1%, US 8.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $220 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Portugal 49.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Germany 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $136 million (1999)

Currency:
  Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:
  CVE

Exchange rates:
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - NA (2002), 123.21
  (2001), 115.88 (2000), 102.7 (1999), 98.16 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:
  60,935 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  28,119 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: effective system, being improved
  domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog
  and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine
  fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003
  international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to
  Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
  15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:
  .cv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  12,000 (2002)

Transportation Cape Verde

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:
  Army, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 95,450 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
  America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:
  The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
  during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since
  1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former
  became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the
  way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 262 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 262 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  160 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
  relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:
  low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population:
  41,934 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.6% (male 4,525; female 4,541)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,463; female 15,157)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 1,515; female 1,733) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.1 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 36.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.79% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  19.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2003
  est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.67 years
  male: 77.08 years
  female: 82.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Caymanian(s)
  adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:
  mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
  groups 20%

Religions:
  United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
  Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Cayman Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  British crown colony

Capital:
  George Town

Administrative divisions:
  8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
  Bay, West End, Western

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:
  1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system:
  British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
  appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the
  governor
  head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
  four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members
  from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
  Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  there are no formal political parties but the following loose
  groupings act as political organizations; National Team [leader NA];
  Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United
  Democratic Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
  (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;
  the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with
  three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the
  bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:
  With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
  financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the
  Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust
  companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was
  opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
  of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
  aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
  America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with
  600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
  goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
  outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
  world.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 3.2%
  services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2002)

Labor force:
  19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  4.1% (1997)

Budget:
  revenues: $265.2 million
  expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997)

Industries:
  tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
  materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  381.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  355.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Exports:
  $1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  mostly US

Imports:
  $457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Debt - external:
  $70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:
  KYD

Exchange rates:
  Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
  November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,534 (1995)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 with cable system

Televisions:
  7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Cayman Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine:
  total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,402,058 GRT/3,792,094 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 5, chemical tanker 31, container 2,
  liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 35, roll
  on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3,
  Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United
  States 35 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police
  Force (RCIPF)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:
  The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
  Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
  of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
  established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 a
  military coup deposed the civilian government of President
  Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new government.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:
  Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 622,984 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 622,984 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
  1,165 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
  northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.76% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
  common

Environment - current issues:
  tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as
  one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification;
  deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
  3,683,538
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 799,241; female 788,370)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 969,581; female 1,000,740)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,322; female 72,284) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.62% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  19.73 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 41.71 years
  male: 40.18 years
  female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  12.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  22,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
  Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
  Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
  15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
  Christian majority

Languages:
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
  tribal languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51%
  male: 63.3%
  female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Central African Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local short form: none
  local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
  former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
  abbreviation: CAR

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bangui

Administrative divisions:
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
  prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
  economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
  Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
  Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
  Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:
  13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:
  passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Legal system:
  based on French law

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abel GOUMBA (since NA March 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on
  15 March 2003 in which former President Ange-Felix PATASSE was
  overthrown (President BOZIZE has stated that elections will be held
  by NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -
  there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998
  election)
  elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
  held NA 2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
  9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
  independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
  6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges
  appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National
  Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
  Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];
  Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic
  Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for
  Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
  [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or
  MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central
  African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix
  PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA];
  People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY];
  National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mattie R. SHARPLESS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow
  with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed
  star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview:
  Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the
  backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with
  more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The
  agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for
  about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry for 54%.
  Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's
  landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely
  unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic
  policies. Factional fighting between the government and its
  opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth
  likely to be no more than 1.3% in 2003. Distribution of income is
  extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international
  community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.296 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of
  bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  106 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  98.63 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Exports:
  $134 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 66.8%, Spain 6.4%, Kazakhstan 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $102 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical
  equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  France 30%, US 5.2%, Cameroon 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France
  (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,500 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  710 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system
  domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
  low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2002)

Transportation Central African Republic

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  900 km
  note: traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft
  dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to
  craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as
  much as 1.8 m

Ports and harbors:
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Airports:
  50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Military Central African Republic

Military branches:
  Central African Armed Forces (FACA) (including Republican Guard,
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force), Presidential Security
  Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 858,671 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13.43 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international:
  internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap
  into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both
  countries; violent ethnic skirmishes persist along the border with
  Sudan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Chad

Introduction Chad

Background:
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three
  decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a
  semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
  eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
  groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
  to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
  presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997,
  respectively. In 1998, a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad,
  which continued to escalate throughout 2000. A peace agreement,
  signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels,
  provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their
  reintegration into the political system. Despite movement toward
  democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic
  oligarchy.

Geography Chad

Location:
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.284 million sq km
  water: 24,800 sq km
  land: 1,259,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,968 km
  border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
  km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:
  broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
  northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron,
  kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use: arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
  locust plagues

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in
  rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
  Sahel

People Chad

Population:
  9,253,493 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,228,605; female 2,201,368)
  15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,171,169; female 2,393,184)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 105,686; female 153,481) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16 years
  male: 15.2 years
  female: 16.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.07% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  47.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 95.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 105 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.51 years
  male: 46.97 years
  female: 50.1 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.44 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.6% 5%-7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  14,000 (confirmed AIDS cases, actual number far higher but
  difficult to estimate) (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Chadian(s)
  adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:
  200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
  (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
  Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
  Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
  Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
  French citizens live in Chad

Religions:
  Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than
  120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 47.5%
  male: 56%
  female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Government Chad

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Chad
  conventional short form: Chad
  local long form: Republique du Tchad
  local short form: Tchad

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  N'Djamena

Administrative divisions:
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
  Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
  Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
  Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
  note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
  structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
  and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
  Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
  Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
  Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
  N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
  Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:
  11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December
  1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Moussa Faki MAHAMAT (since NA
  July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
  of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
  KEBZABO 7%
  note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
  two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
  round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
  Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
  members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
  every two years)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
  held in NA April 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
  National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
  National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
  Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]
  (originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party
  of the president); Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen.
  Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress
  or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09 FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra
  and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in
  the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview:
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted
  by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80%
  of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raising
  for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk
  of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export oil in
  2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked
  position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
  relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
  private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US
  companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
  estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production is
  scheduled to come on stream in late 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $9.297 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 13% services: 49% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
  fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $198 million
  expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146
  million (1998 est.)

Industries:
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
  carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (1995)

Electricity - production:
  94.04 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  87.46 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Exports:
  $197 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Exports - partners:
  Portugal 28.3%, Germany 13.6%, US 7.8%, Czech Republic 6.5%, France
  5.8%, Nigeria 5.8%, Poland 5.5%, Spain 5.2%, Morocco 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $570 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum
  products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  France 31.5%, US 31.4%, Germany 5.5%, Nigeria 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $238.3 million; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August
  1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150
  million

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,700 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,500 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
  1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .td

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2002)

Transportation Chad

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,000 km

Pipelines:
  oil 205 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military Chad

Military branches:
  Armed Forces (including National Army, Air Force, and Gendarmerie),
  Rapid Intervention Force, National and Nomadic Guard (GNNT),
  Presidential Security Guard, Police

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,940,328 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,015,982 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 86,953 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $40.74 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international:
  internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap
  into Chad and Central African Republic, leaving refugees and rebel
  groups in both countries; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern
  Libya; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon,
  Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake
  region, which remains the site of armed clashes among local
  populations and militias; Chad rejects Nigerian request to
  redemarcate boundary, the site of continuing cross-border incidents

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Chile

Introduction Chile

Background:
  A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a
  dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until
  a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic
  policies, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship, led to
  unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country's
  commitment to democratic and representative government.

Geography Chile

Location:
  Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
  Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
  30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 756,950 sq km
  land: 748,800 sq km
  note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
  water: 8,150 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200/350 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool
  and damp in south

Terrain:
  low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:
  copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
  pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
  from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

Geography - note:
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
  Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population:
  15,665,216 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,112,251; female 2,018,099)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 5,151,551; female 5,180,607)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 499,441; female 703,267) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.5 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.05% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.35 years
  male: 73.04 years
  female: 79.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  220 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:
  white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.2%
  male: 96.4%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Chile

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Chile
  conventional short form: Chile
  local long form: Republica de Chile
  local short form: Chile

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Santiago

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
  Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
  Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
  Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
  (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:
  11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989,
  1993, and 1997

Legal system:
  based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes
  influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction
  note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
  justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
  gradually implemented throughout the country

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
  of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
  January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated
  members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year terms and are
  senators for life); elected members serve eight-year terms (one-half
  elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
  Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
  independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI
  35, RN 22, independent 1
  elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA
  December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
  (next to be held NA December 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
  president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
  provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
  elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI;
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of
  Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS,
  PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent
  Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN
  [Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Guido GIRARDI];
  Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS];
  Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

International organization participation:
  APEC, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
  chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue
  square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of
  the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
  center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
  the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
  blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
  US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:
  Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level
  of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a
  role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
  government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in
  1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military
  government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell
  to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies
  implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because
  of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global
  financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in
  1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and
  electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
  growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
  of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
  financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
  strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
  1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
  rebounded to 4.4% in 2000. Growth fell back to 2.8% in 2001 and 1.8%
  in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
  of the Argentine peso. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, putting
  pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One bright
  spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which
  will take effect on 1 January 2004.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $156.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 34% services: 56% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 21% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 45.6% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  56.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.2% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $17 billion
  expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
  steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  41.66 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% other: 1.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  40.13 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.386 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  13,640 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  241,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  81.05 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.47 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  67.78 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Exports:
  $17.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 19.1%, Japan 10.5%, China 6.7%, Mexico 5%, Italy 4.7%, UK 4.4%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $15.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical
  machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food

Imports - partners:
  Argentina 18%, US 14.9%, Brazil 9.5%, China 6.5%, Germany 4.3%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $40.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
  Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:
  CLP

Exchange rates:
  Chilean pesos per US dollar - 688.95 (2002), 634.94 (2001), 535.47
  (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.603 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  944,225 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
  radio relay facilities
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
  system with 3 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios:
  5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.1 million (2002)

Transportation Chile

Railways:
  total: 6,585 km
  broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 79,814 km
  paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)

Waterways:
  725 km

Pipelines:
  gas 2,267 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas
  531 km; oil 983 km; refined products 545 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt,
  Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

Merchant marine:
  total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 696,202 GRT/900,317 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 4,
  liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off
  6, vehicle carrier 4
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  363 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 15 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 292
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 216 (2002)

Military Chile

Military branches:
  Army of the Nation, National Navy (including naval air, coast
  guard, and marines), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros
  (National Police), Investigations Police

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,154,636 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,070,140 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 131,324 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.5 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:
  Bolivia continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama
  corridor ceded to Chile in 1884; dispute with Peru over the economic
  zone delimited by the maritime boundary; Chile demands water rights
  to Bolivia's Rio Lauca and Silala Spring; Beagle Channel islands
  dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed
  incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in
  Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps
  Argentine and British claims

Illicit drugs:
  a growing transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and
  Europe; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile
  more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,
  especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors
  passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@China

Introduction China

Background:
  For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the
  rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and
  early 20th centuries, China was beset by civil unrest, major
  famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
  II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that,
  while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over
  everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people.
  After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced
  market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision-making.
  Output quadrupled by 2000. Political controls remain tight while
  economic controls continue to be relaxed.

Geography China

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,
  and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 9,596,960 sq km
  land: 9,326,410 sq km
  water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 22,147.34 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
  Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea
  1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia
  4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605
  km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

Coastline:
  14,500 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,
  and hills in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
  antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,
  lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:
  arable land: 13.31%
  permanent crops: 1.2%
  other: 85.49% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern
  coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land
  subsidence

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from
  reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly
  in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;
  estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil
  erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in
  endangered species

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
  Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak;

People China

Population:
  1,286,975,468 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.1% (male 155,473,656; female 141,737,406)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 461,223,219; female 433,154,970)
  65 years and over: 7.4% (male 44,954,643; female 50,431,574) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 31.5 years male: 31.2 years female: 31.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 24.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.22 years
  male: 70.33 years
  female: 74.28 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  850,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  30,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
  Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,
  Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions:
  Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:
  Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
  dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
  (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
  (see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86%
  male: 92.9%
  female: 78.8% (2003 est.)

Government China

Country name:
  conventional long form: People's Republic of China
  conventional short form: China
  local short form: Zhong Guo
  abbreviation: PRC
  local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Beijing

Administrative divisions:
  23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions*
  (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities** (shi,
  singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Chongqing**, Fujian, Gansu,
  Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan,
  Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*,
  Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan,
  Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang; note -
  China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for
  the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence:
  221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or
  Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912;
  People's Republic established 1 October 1949)

National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1
  October (1949)

Constitution:
  most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:
  a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
  rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
  codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
  made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice
  President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
  March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
  the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
  head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
  Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
  Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
  (NPC)
  election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
  People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates voted
  against him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
  elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
  a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
  abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacant

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao
  Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and
  provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held NA December 2002-NA February 2003 (next to be
  held late 2007-NA February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's
  Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and
  local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime,
  and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary of the
  Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
  government has identified the Falungong sect and the China Democracy
  Party as potential rivals

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
  CDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN,
  UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, IFC, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  AfDB, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
  chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag description:
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow
  five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of
  the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview: In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2003, with its 1.3 billion people but a GDP of just $5,000 per capita, China stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agriculture and industry have posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and growing income disparities). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing says it will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water control and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform aimed at eliminating arbitrary local levies on farmers. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen China's ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer internet use. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $5.989 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8% (official data) (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.2% industry and construction: 51.2% services: 33.6% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  744 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, industry 22%, services 28% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and
  underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $224.8 billion
  expenditures: $267.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Industries:
  iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and
  apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys,
  food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics,
  telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
  12.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.42 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% other: 0.1% (2001) nuclear: 1.2%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.312 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  10.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.55 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3.3 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4.975 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  26.75 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.29 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Exports:
  $325.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment; textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and
  sporting goods; mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
  US 21.5%, Hong Kong 18%, Japan 14.9%, South Korea 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $295.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Japan 18.1%, Taiwan 10.5%, South Korea 9.7%, US 9.2%, Germany 5.6%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $149.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  yuan (CNY)
  note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Currency code:
  CNY

Exchange rates:
  yuan per US dollar - 8.28 (2002), 8.28 (2001), 8.28 (2000), 8.28
  (1999), 8.28 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:
  135 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  65 million (January 2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic and international services are
  increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
  domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
  many towns
  domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
  telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
  with 55 earth stations is in place
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and
  1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international
  fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and
  Germany (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios:
  417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Televisions:
  400 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  45.8 million (2002)

Transportation China

Railways:
  total: 71,600 km
  standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (14,600 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial
  lines (2002)

Highways:
  total: 1,402,698 km
  paved: 314,204 km (with at least 16,314 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,088,494 km (2000)

Waterways:
  110,000 km (1999)

Pipelines:
  gas 13,845 km; oil 15,143 km; refined products 3,280 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing,
  Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen,
  Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,817 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,047,962 GRT/27,035,740 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 348, cargo 824, chemical tanker
  28, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 150,
  liquefied gas 28, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, passenger
  6, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 26,
  roll on/roll off 21, short-sea passenger 42, specialized tanker 8,
  vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Germany 1, Hong Kong 16, Japan 2, Panama 2,
  South Korea 1, Spain 1, Taiwan 9, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  500 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 351
  over 3,047 m: 32
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 108
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 143
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 149
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 48
  under 914 m: 71 (2002)

Military China

Military branches:
  People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy
  (including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II
  Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police
  Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but
  included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered
  to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 375,520,255 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 206 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 10,973,761 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $55.91 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international:
  involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia,
  Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claimants in
  November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell
  short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; much of the rugged,
  militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two sides
  have participated in more than 13 rounds of joint working group
  sessions on this issue; India objects to Pakistan ceding lands to
  China in 1965 boundary agreement that India believes are part of
  disputed Kashmir; China, as well as Taiwan, claims
  Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) islands;
  negotiations with Tajikistan resolved the longstanding boundary
  dispute; China and Kazakhstan have resolved their border dispute and
  are working to delimit their large open borders to control
  population migration, illegal activities, and trade; Kyrgyzstan's
  constitutional court rules that 1,270 sq km ceded to China in 2000
  delimitation agreement were legally transferred; certain islands in
  Yalu and Tumen rivers are in uncontested dispute with North Korea
  and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is indefinite - China
  objects to illegal migration of North Koreans into northern China;
  China continues to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the
  disputed alluvial islands with Russia at the confluence of the Amur
  and Ussuri rivers and a small island on the Argun river as part of
  the 2001 Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation;
  boundary agreements signed in 2002 with Tajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km
  of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China's relinquishing
  claims to 28,000 sq km; demarcation of land boundary with Vietnam
  continues but maritime boundary and joint fishing zone agreement
  remains unratified; China occupies Paracel Islands also claimed by
  Vietnam and Taiwan

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
  Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
  chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background:
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed
  and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began
  in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.
  Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 135 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 135 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  80 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:
  phosphate, beaches

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
  park (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 433 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Christmas Islander(s)
  adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
  note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:
  Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:
  English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
  NA

Government Christmas Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
  of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  The Settlement

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  NA

Constitution:
  NA

Legal system:
  under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
  Australian law

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4
  February 1999)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
  elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas
  Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag,
  however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the
  official flag of the territory

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:
  Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,
  but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In
  1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a
  $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The
  Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
  commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin
  operation in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  NA

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  phosphate

Exports - partners:
  Australia, NZ

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  principally Australia

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001),
  1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
  domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available
  international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station
  provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  600 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Christmas Island

Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Flying Fish Cove

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:
  This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who
  made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in
  1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually
  awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:
  Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
  southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 6 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  11.1 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains
  May-October

Terrain:
  coral atoll

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Clipperton Island
  local short form: Ile Clipperton
  local long form: none
  former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia
  by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:
  Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the
  territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity
  is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:
  There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William Keeling
  discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until
  the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred
  to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two
  inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on
  West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest
  of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 14 sq km
  note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 14 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  26 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds
  for about nine months of the year

Terrain:
  flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: 630 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cocos Islander(s)
  adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:
  Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  West Island

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  NA

Constitution:
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Legal system:
  based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:
  NA

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by the Australian governor general
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia
  head of government: Administrator (nonresident) William Leonard
  TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:
  Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.
  Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
  additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
  Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  copra products and tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  copra

Exports - partners:
  Australia (1999)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Australia (1999)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001),
  1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
  system
  domestic: NA
  international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with
  Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of
  NA type (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios:
  300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; lagoon anchorage only

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have
  a five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Colombia

Introduction Colombia

Background:
  Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the
  collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
  Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
  Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
  from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
  swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
  movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
  overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
  has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
  the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such
  as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion
  over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert
  government control throughout the country, neighboring countries
  worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama
  and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
  Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,138,910 sq km
  land: 1,038,700 sq km
  note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
  Serranilla Bank
  water: 100,210 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,004 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
  Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:
  3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
  eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
  note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,
  emeralds, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 1.9%
  other: 96.14% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 1.96%

Irrigated land:
  8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of
  pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
  emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific
  Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population:
  41,662,073 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.3% (male 6,601,581; female 6,447,679)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 12,931,093; female 13,626,333)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 913,798; female 1,141,589) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 26.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.56% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 26.46 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.14 years
  male: 67.29 years
  female: 75.12 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,600 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Colombian(s)
  adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
  black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Government Colombia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
  conventional short form: Colombia
  local short form: Colombia
  local long form: Republica de Colombia

Government type:
  republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:
  Bogota

Administrative divisions:
  32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
  Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
  Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
  Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
  de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
  Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
  Vichada

Independence:
  20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:
  5 July 1991

Legal system:
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
  procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);
  Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
  2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
  - the PL and PSC - and independents
  elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
  a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA
  May 2006)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
  vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado
  (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes
  (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA
  March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002
  (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
  aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
  of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
  and other parties 91

Judicial branch:
  four coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or
  Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law; judges are
  selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for
  eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative
  law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of
  Justice for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards
  integrity and supremacy of the constitution, rules on
  constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and
  international treaties); Higher Council of Justice (administers and
  disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary
  chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other
  courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for
  eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or
  PL [Piedad CORDOBA and Juan Manuel LOPEZ Cabrales]; Colombian
  Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April Movement or M-19
  [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]
  note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
  most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary
  Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or
  ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United
  Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-3, G-24,
  G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
  chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
  Washington, DC
  consulate(s): Atlanta
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and
  red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the
  Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview:
  Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand,
  austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflict.
  Other economic problems facing the new president URIBE range from
  reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. Two of
  Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain
  future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil
  production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed.
  Colombian business leaders are calling for greater progress in
  solving the conflict with insurgent groups. On the positive side,
  several international financial institutions have praised the
  economic reforms introduced by President URIBE and have pledged
  enough funding to cover Colombia's debt servicing costs in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $251.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 30% services: 57% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  55% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  57.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  18.3 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Unemployment rate:
  17.4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $24 billion
  expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,
  chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% other: 1.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  210 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  40 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.8 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  132 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Exports:
  $12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:
  US 44.8%, Venezuela 9.4%, Ecuador 6.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $12.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,
  chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 32.6%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 5.3%, Japan 5.3%, Brazil 5.2%,
  Germany 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $38.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:
  COP

Exchange rates:
  Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001),
  2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,433,565 (December 1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,800,229 (December 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system in many respects
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
  satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
  50 cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3
  fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:
  21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .co

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  18 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.15 million (2002)

Transportation Colombia

Railways:
  total: 3,304 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 110,000 km
  paved: 26,000 km
  unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Waterways:
  18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia,
  Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 51,445 GRT/55,930 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 6, container 1, petroleum tanker 3
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1,050 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 954 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 under 914 m: 587 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 315

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Colombia

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Marines
  and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National
  Police (Policia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 11,101,719 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 7,403,433 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 392,468 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
  Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
  maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
  Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
  leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450
  hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium
  between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
  production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
  largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
  about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of
  cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of
  heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
  significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
  laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
  exchange

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:
  Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since
  gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
  Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
  1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
  the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
  2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
  constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
  2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
  new union president was sworn in on May 26, 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location:
  Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
  Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
  Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,170 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 2,170 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  340 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 34.98%
  permanent crops: 17.94%
  other: 47.08% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le
  Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on
  slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People Comoros

Population:
  632,948 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 136,060; female 135,277)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 169,121; female 173,822)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,863; female 9,805) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.96% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 79.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 88.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.18 years
  male: 58.92 years
  female: 63.5 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili
  and Arabic)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name:
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local short form: Comores
  local long form: Union des Comores

Government type:
  independent republic

Capital:
  Moroni

Administrative divisions:
  3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
  (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni,
  Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Independence:
  6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
  23 December 2001
  note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on
  20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the
  GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002

Legal system:
  French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note
  - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January
  2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
  75% of the vote
  elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
  rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
  main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
  be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president;
  note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn
  into office in May 2002
  head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
  note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
  January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are
  selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other
  half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years) note -
  elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly,
  dissolved in 1999, where held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next
  elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held in
  April 2003 but have yet to occur

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
  president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
  by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
  the republic)

Political parties and leaders:
  Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
  ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
  12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
  National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
  RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
  MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
  movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
  or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
  Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
  Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
  Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
  government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO,
  IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US
  and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
  chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
  the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
  NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
  FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
  Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue
  with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within
  the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the
  hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line
  between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
  four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
  Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
  France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three
  islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
  rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
  educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
  level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
  dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
  including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
  employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
  The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
  main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
  which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
  upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial
  and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify
  exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population
  growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of
  4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans
  abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%

Unemployment rate:
  20% (1996 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  21.27 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  19.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Exports:
  $16.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Exports - partners:
  France 32.4%, Germany 19.4%, US 17.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Netherlands
  6.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $39.8 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products,
  cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 34.3%, South Africa 12%, Japan 6.1%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 5.8%,
  Mauritius 4.9%, Thailand 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $10 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:
  KMF

Exchange rates:
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001),
  533.98 (2000), 461.78 (1999), 442.46 (1998)
  note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
  French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January
  1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
  Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
  radiotelephone communication stations
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and
  Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .km

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,500 (2002)

Transportation Comoros

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Merchant marine:
  total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 432,132 GRT/796,734 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker
  5, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Military Comoros

Military branches:
  Comoran Security Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 150,079 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:
  Since 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly
  called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched
  off by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting in
  Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese
  Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997;
  his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and
  Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe,
  Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa
  regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC,
  Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel
  groups, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on
  16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state
  ten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful in
  getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two
  months later, an agreement was signed by all remaining warring
  parties to end the fighting and set up a government of national
  unity.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,345,410 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km
  land: 2,267,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
  of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
  African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
  217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:
  37 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier
  in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north
  of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to
  February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry
  season April to October

Terrain:
  vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110
  m

Natural resources:
  cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds,
  gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium,
  bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use:
  arable land: 2.96%
  permanent crops: 0.52%
  other: 96.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the
  east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
  deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,
  soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a
  mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing
  environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the
  lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense
  tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:
  56,625,039
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 48.3% (male 13,734,706; female 13,624,579)
  15-64 years: 49.2% (male 13,648,155; female 14,203,077)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 583,366; female 831,156) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 15.8 years
  female: 16.1 years (2002)
  male: 15.4 years

Population growth rate:
  2.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.12 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
  Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in
  August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced
  and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding
  countries (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 96.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 87.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.93 years
  male: 46.83 years
  female: 51.09 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.69 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.3 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
  over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the
  four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
  Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,
  other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
  French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
  Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala,
  Kingwana, or Tshiluba
  total population: 65.5%
  male: 76.2%
  female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
  conventional short form: none
  local short form: none
  former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
  Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
  local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
  abbreviation: DROC

Government type:
  dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative
  government

Capital:
  Kinshasa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city*
  (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental,
  Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale,
  Sud-Kivu

Independence:
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:
  24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978,
  amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April
  1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former
  President Laurent KABILA but it was not ratified by a national
  referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is
  to be a new constitution

Legal system:
  based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
  elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
  was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
  held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
  formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
  High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
  drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
  in NA 2005
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
  following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
  with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a Transitional
  Government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
  NA 2005
  election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese
  Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without
  opposition

Legislative branch:
  a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in
  August 2000
  elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
  appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces
  for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph
  OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois
  LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions:
  MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix
  VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast
  Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
  Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of
  Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions:
  UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (88) 43608 FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:
  light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and
  a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along
  the hoist side

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:
  The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation
  endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since
  the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, has dramatically
  reduced national output and government revenue, has increased
  external debt, and has resulted in the deaths from war, famine, and
  disease of perhaps 3.5 million people. Foreign businesses have
  curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the
  conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating
  environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic
  problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, inflation, and
  lack of openness in government economic policy and financial
  operations. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of
  a large portion of the invading foreign troops. A number of IMF and
  World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop
  a coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begun
  implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP
  data.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $34 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 11%
  services: 34% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  16% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $269 million
  expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Industries:
  mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer
  products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods
  and beverages), cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  5.243 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.839 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.097 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.538 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  104.8 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Exports:
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 64.4%, US 13.4%, Zimbabwe 6.7%, Finland 4.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $890 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Belgium 14.6%, South Africa 14.2%, Nigeria 10.3%, France 9.5%,
  Germany 7.3%, Netherlands 5.3%, Kenya 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $12.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $195.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code:
  CDF

Exchange rates:
  Congolese francs per US dollar - 346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001),
  21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  15,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
  and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2001)

Televisions:
  6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  6,000 (2002)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Railways:
  total: 4,772 km
  narrow gauge: 3,621 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected
  lakes)

Pipelines:
  gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
  Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  229 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 205 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Security Battalion

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 12,292,933 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 6,267,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $250 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.6% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:
  Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that
  has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda
  and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the
  eastern portion of the state - Tutsi, Hutu, Lendu, Hema and other
  conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government
  forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the
  boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
  Uganda - heads of the Great Lakes states pledge to end conflict, but
  localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; most
  of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is
  indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the
  river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;
  while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the
  banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Congo, Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Republic of the

Background:
  Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo
  became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of
  experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
  democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
  war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
  ushered in a period of ethnically based unrest. Southern-based rebel
  groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of
  Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with
  significant potential for offshore development.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
  and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 342,000 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,504 km
  border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
  Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
  1,903 km

Coastline:
  169 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to
  October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
  enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:
  coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
  natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.5% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.37% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the
  dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
  94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or
  along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population:
  2,954,258
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 570,491; female 563,079)
  15-64 years: 58% (male 844,655; female 868,851)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 44,166; female 63,016) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.2 years
  male: 19.8 years
  female: 20.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.53% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 95.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 101.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 50.02 years
  male: 49.04 years
  female: 51.02 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  7.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  110,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
  Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
  note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
  civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
  destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Religions:
  Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:
  French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
  languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has
  the most users)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.8%
  male: 89.6%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
  conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
  local short form: none
  former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
  local long form: Republique du Congo

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Brazzaville

Administrative divisions:
  9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
  Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux,
  Pool, Sangha

Independence:
  15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:
  constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
  2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
  2.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
  Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July
  2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
  to be held by NA May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and
  Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative
  Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party,
  National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the
  National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
  Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union
  for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy
  and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
  president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond
  Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader
  NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
  Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
  or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
  embassy: NA
  mailing address: NA
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
  Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the
  upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:
  The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an
  industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a
  government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil
  has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a
  major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,
  rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance
  large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%
  annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has
  mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to
  a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc
  Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but
  inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with
  the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank
  and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when
  civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when
  the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving
  forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing
  cooperation with international financial institutions. However,
  economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the
  resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the
  republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over
  an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of
  stimulating recovery and reducing poverty.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 48%
  services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $870 million
  expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,
  soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  358.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.3% hydro: 99.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  633 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  300 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  93.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  495.5 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Exports:
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:
  Taiwan 28.1%, South Korea 20.4%, China 9.3%, US 8.4%, Germany 6.6%,
  France 5.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $730 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 22.1%, Italy 8.5%, Belgium 6%, US 5.2%, India 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $159.1 million (1995)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 697
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
  22,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,300 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;
  key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
  intercity lines frequently out of order
  domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
  341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  500 (2001)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,120 km
  note: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of
  commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for
  local traffic only

Pipelines:
  gas 53 km; oil 673 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Airports:
  31 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 754,814 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 381,556 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 31,644 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $84 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:
  most of the Congo River boundary with the Democratic Republic of
  the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the
  division of the river or its islands, except in the Stanley
  Pool/Pool Malebo area)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background:
  Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands
  became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative
  control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose
  self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration
  of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are
  continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 240 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 240 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  120 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 17.39%
  permanent crops: 13.04%
  other: 69.57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,
  coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated,
  fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

People Cook Islands

Population: 21,008 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%,
  Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Religions:
  Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands
  Christian Church)

Languages:
  English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Cook Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
  is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation
  with the Cook Islands

Government type:
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Avarua

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on
  4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full
  independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:
  4 August 1965

Legal system:
  based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High
  Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New Zealand
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
  appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
  appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON (since 12
  February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Ngamau MUNOKOA (since 5
  November 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
  responsible to Parliament

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
  note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
  maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic
  Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP
  [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS
  (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
  centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview:
  Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'
  economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country
  from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of
  natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and
  inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base
  with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing
  activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and
  handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants
  and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s
  and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated
  public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent
  reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of
  economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt
  restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 7.8%
  services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  8,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  13% (1996)

Budget:
  revenues: $28 million
  expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
  million (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  27.43 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  25.51 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Exports:
  $9.1 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls
  and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:
  Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Imports:
  $50.7 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:
  NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater
  part (1995)

Currency:
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776
  (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
  satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
  radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
  exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
  fiber-optic cable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ck

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Cook Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Avarua, Avatiu

Airports:
  7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Military Cook Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with
  the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background:
  Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral
  Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are
  uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis
  Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy
  many other islands and reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: less than 3 sq km
  note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
  area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
  important
  water: 0 sq km
  land: less than 3 sq km

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,095 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
  station (July 2003 est.)

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
  conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Legal system:
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,
  Sport, and Territories

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:
  there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs
  relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
  the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities
  of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background:
  Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th
  century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its
  democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
  country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
  and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
  ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location:
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 51,100 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  note: includes Isla del Coco
  land: 50,660 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy
  season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100
  volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.48% other: 90.11% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent
  flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active
  volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing
  of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal
  marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air
  pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Geography - note:
  four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San
  Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,
  erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population:
  3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.4 years
  male: 24.9 years
  female: 25.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.56% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.43 years
  male: 73.87 years
  female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  890 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Costa Rican(s)
  adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:
  white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,
  other 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,
  other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Costa Rica

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
  conventional short form: Costa Rica
  local short form: Costa Rica
  local long form: Republica de Costa Rica

Government type:
  democratic republic

Capital:
  San Jose

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
  Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  7 November 1949

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
  President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
  President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
  2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
  February 2006)
  election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
  Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
  eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco];
  Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation
  Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M.
  NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
  National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL];
  National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National
  Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
  Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party
  or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]
  note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3
  February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant
  percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist
  Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of
  Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
  Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
  affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
  Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
  of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
  Brown]

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein
  chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North
  Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
  Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa
  consulate(s): Austin
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 220-2305

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
  white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
  the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue
  ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near
  the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,
  REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview:
  Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
  agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
  reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
  been put into place. At the same time, distribution of income
  remains severely unequal. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
  country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
  continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export
  sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance
  of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government
  continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal
  debt, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and
  telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down
  inflation.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 30% services: 61% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 20.6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  45.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.91 billion
  expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
  construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% other: 16.6% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  379 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  128 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber

Exports: $5.1 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
  US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $6.4 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:
  US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
  Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:
  CRC

Exchange rates:
  Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001),
  308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  450,000 (1998)
  note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use
  in 1998

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  143,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very good domestic telephone service
  domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
  fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
  available
  international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two
  submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios:
  980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:
  384,000 (2002)

Transportation Costa Rica

Railways: total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Waterways:
  730 km (seasonally navigable)

Pipelines:
  refined products 421 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
  ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  151 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 121 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 93 (2002)

Military Costa Rica

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of
  Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 41,453 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $69 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
  illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic
  cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background:
  Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of
  cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote
  d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,
  but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25 December 1999,
  a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
  overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Junta
  leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excluded
  prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged the
  polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forced
  GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power.
  GBAGBO spent his first two years in office trying to consolidate
  power to strengthen his weak mandate, but he was unable to appease
  his opponents, who launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002.
  Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country and in January
  2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government.
  However, the central government has yet to exert control over the
  northern regions and tension remains high between GBAGBO and rebel
  leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in
  Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and help implement the peace accords.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana
  and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 322,460 sq km
  water: 4,460 sq km
  land: 318,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,110 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
  Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:
  515 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm
  and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet
  (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,
  bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.28% permanent crops: 13.84% other: 76.88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy
  season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart
  from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population:
  16,962,491
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 45.4% (male 3,796,393; female 3,902,210)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 4,541,997; female 4,347,531)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 179,323; female 195,037) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17 years
  male: 17.3 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.15% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  18.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 98.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 115.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 42.65 years
  male: 40.34 years
  female: 45.04 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  9.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  770,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  75,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ivorian(s)
  adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups:
  Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous
  11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and
  20,000 French) (1998)

Religions:
  Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001)
  note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
  (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:
  French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely
  spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.9%
  male: 57.9%
  female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  former: Ivory Coast
  local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Government type:
  republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital:
  Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official
  capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
  administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:
  58 departments (departements, singular - departement); Abengourou,
  Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville, Agnibilekrou, Alepe,
  Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle,
  Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro,
  Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Bassam,
  Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota,
  Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro,
  Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou,
  Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro,
  Zuenoula

Independence:
  7 August (1960) (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:
  3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 July
  1998

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000);
  note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim
  leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in
  presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25
  December 1999, following a military coup against the government of
  former President Henri Konan BEDIE
  head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
  2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
  GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
  - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
  2.2%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;
  members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by
  direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
  14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
  in 2005
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial
  Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
  Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
  Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of
  members

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or
  PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI
  [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
  Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
  Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
  embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
  mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
  telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
  FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and
  green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the
  colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also
  similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,
  and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:
  Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters
  of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is
  highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these
  products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to
  diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture
  and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population.
  After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy
  began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA
  franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in
  nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,
  limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas
  discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling
  by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence
  to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually
  during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-02 because of the
  difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors,
  continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war fighting.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 22% services: 49% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13% in urban areas (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.72 billion
  expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
  million (2001 est.)

Industries:
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus
  assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.605 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.983 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  50 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  14.87 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Exports:
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm
  oil, fish

Exports - partners:
  France 14.5%, Netherlands 12.9%, US 7.6%, Germany 5.4%, Mali 4.6%,
  Belgium 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 22.7%, Nigeria 16.6%, China 7.9%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $10.3 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:
  263,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  450,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: well developed by African standards but
  operating well below capacity
  domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  14 (1999)

Televisions:
  1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code:
  .ci

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  70,000 (2002)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Railways:
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
  Faso (2002)

Highways: total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

Pipelines:
  condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports:
  36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 29
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard
  (includes Presidential Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,035,462 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 198,115 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $143.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:
  rebel fighting extended to neighboring states and has driven out
  nationals and foreign workers to nearby countries; the Ivorian
  Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorian
  rebels

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to
  Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine
  destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and
  inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money
  laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the
  country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background:
  In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known
  after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became
  a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of
  Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from
  Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often
  bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared
  from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held
  enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and
  Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
  45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 56,542 sq km
  water: 128 sq km
  land: 56,414 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,197 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
  25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline:
  5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with
  hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:
  geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low
  mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:
  oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural
  asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 23.55% permanent crops: 2.24% other: 74.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and
  Turkish Straits

People Croatia

Population:
  4,422,248 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 415,873; female 394,414)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,465,488; female 1,454,778)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 258,943; female 432,752) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.9 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 40.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.31% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  11.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.37 years
  male: 70.76 years
  female: 78.2 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
  adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:
  Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%,
  Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1%
  (2001)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%,
  others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Languages:
  Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,
  Slovak, and German)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
  conventional short form: Croatia
  local short form: Hrvatska
  local long form: Republika Hrvatska

Government type:
  presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Zagreb

Administrative divisions:
  20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
  singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
  Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
  Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
  Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
  Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
  Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
  Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
  Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
  Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
  Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence:
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted on 22 December 1990

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February
  2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January
  2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000),
  Ante SIMONIC (since 30 July 2002), Zeljka ANTUNOVI (since 27 January
  2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27 January 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister nominated by the president in line with the balance of
  power in the Assembly
  note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a sixth party,
  the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001
  election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote -
  Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added
  in the November Parliamentary elections; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms); note - House of Counties was
  abolished in March 2001
  election results: Assembly (then referred to as the House of
  Representatives) - percent of vote by party - HDZ 43.4%, SDP 23%,
  HNS 7.4%, HSS 6.57%, HSP 6%; seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HNS
  10, HSS 9, HSP 7; note - these are preliminary results
  elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
  2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
  appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
  Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives

Political parties and leaders:
  Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic
  Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ
  [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
  Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's
  Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS
  [Drazen BUDISA]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav
  TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Mate GRANIC]; Istrian Democratic
  Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Ivo BANAC];
  Party of Liberal Democrats or LIBRA [Goran GRANIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]
  note: the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian Social
  Liberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP,
  and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union or
  HDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election; the IDS
  subsequently left the governing coalition in June 2001 over its
  inability to win greater autonomy for Istria

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan GRDESIC
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
  chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
  embassy: Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
  FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:
  red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms
  (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview:
  Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,
  after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area,
  with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
  average. The economy emerged from its mild recession in 2000 with
  tourism the main factor, but massive structural unemployment remains
  a key negative element. The government's failure to press the
  economic reforms needed to spur growth is largely the result of
  coalition politics and public resistance, particularly from the
  trade unions. Opponents fear reforms would cut jobs, wages, and
  social benefits. The government has a heavy backload of civil cases,
  many involving tenure land. The country is likely to experience only
  moderate growth without disciplined fiscal and structural reform.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $43.12 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 33%
  services: 58% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13.2% NA, industry 25.4% NA, services 46.4% NA (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  21.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $8.6 billion
  expenditures: $9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
  electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
  wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
  petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  12.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  14.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  386 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.386 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  93.6 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  34.36 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports:
  $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 22.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.4%, Germany 12.5%, Slovenia
  8%, Austria 7.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $10.7 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and
  lubricants, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Italy 16.8%, Germany 16.4%, Slovenia 7.8%, Russia 6.8%, Austria
  6.7%, France 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $16.5 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $66 million (2000)

Currency:
  kuna (HRK)

Currency code:
  HRK

Exchange rates:
  kuna per US dollar - 7.87 (2002), 8.34 (2001), 8.28 (2000), 7.11
  (1999), 6.36 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,721,139 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.3 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
  circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
  included in the plan for the main trunk
  international: digital international service is provided through the
  main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk
  connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka
  to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a
  joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios:
  1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  480,000 (2001)

Transportation Croatia

Railways: total: 2,296 km standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 28,123 km
  paved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)

Waterways:
  785 km
  note: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by
  downed bridges, silt, and debris)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,374 km; oil 583 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split,
  Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 765,830 GRT/1,188,948 DWT
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 16, chemical tanker 4, combination
  bulk 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1,
  petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 6,
  short-sea passenger 3

Airports:
  59 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Croatia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HV), Naval Forces, Air and Air
  Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,081,135 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 30,096 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $520 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international:
  discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina on sections of the
  Una River and villages at the base of Mount Pljesevica;
  parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land
  and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of
  Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to
  Croatia; in late 2002, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro adopted an
  interim agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula,
  allowing the withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), but
  discussions could be complicated by the inability of Serbia and
  Montenegro to come to an agreement on the economic aspects of the
  new federal union; Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral
  property and ethnic minority rights issues stemming from border
  changes after the Second World War

Illicit drugs:
  transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to
  Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime
  shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background:
  Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has
  held the country together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution,
  with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and
  Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly
  recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the
  withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6
  billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of
  the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US -
  using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is a
  continuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the crossing of the
  Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard apprehended about 60%
  of the individuals.

Geography Cuba

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 110,860 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 110,860 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 29 km
  border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
  note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
  part of Cuba

Coastline:
  3,735 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);
  rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in
  the southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:
  cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica,
  petroleum, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 33.04%
  other: 59.35% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 7.61%

Irrigated land:
  870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in
  general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
  droughts are common

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
  Antilles

People Cuba

Population:
  11,263,429 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.1% (male 1,164,376; female 1,103,061)
  15-64 years: 69.6% (male 3,932,604; female 3,909,523)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 531,608; female 622,257) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.5 years
  male: 33.9 years
  female: 35.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.8 years
  male: 74.38 years
  female: 79.36 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  120 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:
  mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:
  nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
  Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
  represented

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
  male: 97.2%
  total population: 97%

People - note:
  illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart
  the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,
  direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans took to the
  Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 60%
  of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the
  US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border and
  direct flights to Miami in 2002

Government Cuba

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
  conventional short form: Cuba
  local short form: Cuba
  local long form: Republica de Cuba

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Havana

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
  municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
  Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
  de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
  Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:
  20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
  from 1898 to 1902)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is
  the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
  independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Constitution:
  24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:
  based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist
  legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of
  the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
  legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - 100%
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
  Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there
  is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National
  Assembly
  head of government: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional
  del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved
  by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch:
  People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice
  president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first
  secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
  (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears
  a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the
  US flag

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview:
  The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening
  against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken
  limited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise efficiency
  and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and
  services but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major
  feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient
  export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average
  Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the
  severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by
  the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil import
  prices, recessions in key export markets, damage from Hurricanes
  Isidore and Lili, and the tourist slump after 11 September 2001
  hampered growth in 2002.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $30.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 7.6%
  industry: 34.5%
  services: 57.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 4.3 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  4.1% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $14.9 billion
  expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services,
  nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  14.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% other: 5.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  13.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  532 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  42.62 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Exports:
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 19.1%, Russia 18.1%, Canada 14.3%, Spain 9.5%, China
  7.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Spain 17.2%, China 12%, Italy 9.1%, France 7.6%, Mexico 7.3%,
  Canada 6.2%, US 5.6%, Brazil 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $12.3 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20
  billion owed to Russia (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency:
  Cuban peso (CUP)

Currency code:
  CUP

Exchange rates:
  Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate,
  for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);
  convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar
  per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (2002)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:
  473,031 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,994 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial
  cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la
  Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old,
  US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet
  support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  58 (1997)

Televisions:
  2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2002)

Transportation Cuba

Railways:
  total: 3,442 km
  standard gauge: 3,442 km 1.435-m gauge (142 km electrified)
  note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
  about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
  (2002)

Highways:
  total: 60,858 km
  paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
  unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  240 km

Pipelines:
  gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas,
  Santiago de Cuba

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 59,257 GRT/90,295 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1,
  petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  161 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2002)

Military Cuba

Military branches:
  Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Revolutionary Army (ER),
  Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
  Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note -
  the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,120,702 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 3,049,927

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,923,967
  females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 81,095
  females: 87,780 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  roughly 4% (FY95 est.)

Military - note:
  Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
  Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international:
  US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Illicit drugs:
  territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for
  cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the
  death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background:
  Independence from the UK was approved in 1960, with constitutional
  guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriot
  minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government
  was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled
  almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared
  itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is
  recognized only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks between the two sides
  to reach a comprehensive settlement to the division of the island
  began in January 2002.

Geography Cyprus

Location:
  Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot
  area)
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  648 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:
  central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but
  significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:
  copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
  pigment

Land use: arable land: 10.61% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:
  water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal
  disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest
  aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from
  sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife
  habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
  Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population:
  771,657 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 86,446; female 82,769)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 261,404; female 255,409)
  65 years and over: 11.1% (male 37,345; female 48,284) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.2 years
  male: 33.1 years
  female: 35.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.56% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.27 years
  male: 74.94 years
  female: 79.71 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cypriot(s)
  adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:
  Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)

Religions:
  Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
  other 4%

Languages:
  Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.6%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
  conventional short form: Cyprus
  note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish
  Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type:
  republic
  note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
  island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
  separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
  July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish
  Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the
  only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983
  Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and
  the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC),
  recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement
  based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation
  (Turkish Cypriot position)

Capital:
  Nicosia

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
  Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
  include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
  of Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence:
  16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed
  self-rule on 13 February 1975

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area
  celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:
  16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or
  revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations
  between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in
  1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing
  bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was
  renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new
  constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5
  May 1985

Legal system:
  based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
  2008)
  note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot
  area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for
  a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be
  held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president
  after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime
  minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is
  a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area
  election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
  vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
  MARKIDIS 6.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli
  Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to
  Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are
  filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet
  Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
  6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
  DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the
  Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP
  15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party - UBP
  24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6
  elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
  held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December 1998
  (next to be held NA December 2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president)
  note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area

Political parties and leaders:
  Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];
  Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic
  Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George
  PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the
  Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];
  Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union
  of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or
  EDE [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area: Communal Liberation
  Party or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder
  DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity
  Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
  Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican Turkish
  Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation
  of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
  Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or
  PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate),
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
  chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
  note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Osman
  ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1]
  (202) 887-6198
  consulate(s): New York
  consulate(s) general: New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
  embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
  Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
  telephone: [357] (22) 776400
  FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:
  white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name
  Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green
  crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
  symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
  and Turkish communities
  note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the
  top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a
  white field

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview:
  The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to
  external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect
  the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by
  political instability in the region and fluctuations in economic
  conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting
  the criteria for admission to the EU. As in the Turkish sector,
  water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants
  are now online. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly one-third of
  the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by
  Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing and
  investment. It remains heavily dependent on agriculture and
  government service, which together employ about half of the work
  force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides
  grants and loans to support economic development. Ankara provided
  $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the 2003-05
  period. Future events throughout the island will be highly
  influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored
  agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas and by the
  arrangements under which the island joins the EU.

GDP:
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (2001
  est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $787 million
  (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  Greek Cypriot area: 1.7% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 2.6%
  (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.);
  Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.6%; industry 19.9%; services 19.9%
  Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 75.5%; industry 20.7%; services
  71% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  Greek Cypriot area: 2.8% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 24.5%
  (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  Greek Cypriot area: 291,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 86,300 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  Greek Cypriot area: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5%
  (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%,
  agriculture 20.8% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  Greek Cypriot area: 3.3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $4.4 billion, Turkish Cypriot area -
  $231.3 million (2002 est.)
  expenditures: $3.7 billion, Greek Cypriot area - $539 million,
  including capital expenditures of $539 million, Turkish Cypriot area
  - $432.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Industries:
  food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood
  products

Industrial production growth rate:
  Greek Cypriot area: -1.4% (2002); Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  3.401 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% other: 0% (2001) hydro: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: Greek Cypriot area: 3.163 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables

Exports:
  Greek Cypriot area: $1.03 billion f.o.b. Turkish Cypriot area: $46
  million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement,
  clothing and cigarettes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes,
  textiles

Exports - partners:
  UK 28.2%, Greece 7%, UAE 5.3%, France 5.2% (2002)

Imports:
  Greek Cypriot area: $3.9 billion f.o.b.; Turkish Cypriot area: $301
  million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  Greek Cypriot area: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
  intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; Turkish Cypriot
  area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Russia 17.9%, Greece 7.4%, Germany 6.7%, France 6.6%, UK 6.6%,
  Italy 6.6%, South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  Greek Cypriot area: $8 billion; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Greek Cypriot area - $17 million (1998);; Turkish Cypriot area -
  $700 million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which are
  usually forgiven (1998)

Currency:
  Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area:
  Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code:
  CYP; TRL

Exchange rates:
  Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.61 (2002), 0.64 (2001), 0.62
  (2000), 0.54 (1999), 0.52 (1998), Turkish lira per US dollar NA
  (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724
  (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:
  Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998);; Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162
  (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000
  (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish
  Cypriot areas
  domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic
  submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  Greek Cypriot area: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish
  Cypriot area: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450
  (1994)

Television broadcast stations:
  Greek Cypriot area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September
  1995);; Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300
  (1994)

Internet country code:
  .cy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2002)

Transportation Cyprus

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 13,491 km
  note: Greek Cypriot area: 11,141 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km
  unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,713 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 980 km
  (2000/1996)
  paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,428 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,106,229 GRT/37,032,163 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 421, cargo 325, chemical tanker 25, combination
  bulk 24, combination ore/oil 2, container 151, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger 8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 124, refrigerated
  cargo 45, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 9, specialized
  tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Austria 12, Belgium 2, Bulgaria 2, Canada 3, Chile 2,
  China 16, Croatia 2, Cuba 11, Finland 1, Germany 229, Greece 607,
  Guam 1, Hong Kong 6, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 1,
  Japan 26, Latvia 14, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10,
  Netherlands 30, Norway 23, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 19,
  Portugal 2, Russia 57, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, South Korea 4, Spain
  7, Sudan 2, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United
  Arab Emirates 13, United Kingdom 6, United States 4, Vietnam 1 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  16 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports:
  10 (2002)

Military Cyprus

Military branches:
  Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including
  air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
  Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 201,606 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 138,336 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 6,638 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $384 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international:
  hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous
  areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally
  recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot area, separated
  by a UN buffer zone; UN deadline on sides accepting a federation
  plan for reunification have expired, diminishing chances of
  Turkish-Cypriot participation in EU membership in 2004

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
  container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
  some cocaine transits as well; anti-money-laundering laws
  strengthened but few convictions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background:
  Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and
  Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form
  Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders
  were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic
  minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and
  the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated
  Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968,
  an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's
  leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism
  with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year
  ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet
  authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a
  peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country
  underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the
  Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech
  Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a
  development that poses both opportunities and risks. In December
  2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the European Union
  (EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic will accede to the EU
  in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location:
  Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 78,866 sq km
  water: 1,590 sq km
  land: 77,276 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,881 km
  border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
  Slovakia 215 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
  Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus
  surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very
  hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 40% permanent crops: 3.04% other: 56.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  240 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most
  significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional
  military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in
  central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population:
  10,249,216 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 809,697; female 768,747)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 3,617,214; female 3,614,060)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 554,922; female 884,576) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 36.6 years
  female: 40.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.08% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.18 years
  male: 71.69 years
  female: 78.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.18 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Czech(s)
  adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:
  Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%,
  Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%,
  atheist 39.8%

Languages:
  Czech

Literacy:
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Czech Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Czech Republic
  conventional short form: Czech Republic
  local short form: Ceska Republika
  local long form: Ceska Republika

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Prague

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni
  mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj,
  Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
  Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
  Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence:
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
  Slovakia)

National holiday:
  Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:
  ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line
  with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
  note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
  from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
  parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
  inconclusive elections in January 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir SPIDLA (since 12 July
  2002), Deputy Prime Ministers Bohuslav SOBOTKA (since 20 August
  2003), Cyril SVOBODA (since July 2002), Stanislav GROSS (since July
  2002), Petr MARES (since July 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
  2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
  combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
  elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive); prime
  minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
  (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year
  terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
  Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 14, CSSD 11, US 9, KSCM 3, independents 18;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS
  24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor
  12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU
  10
  elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 25-26 October and 1-2
  November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Chamber of
  Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June
  2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen
  are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or
  KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or
  ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS
  [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
  or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of
  Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National
  Social Party of CSNS [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic
  Party or CSSD [Vladimir SPIDLA, chairman]; Freedom Union-Democratic
  Union or US-DEU [Petr MARES, chairman]; Quad Coalition [Karel KUHNL,
  chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions [Richard FALBR]

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
  chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
  embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
  FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue
  isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of
  the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview:
  One of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states,
  the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession since
  mid-1999. Growth in 2000-03 was supported by exports to the EU,
  primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign direct
  investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role
  in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability
  of credit cards and mortgages increases. High current account
  deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the last several years -
  could be a persistent problem. Inflation is under control. The EU
  put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in
  preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and
  direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking,
  telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage
  additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among
  large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector
  should strengthen output growth. But revival in the European
  economies remains essential to stepped-up growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $157.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 41%
  services: 55.2% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.203 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $16.7 billion
  expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass,
  armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.5% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  70.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% other: 1% (2001) nuclear: 20%

Electricity - consumption:
  55.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  18.92 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  9.38 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  17.25 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.057 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Exports:
  $40.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures
  25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 40.2%, Slovakia 7.1%, Austria 5.8%, UK 5.1%, Poland 5%,
  France 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $43.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures
  21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 39.1%, Slovakia 6%, Austria 5.6%, Italy 5.4%, France 5.3%,
  Poland 4.1%, UK 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $23.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $108 million; EU structural adjustment funds (2002)

Currency:
  Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code:
  CZK

Exchange rates:
  koruny per US dollar - 32.74 (2002), 38.04 (2001), 38.6 (2000),
  34.57 (1999), 32.28 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.869 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4.346 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech
  telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily;
  growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly
  vigorous
  domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
  systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
  (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
  trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1
  Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios:
  3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
  3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code:
  .cz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  more than 300 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.69 million (2001)

Transportation Czech Republic

Railways:
  total: 9,462 km
  standard gauge: 9,363 km 1.435-m gauge (1,745 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 55,408 km
  paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways: 303 km note: the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river (2000)

Pipelines:
  gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Airports:
  144 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 under 914 m: 19 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 100 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 62 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Czech Republic

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,622,192 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,002,202 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 67,777 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1,190.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international:
  Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of
  land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten
  German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection
  with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute
  with Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power plant and
  post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit
  point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of
  synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money
  laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Denmark

Introduction Denmark

Background:
  Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European
  power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is
  participating in the general political and economic integration of
  Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973.
  However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the
  European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic
  and Monetary Union (EMU) and issues concerning certain justice and
  home affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a
  peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
  islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:
  56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 43,094 sq km
  water: 700 sq km
  note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
  of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
  islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
  Greenland
  land: 42,394 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline:
  7,314 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:
  low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
  highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and
  sand

Land use: arable land: 55.74% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 44.07% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of
  Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are
  protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions;
  nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and
  surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea

Geography - note:
  controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and
  North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater
  Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population:
  5,384,384 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.7% (male 516,872; female 490,543)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,809,138; female 1,762,577)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 338,141; female 467,113) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 38.1 years
  female: 40.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.28% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.52 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.1 years
  male: 74.48 years
  female: 79.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Dane(s)
  adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:
  Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%,
  Muslim 2%

Languages:
  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small
  minority)
  note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Denmark

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
  conventional short form: Denmark
  local short form: Danmark
  local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Copenhagen

Administrative divisions:
  metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2
  boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskomunes); Arhus, Bornholm,
  Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*,
  Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom,
  Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
  note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland,
  which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing
  overseas administrative divisions

Independence:
  first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became
  a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:
  none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as
  the National Day

Constitution:
  1849 was the original constitution; there was a major overhaul 5
  June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a female chief
  of state

Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26
  May 1968)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from
  Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party 22,
  Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social Liberal
  Party 9, Christian People's Party 4, Unity List 4; note - does not
  include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe
  Islands

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party
  [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as
  Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party
  [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social
  Democratic Party [Mogens LYKKETOFT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes
  called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH,
  chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN]; Red-Green
  Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of
  Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
  chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
  mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
  telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
  FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:
  red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the
  vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that
  design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently
  adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway,
  and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview:
  This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
  agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
  extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
  a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
  a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
  of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
  bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
  government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
  economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
  (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join the 12 other EU
  members in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the
  euro. Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in
  2003 was a mere 1.1%.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $155.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.7 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.856 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 79%, industry 17%, agriculture 4% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.1% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $52.9 billion
  expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2001 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing,
  chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture and other
  wood products, shipbuilding, windmills

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  35.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% other: 17.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  32.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  8.775 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  8.199 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.23 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  81.98 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $56.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,
  fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners:
  Germany 17.1%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 7.8%, US 6.8%, France 5.8%, Norway
  5.7%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $47.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for
  industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Germany 22.9%, Sweden 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Netherlands 7.8%, France 6%,
  Norway 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $21.7 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Currency:
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08
  (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.785 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,444,016 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services
  domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
  trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
  international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with
  Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe
  Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat,
  10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note -
  the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
  share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for
  worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.37 million (2002)

Transportation Denmark

Railways:
  total: 3,164 km
  standard gauge: 2,324 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified)
  note:: total includes 840 km of suburban track (2002)

Highways:
  total: 71,591 km
  paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  417 km

Pipelines:
  condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km;
  unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia,
  Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Merchant marine:
  total: 282 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,714,557 GRT/8,715,716 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Greenland 1, Indonesia 1, Netherlands 1,
  Norway 9, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 85, chemical tanker 29, container 77,
  liquefied gas 19, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 28, railcar
  carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea
  passenger 6, specialized tanker 4

Airports:
  104 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 71 (2002)

Military Denmark

Military branches:
  Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home
  Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,282,315 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,094,611 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 28,198 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.47 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international:
  Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and
  the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
  Rockall area); dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands'
  fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Iceland,
  the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
  boundary outside 200 NM; Faroese are considering proposals for full
  independence; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans Island
  sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and
  Greenland

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Djibouti

Introduction Djibouti

Background:
  The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in
  1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party
  state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year terms as
  president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990's led to
  multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar GUELLEH
  attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended the final
  phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti occupies a
  very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and
  serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and
  leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH favors close ties to
  France, which maintains a significant military presence in the
  country.

Geography Djibouti

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
  Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
  11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 23,000 sq km
  water: 20 sq km
  land: 22,980 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:
  coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources: geothermal areas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the
  Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
  desertification; endangered species

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to
  Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly
  wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population:
  457,130 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 98,796; female 98,202)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 129,492; female 116,953)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 6,933; female 6,754) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  19.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 106.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 98.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 114.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.13 years
  male: 41.82 years
  female: 44.48 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  11.75% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  37,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Djiboutian(s)
  adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:
  Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:
  French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 78%
  female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
  conventional short form: Djibouti
  former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Djibouti

Administrative divisions:
  5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil,
  Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence:
  27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:
  multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and
  Islamic law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;
  members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
  RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development
  Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
  l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
  Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples
  Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
  Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for
  Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD,
  PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition
  coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
  chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald YAMAMOTO embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with
  a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red
  five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on service activities connected with the
  country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
  northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
  city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
  limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
  be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
  the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
  It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is,
  therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support
  its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An
  unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation
  is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to
  the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over
  the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
  population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
  with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
  in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
  meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. Another factor limiting
  growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has
  more trade route options.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 15.8% services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  282,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA%

Unemployment rate:
  50% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $135 million
  expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  construction, agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  180 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  167.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Exports:
  $70 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:
  Somalia 56.7%, Yemen 24.4%, Pakistan 4.8%, Ethiopia 4.4%, UAE 4.1%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $255 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 18.2%, Ethiopia 10.5%, US 9.2%, France 8.6%, China
  8.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $366 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $36 million (2001)

Currency:
  Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code:
  DJF

Exchange rates:
  Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001),
  177.72 (2000), 177.72 (1999), 177.72 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti
  are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to
  outlying areas of the country
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles,
  Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio
  relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  28,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,300 (2002)

Transportation Djibouti

Railways:
  total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
  narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Highways:
  total: 2,890 km
  paved: 364 km
  unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Djibouti

Airports:
  13 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Djibouti

Military branches:
  Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 107,050 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 63,459 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $26.53 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international:
  Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
  "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
  various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional
  National Government in Mogadishu

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Dominica

Introduction Dominica

Background:
  Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by
  Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native
  Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made
  the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence,
  Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical
  administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the
  first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office
  for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are
  the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography Dominica

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and
  Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 754 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 754 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  148 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 16% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be
  expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
  spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
  by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
  Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
  include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
  the world

People Dominica

Population:
  69,655 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 9,807; female 9,571)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 23,024; female 21,768)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,226; female 3,259) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.4 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 28.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.63% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.12 years
  male: 71.23 years
  female: 77.15 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
  black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 94%
  female: 94% (2003 est.)

Government Dominica

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
  Roseau

Administrative divisions:
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
  Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,
  Saint Peter

Independence:
  3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:
  3 November 1978

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nicholas LIVERPOOL (since 10 November
  2003)
  elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
  NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October
  2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt
  DOUGLAS

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21
  elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July
  2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held
  within five years of the last election, but technically it is five
  years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90
  day grace period
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal
  and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges
  must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
  Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison
  JAMES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Flag description:
  green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical
  part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal
  part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center
  of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10
  green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent
  the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview:
  The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,
  and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
  international economic developments. Hurricane Luis devastated the
  country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a
  quarter of the 1994 crop. The economy subsequently has been fueled
  by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals.
  Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however,
  because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of
  an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and
  unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting
  to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the
  island's production base.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  25,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate:
  23% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $73.9 million
  expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Industries:
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:
  -10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  72.41 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  67.35 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Exports:
  $50 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:
  UK 36.1%, Jamaica 18%, US 7.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, Guyana
  5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  China 23.9%, US 23.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9%, South Korea 7.6%,
  UK 7.3%, Japan 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $161.5 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $24.4 million (1995)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  461 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fully automatic network
  international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
  Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
  Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)

Televisions:
  6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Dominica

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Military Dominica

Military branches:
  Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Special Service
  Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international:
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island,
  which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a
  large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;
  minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,
  making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background:
  Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the
  island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of
  the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized
  French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804
  became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo
  Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was
  conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally
  attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A legacy of
  unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its
  subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin
  BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for
  most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed
  elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
  regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
  candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
  one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
  decade.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location:
  Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between
  the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
  19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 48,730 sq km
  land: 48,380 sq km
  water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline:
  1,288 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 6 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal
  variation in rainfall

Terrain:
  rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 21.08% permanent crops: 9.92% other: 69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;
  deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the
  Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

People Dominican Republic

Population:
  8,715,602 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,497,777; female 1,431,104)
  15-64 years: 61.2% (male 2,719,505; female 2,614,495)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 212,045; female 240,676) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 23.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.36% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 36.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.96 years
  male: 66.41 years
  female: 69.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  7,800 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
  white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.7%
  male: 84.6%
  female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Dominican Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republica Dominicana
  local short form: none

Government type:
  representative democracy

Capital:
  Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions:
  29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
  (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
  Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
  La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
  Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
  Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro
  de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde

Independence:
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:
  28 November 1966

Legal system:
  based on French civil codes

Suffrage:
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
  regardless of age
  note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16
  August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since
  16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000
  (next to be held NA May 2004)
  election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected
  president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD)
  49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
  Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
  2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
  NA May 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council
  made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with
  the president presiding)

Political parties and leaders:
  Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
  Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social
  Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Eduardo ESTRELLA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

International organization participation:
  ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA
  (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag
  into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,
  and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of
  arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a
  palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield
  a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,
  Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
  appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:
  The Dominican Republic's economy experienced dramatic growth over
  the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane
  Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily
  as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the
  service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest
  employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country
  suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the
  population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest
  10% enjoy nearly 40% of national income. Growth probably will slow
  in 2003 with reduced tourism and expected low growth in the US
  economy, the source of 87% of export revenues.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $53.78 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 34% services: 55% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.3 million - 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.9 billion
  expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
  billion (2001 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,
  cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.186 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.543 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Exports: $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  US 85%, Canada 1.6%, UK 1.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
  pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  US 51.5%, Venezuela 9.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $239.6 million (1995)

Currency:
  Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code:
  DOP

Exchange rates:
  Dominican pesos per US dollar - 18.61 (2002), 16.95 (2001), 16.42
  (2000), 16.03 (1999), 15.27 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  709,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  130,149 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
  radio relay network
  international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  25 (1997)

Televisions:
  770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .do

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  24 (2000)

Internet users:
  186,000 (2002)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways:
  total: 1,503 km
  standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
  note:: 986 km also operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m,
  and 0.762-m gauges (2002)
  narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge

Highways: total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors:
  Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de
  Macoris, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,319,419 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,453,705 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 89,073 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians continue to cross into the Dominican Republic

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the
  Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial
  money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the
  Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background:
  The Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself independent from
  Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by
  Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into
  Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. A campaign of
  pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an
  estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30
  August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people of
  East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. During 1999-2001,
  pro-integrationist militias - supported by Indonesia - conducted
  indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was
  internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's
  newest democracy.

Geography East Timor

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
  Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -
  East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
  Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
  Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:
  8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 15,007 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: NA NM extended fishing zone: NA NM territorial sea: NA NM exclusive fishing zone: NA NM continental shelf: NA NM exclusive economic zone: NA NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:
  mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: NA% other: NA% permanent crops: NA%

Irrigated land:
  1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards:
  floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
  cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
  deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  NA

Geography - note:
  Timor comes from the Malay word for "Orient;" the island of Timor
  is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost
  of the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population:
  997,853
  note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (2002 est.) (July 2003
  est.)

Age structure:
  NA (2003 est.)

Median age: total: 19.7 years female: 19.6 years (2002) male: 19.8 years

Population growth rate:
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 50.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 57.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.2 years
  female: 67.55 years (2003 est.)
  male: 62.97 years

Total fertility rate:
  3.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Timorese
  adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:
  Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,
  Animist (1992 est.)

Languages:
  Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
  note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
  Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48% (2001)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government East Timor

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  conventional short form: East Timor
  local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  former: Portuguese Timor
  local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
  Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dili

Administrative divisions:
  13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
  (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),
  Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence:
  28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from
  Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international
  recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:
  22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:
  UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law (2002)

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jose Alexander GUSMAO (since 20 May
  2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
  able to veto some legislation; he often is referred to as Xanana
  GUSMAO
  head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
  May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of State
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);
  after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
  precedent for the future
  election results: Jose Alexander GUSMAO elected president; percent
  of vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
  17.3%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
  requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of
  office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
  exceptional basis
  elections: last held 30 August 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
  8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
  2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
  party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
  2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the National
  Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the
  Judiciary

Political parties and leaders:
  Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do
  AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
  XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da
  Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
  Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM
  [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
  Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
  Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
  Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of the Mountain
  Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA
  [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao
  CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA];
  Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular
  Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AsDB, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IMF, Interpol, UN, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
  consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
  (2003)
  FAX: 202 965-1517
  telephone: 202 965-1515
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
  embassy: Vila 10, Avenida de Portugal, Farol, Dili
  mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
  DC 20521-8250
  telephone: (670) 332-4684, 331-3205/3160/3472
  FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:
  red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
  superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to
  the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the
  black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview:
  In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East
  Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
  militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
  years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
  peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
  substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By
  mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The
  country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of
  infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil
  administration. One promising long-term project is the planned
  development of oil resources in nearby waters.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  18% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  42% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  50% (including underemployment)

Budget:
  revenues: $36 million
  expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2003 est.)

Industries:
  printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Exports: $8 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports

Exports - partners:
  NA

Imports:
  $237 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  mainly food (2001)

Imports - partners:
  NA

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  IDR

Exchange rates:
  see US dollar

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .tp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation East Timor

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Waterways:
  NA

Pipelines:
  NA

Ports and harbors:
  NA

Merchant marine: total: NA ships by type: NA

Airports:
  8 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,427 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military East Timor

Military branches:
  The East Timor Defense Force or FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a
  light-infantry Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to
  develop a force of 1,500 active personnel and 1,500 reserve
  personnel over the next five years

Military manpower - military age:
  18-21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  NA

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  NA

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international:
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets regularly to survey
  and delimit the land boundary; some East Timor refugees delay return
  from camps in Indonesia; maritime delimitation and resource-sharing
  agreements signed with Australia resolved dispute over "Timor Gap"
  hydrocarbon reserves, but maritime agreement with Indonesia awaits
  further discussions

Illicit drugs:
  NA

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background:
  The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that
  emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being
  Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
  territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
  war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Geography Ecuador

Location:
  Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
  between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 283,560 sq km
  note: includes Galapagos Islands
  water: 6,720 sq km
  land: 276,840 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline:
  2,237 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
  Galapagos Islands
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;
  tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:
  coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and
  flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.69% permanent crops: 5.15% other: 89.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population:
  13,710,234 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.9% (male 2,430,303; female 2,351,166)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 4,116,289; female 4,198,667)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 284,082; female 329,727) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 23 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.91% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.89 years
  male: 69.06 years
  female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,700 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ecuadorian(s)
  adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish
  and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 94%
  female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
  conventional short form: Ecuador
  local short form: Ecuador
  local long form: Republica del Ecuador

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Quito

Administrative divisions:
  22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
  Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
  Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
  Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:
  24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:
  10 August 1998

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
  18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003);
  Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election
  last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002
  (next to be held NA October 2006)
  head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
  2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
  Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
  54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
  members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
  5, DP 4, PS 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
  National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
  the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the
  full Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
  Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; National Action
  Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [leader NA]; Pachakutik
  Movement [Miguel LLUCO]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [leader NA];
  Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular
  Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista
  Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE
  [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC
  [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
  [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS
  [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
  Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
  Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
  CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation:
  CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
  chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
  embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
  mailing address: APO AA 34039
  telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
  FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
  consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
  with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;
  similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear
  a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview:
  Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas.
  Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas,
  and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a
  substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade
  Organization (WTrO) in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of
  its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed
  oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in
  1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which
  helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later
  that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation
  of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government
  to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the
  currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government.
  Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has
  managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with
  international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first
  standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10
  December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of
  a $300 million standby credit agreement. In February 2003, newly
  installed president Lucio GUTIERREZ faced a budget gap and massive
  foreign debt. He has pledged to use oil revenues to pay off debt and
  is seeking additional IMF support.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $42.65 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 33% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  43.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.7 million (urban)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.6 billion
  expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures
  of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products,
  wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  421,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.358 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  106.5 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
  plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
  products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Exports:
  $4.9 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish

Exports - partners:
  US 39%, Colombia 5.6%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5%, Italy 4.4%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $6 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer
  goods

Imports - partners:
  US 28.6%, Colombia 14.4%, Japan 6%, Chile 4.5%, Brazil 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $14.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $120 million (2001)

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988.4
  (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.57 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,115,272 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  384,000 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
  domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios:
  5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ec

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  31 (2001)

Internet users:
  328,000 (2002)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,500 km

Pipelines:
  gas 71 km; oil 1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San
  Lorenzo

Merchant marine:
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 239,276 GRT/392,048 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
  205 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 61 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 144 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 113 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Ecuador

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,555,068 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 137,433 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $720 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and
  Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
  narcotics; dollarization may raise the volume of money-laundering
  activity, especially along the border with Colombia; increased
  activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and
  Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background:
  The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled
  with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,
  allowed for the development of one of the world's great
  civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
  of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
  native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
  replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
  introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
  ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
  Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
  conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
  completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
  world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
  Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
  Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
  Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
  1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
  completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
  Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
  agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
  largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
  the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
  government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
  through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
  physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and
  the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the
  Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
  27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,001,450 sq km
  land: 995,450 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,665 km
  border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
  Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:
  2,450 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:
  vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
  highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,
  gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.68% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;
  hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,
  sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;
  increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;
  oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;
  other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and
  industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources
  away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid
  growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
  remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
  between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
  to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
  dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
  prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population:
  74,718,797 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 12,964,852; female 12,346,808)
  15-64 years: 61.9% (male 23,375,037; female 22,865,190)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 1,359,685; female 1,807,225) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 23.1 years male: 22.8 years female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.88% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 35.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 36.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.41 years
  male: 67.94 years
  female: 73 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  8,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Egyptian(s)
  adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:
  Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
  Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
  French) 1%

Religions:
  Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated
  classes

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.7%
  male: 68.3%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name:
  conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
  conventional short form: Egypt
  local short form: Misr
  former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
  local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Cairo

Administrative divisions:
  26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,
  Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al
  Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al
  Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways,
  Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash
  Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence:
  28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:
  11 September 1971

Legal system:
  based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;
  judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
  validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
  1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (since 5
  October 1999)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a
  six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national,
  popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999
  (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's
  nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

Legislative branch:
  bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
  al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
  the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
  Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
  role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
  president; members serve NA-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
  October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next to be held NA)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NDP
  88%, independents 8%, opposition 4%; seats by party - NDP 398, NWP
  7, Tagammu 6, Nasserists 2, LSP 1, independents 38, undecided 2;
  Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%, independents
  1%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [leader NA] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACC, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU,
  EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC,
  OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
  chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
  embassy: 5 Latin America St., Garden City, Cairo
  mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
  telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
  FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with
  the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing
  the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in
  Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen,
  which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria,
  which has two green stars, and to the flag of Iraq, which has three
  green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
  centered in the white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview:
  Egypt improved its macroeconomic performance throughout most of the
  last decade by following IMF advice on fiscal, monetary, and
  structural reform policies. As a result, Egypt managed to tame
  inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign
  investment. In the past four years, however, the pace of reform has
  slackened, and excessive spending on national infrastructure
  projects has widened budget deficits again. Lower foreign exchange
  earnings since 1998 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and
  periodic dollar shortages. Monetary pressures have increased since
  11 September 2001 because of declines in tourism and Suez Canal
  tolls, and Egypt has devalued the pound several times in the past
  year. The development of a gas export market is a major bright spot
  for future growth prospects. In the short term, regional tensions
  will continue to affect tourism and hold back prospects for economic
  expansion.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $289.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 34% services: 49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 22.9% (FY 95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.9 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  20.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 29%, industry 22%, services 49% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $21.5 billion
  expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9
  billion (2001)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
  construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  816,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.308 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.264 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,
  chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 18.3%, Italy 13.7%, UK 8.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $15.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:
  US 16.9%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.7%, France 6.5%, China 5%, UK 4.1%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $30.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $2.25 billion (1999)

Currency:
  Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code:
  EGP

Exchange rates:
  Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 4.5 (2002), 3.97 (2001), 3.47
  (2000), 3.4 (1999), 3.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,971,500 (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  380,000 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading
  during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular
  service are available
  domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
  Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
  and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine
  cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to
  Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project
  Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:
  20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  98 (September 1995)

Televisions:
  7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .eg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2002)

Transportation Egypt

Railways: total: 5,105 km standard gauge: 5,105 km 1.435-m gauge (42 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 64,000 km paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  3,500 km
  note: includes the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and
  numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
  approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water

Pipelines:
  condensate 327 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,145 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 382 km; oil 5,726 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; water 62 km
  (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta,
  Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Merchant marine:
  total: 170 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,284,197 GRT/1,907,734 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 3, Monaco 1,
  Ukraine 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 50, container 5, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 63, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea
  passenger 3

Airports:
  89 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 18
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 6

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Egypt

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 19,895,370 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 12,867,160 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 743,305 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.04 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international:
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular areas
  that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the
  22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence - Egypt is
  economically developing the "Hala'ib triangle" north of the Treaty
  line

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and
  opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
  Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
  banking regulations

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background:
  El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the
  Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost
  about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the
  government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
  military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
  Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 21,040 sq km
  water: 320 sq km
  land: 20,720 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline:
  307 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to
  April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 27.27%
  permanent crops: 12.11%
  other: 60.62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  360 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very
  destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible
  to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline
  on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population:
  6,470,379 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,224,024; female 1,173,667)
  15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,777,522; female 1,966,064)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 147,482; female 181,620) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.1 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 22.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.81% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 29.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.62 years
  male: 67.02 years
  female: 74.4 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  24,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,100 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 83%
  note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
  the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
  Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages:
  Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 80.2%
  male: 82.8%
  female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government El Salvador

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
  conventional short form: El Salvador
  local short form: El Salvador
  local long form: Republica de El Salvador

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  San Salvador

Administrative divisions:
  14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
  La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
  Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  23 December 1983

Legal system:
  based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June
  1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June
  1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June
  1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June
  1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 7 March 1999
  (next to be held NA March 2004)
  election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president; percent
  of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%,
  Ruben ZAMORA (CD) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FMLN 31, ARENA 27, PCN 16, PDC 5, CD 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the
  Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
  Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general] (includes Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO, leader); Democratic Party or
  PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or
  FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo
  SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio
  SALINAS, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN
  [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA
  [Walter ARAUJO]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger
  of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU)
  [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles,
  Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
  chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS
  embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
  Libertad, San Salvador
  mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
  telephone: [503] 278-4444
  FAX: [503] 278-6011

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL
  SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua,
  which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it
  features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on
  top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of
  Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern
  centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview:
  In recent years, this Central American economy has been suffering
  from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the aftermaths
  of Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and the devastating earthquakes of early
  2001, and weak world coffee prices. On the bright side, inflation
  has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown
  substantially. The trade deficit has been offset by annual
  remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living abroad and
  by external aid. The US dollar is now the legal tender. Because
  competitor countries have fluctuating exchange rates, El Salvador
  must face the challenge of raising productivity and lowering costs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $29.41 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 48% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  52.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  2.35 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% - but the economy has much underemployment. (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.1 billion
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer,
  textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.729 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% other: 25.1% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.777 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  44 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  353 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Exports: $3 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners:
  US 63.3%, Guatemala 12%, Honduras 6.8%, Nicaragua 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $4.9 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs,
  petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 39%, Guatemala 10.1%, Mexico 7.2%, France 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.)

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  8.75 the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:
  380,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  40,163 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1997)

Televisions:
  600,000 (1990)

Internet country code:
  .sv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2000)

Internet users:
  40,000 (2000)

Transportation El Salvador

Railways:
  total: 283 km
  narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
  disuse and lack of maintenance (2002)

Highways:
  total: 10,029 km
  paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports and harbors:
  Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  82 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 61 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military El Salvador

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,536,230 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 973,884 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 69,534 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $112 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (FY99)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international:
  in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
  areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but they remain
  largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an application to
  the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of bolsones; the ICJ
  also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the
  Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the
  Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the
  ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana
  produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Equatorial Guinea

Introduction Equatorial Guinea

Background:
  Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of
  Spanish rule. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has ruled the tiny
  country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands
  and one of the smallest countries on the African continent, since he
  seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional
  democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as
  well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being
  flawed.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
  Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 28,051 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 28,051 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
  coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:
  oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold,
  manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 4.63%
  permanent crops: 3.57%
  other: 91.8% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population:
  510,473 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 108,179; female 107,164)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 132,342; female 143,509)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,576; female 10,703) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 19.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 89.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 95.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 54.75 years
  male: 52.63 years
  female: 56.93 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  370 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
  adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:
  Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily
  Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions:
  nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan
  practices

Languages:
  Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,
  Ibo

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.7%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
  conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
  local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
  local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
  former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Malabo

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko
  Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:
  12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:
  approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January
  1995

Legal system:
  partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
  MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president
  election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
  Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  head of government: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26
  February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG
  (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG
  NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS
  5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
  note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the
  House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative
  elections

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
  Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO
  Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling
  party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of
  Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
  Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
  [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
  [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
  [Daniel OYONO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
  chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
  telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy
  closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited
  to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening
  a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
  blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms
  centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow
  six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore
  islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below
  which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,
  Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:
  The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have
  contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,
  farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence
  farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea
  counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect
  of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished
  potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its
  intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number
  of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been
  cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No
  longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil
  revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on
  a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.
  Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and
  their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include
  titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth
  will remain strong in 2003, led by oil.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  20% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 60%
  services: 20% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $200 million
  expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
  30% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  23.56 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.3% hydro: 5.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  21.91 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  563.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  68.53 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Exports:
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  US 28.3%, Spain 25.3%, China 17.4%, Canada 10.6%, France 4.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $562 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:
  US 29.1%, Spain 15.9%, UK 14.8%, France 10.4%, Norway 7.2%,
  Netherlands 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $248 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $33.8 million (1995)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 January - 31 December

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  300 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
  domestic: NA
  international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to
  African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
  180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  900 (2002)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Railways:
  total: 0 km

Highways:
  total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km
  (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,571 GRT/9,670 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 116,496 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 59,110 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $30 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:
  in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
  Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
  Guinea, but states have not yet agreed to abide by the decision;
  creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with
  Gabon is hampered by dispute over small islets on Mbane/Mbagne bank,
  administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Eritrea

Introduction Eritrea

Background:
  Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.
  Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later
  sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with
  Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
  overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
  border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
  auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
  peacekeeping operation that is monitoring the border region. An
  international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute,
  posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to
  Ethiopian objections.

Geography Eritrea

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 121,320 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 121,320 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,626 km
  border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:
  2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea
  1,083 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the
  central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in
  western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September
  except in coastal desert

Terrain:
  dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,
  descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest
  to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
  highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:
  gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 3.87% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 96.11% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of
  infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping
  lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the
  Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population:
  4,362,254 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 977,447; female 972,068)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,121,077; female 1,147,109)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 71,620; female 72,933) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.28% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.23 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -13.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
  Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
  between the two countries in 2000 (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 76.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 83.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 53.18 years
  male: 51.48 years
  female: 54.92 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  55,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  350 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Eritrean(s)
  adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:
  ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
  coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:
  Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
  Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
  local short form: Ertra

Government type:
  transitional government
  note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
  Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
  Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
  Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
  Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
  constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
  transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
  did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
  elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place
  in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the
  sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
  (PFDJ)

Capital:
  Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Administrative divisions:
  6 regions (regions, singular - region); Central, Anelba, Southern
  Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka

Independence:
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:
  the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
  by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system:
  primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;
  new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
  promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
  laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
  members appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
  held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
  Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
  anticipated)
  election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
  established)
  elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
  constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
  Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
  Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
  and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
  living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
  serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
  to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
  the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
  stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
  National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
  voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
  postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:
  or High Court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also have
  military and special courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL
  embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
  mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
  telephone: [291] (1) 120004
  FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:
  red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag
  into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one
  is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on
  the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy Eritrea

Economy - overview:
  Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced
  the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the
  economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on
  subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in
  farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely
  hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -1%
  in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea
  caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including
  losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack
  prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region,
  causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea
  developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads,
  improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges.
  Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on
  the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned
  businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. Erratic
  rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the
  military kept cereal production well below normal, holding down
  growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability
  to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low
  skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the
  diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 29% services: 54% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  53% (1993/94)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (2001)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $206.4 million
  expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  220.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  205.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Exports:
  $20 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners:
  Italy 36.9%, Germany 16.7%, France 10.3%, US 5.4%, Netherlands 5.2%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $500 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Italy 27.1%, US 15.7%, Germany 7.2%, Ukraine 5.8%, Turkey 5.5%,
  France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $77 million (1999)

Currency:
  nakfa (ERN)

Currency code:
  ERN

Exchange rates:
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6 (January 1999),
  7.2 (March 1998 est.)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  30,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate
  domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
  is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: NA; note - international connections exist

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios:
  345,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2000)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .er

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Eritrea

Railways:
  total: 306 km
  narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge
  note: railway is being rebuilt (2002)

Highways:
  total: 4,010 km
  paved: 874 km
  unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  18 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Eritrea

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $95.75 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  12% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Eritrea

Disputes - international:
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent boundary
  commission delimitation decision, but demarcation, scheduled to
  begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays and Ethiopian
  concerns that the decision ignored "human geography" and awarded
  Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea, demarcation of
  the boundary has been postponed indefinately; UN Peacekeeping
  Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitors a 25 km wide
  Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan
  accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea
  protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea
  by the ICJ in 1999

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Estonia

Introduction Estonia

Background:
  After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,
  Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into
  the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse
  of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994,
  Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with
  Western Europe. Estonia received invitations to join NATO and the EU
  in 2002.

Geography Estonia

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,
  between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 45,226 sq km
  note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
  water: 2,015 sq km
  land: 43,211 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Coastline: 3,794 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,
  arable land, sea mud

Land use: arable land: 26.5% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 73.15% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:
  air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power
  plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to
  the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
  than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
  water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
  connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
  pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
  natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
  areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
  locations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore
  lie more than 1,500 islands

People Estonia

Population:
  1,408,556 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 113,239; female 108,876)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 467,041; female 501,805)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 71,512; female 146,083) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.1 years
  male: 34.7 years
  female: 41.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.49% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 13.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.31 years
  male: 64.36 years
  female: 76.57 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 7,700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:
  Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%,
  Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist,
  Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word
  of Life, Jewish

Languages:
  Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Estonia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
  conventional short form: Estonia
  local short form: Eesti
  former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Eesti Vabariik

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Tallinn

Administrative divisions:
  15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),
  Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa
  (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa
  (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),
  Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa
  (Voru)
  note: counties have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Independence:
  regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was
  the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the
  date of reindependence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  approved by Parliament
  election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
  2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
  Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
  successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes
  to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots
  were either left blank or invalid
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
  he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds
  of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up
  of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
  president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
  percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
  president and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
  Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
  Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
  seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
  Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
  Moodukad 6
  elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
  National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];
  Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform
  Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian
  People's Party or EUVRP [leader NA]; Moderates (Moodukad) [Ivari
  PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res
  Publica [Juhan PARTS]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
  chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS
  embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [372] 668-8100
  FAX: [372] 668-8134

Flag description:
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal
  horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy Estonia

Economy - overview:
  Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is
  steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties
  to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The
  economy benefits from strong electronics and telecoms sectors. A
  major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The economy is
  greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany,
  three major trading partners. The high current account deficit
  remains a concern.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $15.52 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5.8%
  industry: 28.6%
  services: 65.6% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  608,600 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.4% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.89 billion
  expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
  information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.937 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.192 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.19 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food
  products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Finland 19.2%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 10.6%, Latvia 7.4%, Germany 7.2%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles
  10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 26.6%, Finland 18.9%, Germany 9.2%, Sweden 8.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $108 million (2000)

Currency:
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Currency code:
  EEK

Exchange rates:
  krooni per US dollar - 16.61 (2002), 17.56 (2001), 16.97 (2000),
  14.68 (1999), 14.07 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  501,691 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  711,000 (yearend 2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
  business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
  fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
  the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of
  the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
  September 2000
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet
  services is available throughout the country
  international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and
  Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international
  switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  1.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2001)

Televisions:
  605,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ee

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  38 (2001)

Internet users:
  429,700 (2002)

Transportation Estonia

Railways:
  total: 968 km
  broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)
  note:: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear
  on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2002)

Highways:
  total: 51,411 km
  paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)

Waterways:
  320 km (perennially navigable) (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 859 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Merchant marine:
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 200,807 GRT/169,899 DWT
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2,
  roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 5

Airports:
  38 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Military Estonia

Military branches:
  Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force),
  Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer
  Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard
  note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
  the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
  Navy in wartime

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 360,440 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 283,278 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 11,123 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Estonia

Disputes - international:
  Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December
  1996 technical border agreement with Estonia

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia
  and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western
  Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to
  Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible
  precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Ethiopia

Introduction Ethiopia

Background:
  Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy
  maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the
  Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg,
  deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and
  established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
  wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
  finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
  People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
  constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
  elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
  Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
  demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
  objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
  surrender sensitive territory.

Geography Ethiopia

Location:
  Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,127,127 sq km
  water: 7,444 sq km
  land: 1,119,683 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,328 km
  border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
  Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:
  high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift
  Valley

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
  highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Natural resources:
  small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.9% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 89.45% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,
  volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the
  de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the
  chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk
  (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to
  have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People Ethiopia

Population:
  66,557,553
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 14,944,168; female 14,871,164)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 17,474,403; female 17,384,817)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 840,057; female 1,042,944) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.3 years
  female: 17.4 years (2002)
  male: 17.3 years

Population growth rate:
  1.96% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  20.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
  war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
  years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
  the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
  their homes (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 103.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 92.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 113.48 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 41.24 years
  male: 40.39 years
  female: 42.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  160,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ethiopian(s)
  adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:
  Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali
  6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages:
  Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other
  local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.7%
  male: 50.3%
  female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ethiopia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
  conventional short form: Ethiopia
  local short form: Ityop'iya
  former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
  local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
  abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions:
  9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2
  self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
  astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
  Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
  Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
  Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
  Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:
  oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the
  world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday:
  National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:
  ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:
  currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
  1995)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
  constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of People's Representatives
  elections: president elected by the House of People's
  Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
  2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by
  the party in power following legislative elections
  election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
  vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper
  chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve
  five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower
  chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations
  necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
  voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177,
  ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
  ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
  political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed

Judicial branch:
  Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the
  Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
  federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
  Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
  Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Amhara National
  Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji People's
  Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul Gumuz
  People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA]; Ethiopian
  People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an
  alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's
  Revolutionary Democratic Front or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage
  Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka
  People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata,
  Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo People's Democratic
  Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic
  Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Omo People's Democratic
  Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or
  TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's
  Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small
  parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader NA];
  Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or
  CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic
  Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
  ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a
  yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles
  between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;
  Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three
  main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African
  countries upon independence that they became known as the
  pan-African colors

Economy Ethiopia

Economy - overview:
  Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which
  accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80% of total
  employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought
  and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian
  economy with exports of some $270 million in 2000/01, but
  historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to
  supplement their income. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000 and
  recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee
  production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from
  the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under
  Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and
  provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to
  hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable
  to use land as collateral for loans. Strong growth in 2002 resulted
  from good rainfall early in the year, the cessation of hostilities,
  and renewed foreign aid and debt relief. But drought struck again
  late in 2002, and the World Food Program (WFP) estimates 14 million
  Ethiopians need food immediately to survive into 2003. The
  government estimates than annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce
  poverty, yet the maintenance of 5% in 2003 will be quite difficult
  (one estimate is for 1.5% growth).

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $48.53 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 52% industry: 11% services: 37% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%,
  industry and construction 8% (1985)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $600
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing,
  cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.713 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% other: 1.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.594 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  214,000 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  12.46 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides, cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $433 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:
  UK 16.2%, Djibouti 10.9%, Germany 7.6%, Italy 7.2%, Japan 6.7%,
  Saudi Arabia 6.5%, US 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.63 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 28.7%, China 6%, Italy 5.9%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.1%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $308 million (FY00/01)

Currency:
  birr (ETB)

Currency code:
  ETB

Exchange rates:
  birr per US dollar - NA (2002), 8.46 (2001), 8.22 (2000), 7.94
  (1999), 7.12 (1998)
  note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
  basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Fiscal year:
  8 July - 7 July

Communications Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  231,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,800 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay system;
  adequate for government use
  domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
  the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
  the national trunk service
  international: open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio
  relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  15.2 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Televisions:
  682,000 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .et

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Ethiopia

Railways:
  total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
  railroad)
  narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Highways: total: 31,571 km paved: 3,789 km unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea
  using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with
  Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly
  all of its imports

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
  on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  83 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 21 (2002)

Military Ethiopia

Military branches:
  Ethiopian National Defense Force (Ground Forces, Air Force,
  militia, police)
  note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
  secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
  Eritrean possession

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 15,388,318 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 8,040,381 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 714,165 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $800 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  12.6% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Ethiopia

Disputes - international:
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent boundary
  commission delimitation decision, but demarcation, scheduled to
  begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays and Ethiopian
  concerns that the decision ignored "human geography" and awarded
  Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea, demarcation of
  the boundary has been postponed indefinately; Ethiopia maintains
  only an administrative line and no international border with the
  Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local
  clans in opposition to the Transitional National Government in
  Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities and
  trade ties to land-locked Ethiopia; efforts to demarcate the porous
  boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil war there

Illicit drugs:
  transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia
  and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine
  destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for
  local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia
  (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed
  financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Europa Island

Introduction Europa Island

Background:
  A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is
  the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.

Geography Europa Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
  of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  22 20 S, 40 22 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 28 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 28 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  22.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 24 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  wildlife sanctuary

People Europa Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Government Europa Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Europa Island
  local short form: Ile Europa
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
  Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Europa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Europa Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Europa Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Europa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Europa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:
  Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first
  landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in
  1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until
  1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the
  islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first
  between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The
  UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval
  garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April
  1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed
  seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine
  surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:
  Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
  of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
  51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 12,173 sq km
  note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and
  about 200 small islands
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 12,173 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,288 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on
  more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches
  in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and
  February, but does not accumulate

Terrain:
  rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:
  overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were
  introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is
  the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the
  Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:
  deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing
  season

People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population: 2,967 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate:
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:
  British

Religions:
  primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist
  Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
  English

Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Stanley

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:
  3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system:
  English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch
  head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
  Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
  Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
  cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
  Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
  secretary), and the governor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected
  by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by
  the governor
  elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8;
  note - 71% voter turnout

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court
  (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions);
  Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ICFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the
  major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew
  discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the
  motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:
  The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep
  farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic
  activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
  foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing
  zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which
  goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system.
  Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports
  domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature
  shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage
  stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for
  defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil
  exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic
  surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000
  barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An
  agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse
  licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign
  interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially
  eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in
  2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the
  government has in the bank. The British military presence also
  provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (1998)

Labor force:
  1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  full employment; labor shortage

Budget:
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Industries:
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  16.33 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  15.19 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Exports:
  $7.6 million (1995)

Exports - commodities:
  wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:
  Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $24.7 million (1995)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:
  UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code:
  FKP

Exchange rates:
  Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66
  (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998); note - the Falkland pound is at par
  with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
  radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
  points on both islands
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
  with links through London to other countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA; however one-half of all households are reported to have
  internet access (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Stanley
  note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known
  locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the
  facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300
  meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after
  1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:
  British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military
  forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police
  Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international: claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background:
  The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from
  Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have
  been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high
  degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location:
  Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to
  Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 1,399 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
  land: 1,399 sq km

Area - comparative:
  eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,117 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:
  rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and
  a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea
  lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits
  habitation to small coastal lowlands

People Faroe Islands

Population:
  46,345 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22% (male 5,103; female 5,077)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 15,822; female 14,002)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,842; female 3,499) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.1 years
  male: 34.5 years
  female: 35.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.7% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.9 years
  male: 75.44 years
  female: 82.36 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:
  Scandinavian

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
  Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Faroe Islands
  local short form: Foroyar
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Torshavn

Administrative divisions:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 49 municipalities

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:
  Olaifest, 29 July

Constitution:
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
  Danish

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
  1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief
  administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
  election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent
  of parliamentary vote - 52.8%
  note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule
  Party, and Center Party
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
  30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven
  constituencies to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%,
  Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8%
  Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union
  Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7,
  Home Rule Party 1, Center Party 1
  note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
  20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican
  Party 1, Union Party 1
  elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than
  April 2006)

Judicial branch:
  none

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a
  NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party
  [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
  Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  IMO (associate), NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
  white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of
  the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:
  The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly
  as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export
  prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor
  shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has
  helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget
  surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most
  of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing
  makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present
  fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of
  fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give
  hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may
  eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus
  lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a
  substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese
  have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
  Scandinavians.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 11%
  services: 62% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.1% (1999)

Labor force:
  24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Unemployment rate:
  1% (October 2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $488 million
  expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
  million (1999)

Industries:
  fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  160.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  149.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Exports:
  $418 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Denmark 39.9%, UK 32.1%, Norway 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $469 million c.i.f. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw
  materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Denmark 53.8%, Norway 24.2%, Iceland 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $55 million (annual subsidy from Denmark)

Currency:
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08
  (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  24,851 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  10,761 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good international communications; good
  domestic facilities
  domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
  and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic
  submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands
  with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to
  Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  15,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,000 (2000)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1,
  roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast
  Guard are maintained

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:
  Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark
  dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line
  boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and
  Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside
  200 NM

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Fiji

Introduction Fiji

Background:
  Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
  British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
  coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
  dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
  brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
  constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
  heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
  difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
  Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
  Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
  an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
  of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
  provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
  mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Geography Fiji

Location:
  Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
  of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 18,270 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 18,270 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,129 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:
  tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population:
  868,531 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32% (male 141,979; female 136,378)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 278,759; female 278,150)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 15,329; female 17,936) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.7 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 24.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.41% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.88 years
  male: 66.43 years
  female: 71.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Fijian(s)
  adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:
  Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
  Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
  other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions:
  Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim
  8%, other 2%
  note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
  a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages:
  English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
  conventional short form: Fiji

Government type:
  republic
  note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
  declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital:
  Suva

Administrative divisions:
  4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
  Western

Independence:
  10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:
  promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to allow
  nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty
  government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the
  May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and
  introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first
  time at the national level

Legal system:
  based on British system

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since NA
  2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
  September 2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
  is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
  of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
  of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
  elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
  five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
  by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed
  by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and
  one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of
  Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19
  reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups,
  one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the
  whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
  September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
  September 2006)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - FLP 34.8%, SDL 26%, NFP 10.1%, MV 9.9%, independents 2.7%,
  other 16.5%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
  Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
  Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
  Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
  Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
  Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
  FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
  Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
  BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
  Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
  Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
  or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
  National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
  Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
  National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
  [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
  SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
  BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anare JALE FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320 chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
  embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
  mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
  telephone: [679] 331-4466
  FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
  and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
  shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the
  cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,
  bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview:
  Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of
  the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
  with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
  industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
  sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
  industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment,
  uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to
  manage its budget.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.822 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 25% services: 58% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25.5% (1990-91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.6% (1999)

Budget:
  revenues: $427.9 million
  expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
  cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  520.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.5% hydro: 81.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  483.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Exports:
  $442 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
  US 25.1%, Australia 19.5%, UK 10.6%, Japan 6.3%, Samoa 5.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $642 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
  products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 37.3%, New Zealand 17.2%, Singapore 16.1%, Japan 4.2%,
  China 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $135.9 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $40.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:
  FJD

Exchange rates:
  Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.19 (2002), 2.28 (2001), 2.13
  (2000), 1.97 (1999), 1.99 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:
  80,901 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,200 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international
  (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
  telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
  center
  domestic: NA
  international: access to important cable links between US and Canada
  as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .fj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Fiji

Railways:
  total: 597 km
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
  note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
  to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to September) (2002)

Highways: total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Ports and harbors:
  Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Singapore 4 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
  27 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Military Fiji

Military branches:
  Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), includes ground forces,
  naval division

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 235,546 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 129,432 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 9,359 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $39.21 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:
  Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the
  12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia
  after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917. During
  World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and
  resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
  territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
  remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
  diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
  par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
  was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
  in January 1999.

Geography Finland

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
  Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 337,030 sq km
  water: 31,560 sq km
  land: 305,470 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 2,628 km border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline:
  1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary
  with Sweden
  territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)

Climate:
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild
  because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
  Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low
  hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Halti 1,328 m

Natural resources:
  timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Land use: arable land: 6.98% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 93.01% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  640 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to
  acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural
  chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
  capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
  southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population:
  5,190,785 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 468,077; female 450,785)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,753,760; female 1,719,253)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 312,883; female 486,027) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.3 years
  male: 38.8 years
  female: 41.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.92 years
  male: 74.28 years
  female: 81.68 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Finn(s)
  adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:
  Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%

Languages:
  Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and
  Russian-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Finland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Finland
  conventional short form: Finland
  local short form: Suomi
  local long form: Suomen Tasavalta

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Helsinki

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani,
  Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence:
  6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:
  1 March 2000

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request
  legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
  2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April
  2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned
  cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
  president, responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
  held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed from the majority party by the president after
  parliamentary elections
  note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP
  election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
  Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
  Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
  Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
  [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left
  Alliance or VAS (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League
  and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
  (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party
  or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik
  ENESTAM]

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
  chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
  embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
  mailing address: APO AE 09723
  telephone: [358] (9) 616250
  FAX: [358] (9) 174681

Flag description:
  white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the
  vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style
  of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:
  Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy,
  with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and
  Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the
  wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics
  industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling almost
  one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland
  depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for
  manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development
  is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products.
  Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary
  occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration
  with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining
  the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 1999 -
  will dominate the economic picture over the next several years.
  Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up
  in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 34%
  services: 62% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.6 (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%

Unemployment rate:
  8.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $36.1 billion
  expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper
  refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  71.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% other: 11.8% (2001) nuclear: 30.4%

Electricity - consumption:
  76.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  11.77 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Exports:
  $40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
  (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%,
  Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
  equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
  grains (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%,
  Denmark 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $379 million (2001)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,847,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,728,600 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system with excellent service
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular
  net provide domestic needs
  international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access
  to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth
  station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
  Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
  countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
  3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2002)

Internet users:
  2.69 million (2002)

Transportation Finland

Railways: total: 5,850 km broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 77,943 km
  paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 27,688 km (2001)

Waterways: 6,675 km note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships

Pipelines:
  gas 694 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma,
  Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

Merchant marine:
  total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 24, chemical tanker 5, container 1,
  passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea
  passenger 9
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  150 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 74 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 76 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 72 (2002)

Military Finland

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,230,934 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 31,926 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@France

Introduction France

Background:
  Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
  suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
  as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
  most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
  nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
  resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
  democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
  with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
  Europe, including the introduction of the euro in January 2002. At
  present, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to
  exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a
  more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.

Geography France

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
  between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 547,030 sq km
  land: 545,630 sq km
  note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
  administrative divisions
  water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,889 km
  border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
  Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
  Switzerland 573 km

Coastline:
  3,427 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

Climate:
  generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
  summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
  north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain:
  mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
  remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 33.3% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 64.59% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
  in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues: some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  largest West European nation

People France

Population:
  60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991)
  15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850)
  65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.3 years male: 36.8 years female: 39.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.28 years
  male: 75.63 years
  female: 83.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  800 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
  Basque minorities

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
  unaffiliated 4%

Languages:
  French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
  (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1980 est.)

Government France

Country name:
  conventional long form: French Republic
  conventional short form: France
  local long form: Republique Francaise
  local short form: France

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Paris

Administrative divisions:
  22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
  Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
  Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
  Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
  Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
  Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
  note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
  "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
  into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
  departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
  overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
  Miquelon)

Dependent areas:
  Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
  Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
  Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
  Futuna
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in
  1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
  Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to
  tighten immigration laws 1993

Legal system:
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
  but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May
  2002)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April
  and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second
  round NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
  Assembly majority and appointed by the president
  election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
  vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
  (FN) 18.04%
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  suggestion of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
  (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
  departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
  members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
  nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the
  National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to
  serve five-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66;
  National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
  elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
  to be held NA June 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
  by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
  Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
  members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
  of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
  the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
  Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD and PRG)
  [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET];
  Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS
  and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal
  Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR; now merged into
  the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
  VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the
  Republic or RPR (merged into UMP) [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party
  or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Martine BILLARD, Denis BAUPIN,
  Stephane POCRAIN, Maryse ARDITI]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
  (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP, and other parties) [Francois
  BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and
  a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
  Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
  left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
  Travail) or CFDT, approximately 865,000 members (claimed, of which
  810,000 are actively employed); independent labor union
  (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000
  members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation
  Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers'
  union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000
  companies as members (claimed)

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB
  (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH,
  MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,
  UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
  chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
  embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
  mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
  telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
  FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
  consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;
  known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or colors
  are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium,
  Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the
  official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview:
  France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern
  economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
  intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
  Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many
  large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains controlling
  stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France
  Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors,
  particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The
  telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition.
  France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they
  maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social
  spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets
  on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered
  income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. At the end
  of 2002 the government was focusing on the problems of the high cost
  of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour
  workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government was also
  pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative
  procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The
  current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed
  the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment
  remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, high
  debt, and the steep cost of capital.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.558 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 26% services: 71% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 6.4% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  26.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $286 billion
  expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
  billion (2002 est.)

Industries:
  machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
  electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  520.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% other: 0.7% (2001) nuclear: 77.1%

Electricity - consumption:
  415.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  72.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  4.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  409,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  144.3 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  12.86 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

Exports: $307.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:
  Germany 15%, UK 9.8%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.9%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $303.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Germany 19.4%, Belgium 9.2%, Italy 8.8%, UK 7.3%, Netherlands 7%,
  US 6.8%, Spain 6.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  NA (1998)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:
  34.86 million (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11.078 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
  introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of
  5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone
  communications with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes
  many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  62 (2000)

Internet users:
  16.97 million (2002)

Transportation France

Railways:
  total: 32,682 km
  standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 894,000 km
  paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

Pipelines:
  gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le
  Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint
  Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Merchant marine:
  total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4,
  passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea
  passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden
  9 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  477 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 273 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 80 under 914 m: 57 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 204 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 128 (2002)

Heliports: 3 (2002)

Military France

Military branches:
  Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force
  (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 14,523,208 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 392,824 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $46.5 billion (2000)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.57% (2002)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international:
  Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims
  Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French
  Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and
  Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,
  Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@French Guiana

Introduction French Guiana

Background:
  First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of
  notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency
  launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 91,000 sq km
  water: 1,850 sq km
  land: 89,150 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0.11% NEGL
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of
  the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population:
  186,917 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 29.2 years
  female: 27.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.4% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.69 years
  male: 73.36 years
  female: 80.18 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
  adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups:
  black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
  12%, other 10%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83%
  male: 84%
  female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Guiana
  conventional short form: French Guiana
  local short form: Guyane
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Cayenne

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
  Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
  head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
  HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
  Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
  other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
  various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
  Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
  independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, Walwari Committee 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in
  Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
  Guiana)

Political parties and leaders:
  Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese
  Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic
  Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or
  PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland
  HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari
  Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview:
  The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through
  subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou
  (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most
  important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the
  country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully
  exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn
  logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal
  area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc
  are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports
  of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly
  among younger workers.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate:
  22% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Industries:
  construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  455 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  423.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports:
  $155 million f.o.b.

Exports - commodities:
  shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners:
  France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

Imports:
  $625 million c.i.f.

Imports - commodities:
  food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,
  fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code:
  EUR; FRF

Exchange rates:
  Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)

Radios:
  104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  30,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation French Guiana

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
  total: 722 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1996)

Waterways:
  3,300 km navigable by native craft
  note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
  river steamers

Ports and harbors:
  Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  11 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military French Guiana

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international:
  Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini
  (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Illicit drugs:
  small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor
  transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background:
  The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th
  century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by
  resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year
  moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location:
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of
  the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
  water: 507 sq km
  land: 3,660 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,525 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical, but moderate

Terrain:
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in
  French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in
  the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati
  and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population:
  262,125 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.7 years
  male: 27.1 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.62% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.45 years
  male: 73.08 years
  female: 77.93 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:
  French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 14 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
  conventional short form: French Polynesia
  local short form: Polynesie Francaise
  local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
  former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Papeete

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel
  des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
  note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
  Polynesia

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  based on French system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel
  MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
  French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of
  the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
  of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
  ministers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
  are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats
  - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006)
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998
  (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the
  French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for
  the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or
  Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or
  Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:
  Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
  Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
  VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR
  (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
  [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered
  on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the
  lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a
  stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the
  French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview:
  Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,
  French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy
  to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either
  employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the
  halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to
  the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of
  GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources
  of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The
  small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural
  products. The territory benefits substantially from development
  agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses
  and strengthening social services.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 18%
  services: 76% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5%

Labor force:
  70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
  11.8% (1994)

Budget:
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
  million (1996)

Industries:
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  428.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 60.7%
  hydro: 39.3%
  other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001)
  nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee

Exports: $260 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities: cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners:
  France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $367 million (1997)

Currency:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
  euro in 2003

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41
  (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)
  note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,427 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  16,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1,
  roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including
  Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:
  The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and
  Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile
  Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited
  only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion
  consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent
  discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:
  southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about
  equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
  Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
  Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along
  with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US
  does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:
  43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 7,829 sq km
  note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
  Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
  Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 7,829 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,232 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in
  the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)
  note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
  winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2003 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and
  Antarctic Lands
  conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
  Francaises
  local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by
  Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000),
  assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles
  Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica
  that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and
  geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.
  The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are
  exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code: .tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
  total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,596,194 GRT/5,924,475 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 4, chemical tanker 14, container 15,
  liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off
  11, vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 2, France 62, Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5,
  Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international:
  "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
  Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in
  1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in
  the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral
  process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small
  population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign
  support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
  African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
  between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 267,667 sq km
  water: 10,000 sq km
  land: 257,667 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,551 km
  border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
  Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:
  885 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon
  become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
  circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
  pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population:
  1,321,560
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 280,218; female 278,808)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 352,363; female 355,315)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 22,786; female 32,070) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 18.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.54% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 57.12 years
  male: 55.45 years
  female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  23,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups:
  Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou,
  Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including
  10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions:
  Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:
  French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 63.2%
  male: 73.7%
  female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
  conventional short form: Gabon
  local short form: Gabon
  local long form: Republique Gabonaise

Government type:
  republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
  legalized in 1990)

Capital:
  Libreville

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
  Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:
  17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
  adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
  (since 23 January 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
  vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul
  M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members
  elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
  assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
  (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
  and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP
  1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
  CLR 1, independents 9

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
  Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];
  Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge
  DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party
  [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP
  [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally
  for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's
  Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and
  Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
  [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
  consulate(s): New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
  chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
  embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
  mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
  telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
  FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview:
  Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of
  sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme
  poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of
  the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese
  until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector
  now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating
  prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the
  abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the
  economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12
  January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate
  dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby
  arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility
  (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by
  credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate
  progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided
  additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF
  targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized
  the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing
  from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for
  privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices
  in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon
  from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed
  a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt.
  A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in
  December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world
  economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 60%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  600,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, services 25%, industry 15%

Unemployment rate:
  21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
  chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
  plywood; cement.

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  798.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  742.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.45 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  66.47 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Exports:
  $2.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:
  US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
  materials

Imports - partners:
  France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $331 million (1995)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  39,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  120,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
  improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
  domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
  domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ga

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  18,000 (2002)

Transportation Gabon

Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  1,600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines:
  gas 210 km; oil 1,426 km; water 3 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,
  Port-Gentil

Airports:
  57 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Military Gabon

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged
  with protecting the president and other senior officials), National
  Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 12,853 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $81.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international:
  creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
  with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over small islets on
  Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background:
  The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a
  short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and
  1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation
  treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned
  political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential
  elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a
  nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round
  of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early
  2002.

Geography Gambia, The

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 11,300 sq km
  land: 10,000 sq km
  water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
  (November to May)

Terrain:
  flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 19.5% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
  Africa

People Gambia, The

Population:
  1,501,050 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.9% (male 338,497; female 335,503)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 390,150; female 396,763)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 20,836; female 19,301) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17.3 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 81.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 54.38 years
  male: 52.39 years
  female: 56.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  8,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Gambian(s)
  adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli
  9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
  English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
  vernaculars

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.1%
  male: 47.8%
  female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
  conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Banjul

Administrative divisions:
  5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North
  Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:
  18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:
  24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by
  national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in January 1997

Legal system:
  based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and
  customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
  1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice
  President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
  October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October
  2001 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,
  five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC
  [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's
  Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou
  DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National
  Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic
  Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]
  note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
  the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
  since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Lena Manga
  Sagnia SECK
  chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
  embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
  mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
  telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
  FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
  and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview:
  The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and
  has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends
  on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing
  activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides.
  Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic
  activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan,
  and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of
  the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998
  seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest
  purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons
  have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism
  in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment
  rates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly
  dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on
  responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF
  technical help and advice, and on expected growth in the
  construction sector.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.582 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 33%
  industry: 13%
  services: 54% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  400,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $90.5 million
  expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
  million (2001 est.)

Industries:
  processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
  agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  85.33 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  79.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $138 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:
  France 21.9%, UK 19.1%, Malaysia 11.8%, Italy 11.1%, Germany 7.3%,
  Belgium 6.3%, South Africa 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $225 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  China 21.8%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 7.8%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 5.4%,
  India 4.9%, Belgium 4.5%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $476 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $45.4 million (1995)

Currency:
  dalasi (GMD)

Currency code:
  GMD

Exchange rates:
  dalasi per US dollar - NA (2002), 15.69 (2001), 12.79 (2000), 11.4
  (1999), 10.64 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
  31,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,624 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is
  available
  domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
  international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and
  Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions:
  5,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .gm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2001)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2001)

Transportation Gambia, The

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Waterways:
  400 km

Ports and harbors:
  Banjul

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches:
  Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit), National
  Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 338,800 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 170,904 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.2 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background:
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
  Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
  provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
  Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
  Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
  responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
  Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
  the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
  Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
  and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
  Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
  areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
  Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
  Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
  Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
  Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
  during the transitional period for external and internal security
  and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
  negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
  had begun in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but have been
  derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
  resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
  Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
  Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent
  agreement.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Israel

Geographic coordinates:
  31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:
  40 km

Maritime claims:
  Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
  Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
  determined through further negotiation

Climate:
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, natural gas

Land use:
  arable land: 26.32%
  permanent crops: 39.47%
  other: 34.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts

Environment - current issues:
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;
  water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination
  of underground water resources

Geography - note:
  there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
  Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population:
  1,274,868 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
  Gaza Strip (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 49.4% (male 322,658; female 307,026)
  15-64 years: 47.9% (male 310,910; female 299,724)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,645; female 19,905) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 15.3 years
  male: 15.1 years
  female: 15.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.89% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 25.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.4 years
  male: 70.13 years
  female: 72.73 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions:
  Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages:
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
  English (widely understood)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:
  Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the responsibility of the
  Palestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994 -
  declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. The downturn was
  largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of
  generalized border closures in response to security incidents in
  Israel - which disrupted previously established labor and commodity
  market relationships between Israel and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza
  Strip). The most serious negative social effect of this downturn was
  the emergence of high unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during
  the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%.
  Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few
  years and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the
  impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of
  Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost
  three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
  real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in
  the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggering
  tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe
  disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more
  severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority
  areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and
  administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp
  drop in GDP. Another major loss has been the decline in income
  earned by Palestinian workers in Israel. International aid of $2
  billion in 2001-02 to the Gaza Strip and West Bank have prevented
  the complete collapse of the economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $735 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -15% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  50% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $930 million
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (includes West Bank) (2000 est.)

Industries:
  generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,
  olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
  have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial
  center

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports:
  $603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank

Exports - commodities:
  citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports:
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank

Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external:
  $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Currency:
  new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code:
  ILS

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001),
  4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use:
  95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
  system
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)

Televisions:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (1999)

Internet users:
  60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Railways:
  total: NA km; note - one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little
  trackage remains (2001 est.)

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Gaza

Airports:
  2 (2001)
  note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
  November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
  Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
  been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
  runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
  (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches:
  in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority
  is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, a
  Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Georgia

Introduction Georgia

Background:
  Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century.
  Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian
  revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the
  Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and
  South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny the
  government effective control over the entirety of the state's
  internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems, some
  progress on market reforms and democratization has been made. An
  attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in
  November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the
  resignation of President Eduard SHEVARDNADZE.

Geography Georgia

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and
  Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 69,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 69,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,461 km
  border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
  Turkey 252 km

Coastline:
  310 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:
  largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and
  Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida
  Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in
  the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of
  Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:
  forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor
  coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important
  tea and citrus growth

Land use:
  arable land: 11.21%
  permanent crops: 4.09%
  other: 84.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari
  River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil
  pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much
  of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population:
  4,934,413 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 466,743; female 449,440)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,628,757; female 1,744,922)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 252,031; female 392,520) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.8 years
  male: 32.6 years
  female: 37 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.52% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 51.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 56.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.76 years
  male: 61.33 years
  female: 68.36 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Georgian(s)
  adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:
  Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian
  3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Religions:
  Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian
  Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Languages:
  Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
  note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 100%
  female: 98% (1999 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Georgia
  local short form: Sak'art'velo
  former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: none

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  T'bilisi

Administrative divisions:
  9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi,
  singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy
  respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is
  Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri
  Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti,
  K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*,
  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo
  Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*,
  Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi*
  note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
  shown in parentheses

Independence:
  9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of
  independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
  independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president since
  23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed the
  presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president
  since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed
  the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
  election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%; note - following the resignation
  of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Nino BURJANADZE became acting president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 4 January 2004 to
  replace Eduard SHEVARDNADZE)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or
  Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party (from earlier 1999
  elections) - CUG 41.7%, AGUR 25.2%, IWSG 7.1%, all other parties
  received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 64, IWSG
  15, Labor 2, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents
  12
  elections: last held 2 November 2003 but results were invalidated
  (next to be held spring 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
  president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Avtandil JORBENADZE]; Georgian
  People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or
  UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE];
  Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party
  [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina
  SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI];
  New Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David
  BERDZENISHVILI]; "Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE];
  Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki
  ASATIANI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile;
  separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
  supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

International organization participation:
  BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
  chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
  20009
  FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
  embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
  mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
  telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
  FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Flag description:
  maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner;
  rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview:
  Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of
  agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
  grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
  industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
  metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
  its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
  sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
  damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
  the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
  gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
  inflation. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited
  resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia
  also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
  distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making
  the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for
  long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and
  trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil
  pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring
  much-needed investment and job opportunities.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $16.05 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 25% services: 55% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $499 million
  expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining
  (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  850 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, grapes, tea, hazlenuts, vegetables; livestock

Exports:
  $515 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits,
  tea, wine

Exports - partners:
  Turkey 23%, Italy 12.1%, Russia 11.4%, Greece 8.5%, Netherlands
  7.5%, Spain 5.9%, Turkmenistan 4.7%, Ukraine 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $750 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other
  foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  Turkey 15.6%, Azerbaijan 11.2%, US 9.9%, Russia 9.1%, Germany 7.2%,
  Italy 5.1%, Bulgaria 4.9%, Romania 4.3%, France 4.2%, Ukraine 4.1%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.7 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  lari (GEL)

Currency code:
  GEL

Exchange rates:
  lari per US dollar - 2.2 (2002), 2.07 (2001), 1.98 (2000), 2.02
  (1999), 1.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  620,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  185,500 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
  networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
  telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
  include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
  nationwide pager service is available
  international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line
  between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is
  available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow
  switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ge

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Georgia

Railways:
  total: 1,612 km
  broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 20,362 km
  paved: 19,038 km
  unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 1,495 km; oil 1,029 km; refined products 232 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine:
  total: 116 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 483,028 GRT/713,461 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 72, chemical tanker 1, container 11,
  petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2,
  specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4,
  Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1,
  Panama 9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 5, Turkey 2,
  Ukraine 7, UAE 11, UK 1, US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  40 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 7 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 5

Transportation - note:
  transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic
  conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks
  maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (includes National Guard), combined Air and Air
  Defense Forces, Naval Forces, Republic Security and Police Forces
  (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,302,815 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 43,359 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.59% (FY00)

Military - note:
  a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the
  Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
  group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international:
  boundary with Russia has been largely delimited, but not demarcated
  with several small, strategic segments remaining in dispute and OSCE
  observers monitoring volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the
  Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; Meshkheti Turks
  scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to
  Georgia; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek
  greater autonomy, closer ties with Armenia

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
  Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Germany

Introduction Germany

Background:
  As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany
  remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and
  defense organizations. European power struggles immersed the country
  in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century
  and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the
  US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the
  Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal
  Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic
  (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic
  and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,
  while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led
  Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War
  allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has
  expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages
  up to western standards. In January 2002, Germany and 11 other EU
  countries introduced a common European currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location:
  Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between
  the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:
  51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 357,021 sq km
  water: 7,798 sq km
  land: 349,223 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,621 km
  border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
  km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
  km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:
  2,389 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
  occasional warm foehn wind

Terrain:
  lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
  highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural
  gas, salt, nickel, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.88% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 65.47% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to
  air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions,
  is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and
  industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste
  disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of
  nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU
  commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the
  EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance
  to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population:
  82,398,326 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.9% (male 6,312,614; female 5,988,681)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 28,213,316; female 27,240,648)
  65 years and over: 17.8% (male 5,842,457; female 8,800,610) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 41.3 years male: 39.9 years female: 42.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.04% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.42 years
  male: 75.46 years
  female: 81.55 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  41,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  660 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: German(s)
  adjective: German

Ethnic groups:
  German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of
  Serbo-Croatian, Italian, Russian, Greek, Polish, Spanish)

Religions:
  Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or
  other 28.3%

Languages:
  German

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1977 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Germany

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
  conventional short form: Germany
  local short form: Deutschland
  former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
  local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Berlin

Administrative divisions:
  16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern,
  Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
  Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
  Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen

Independence:
  18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four
  zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
  following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
  Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
  French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
  proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
  unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
  1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:
  Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:
  23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united
  German people 3 October 1990

Legal system:
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Johannes RAU (since 1 July 1999)
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
  Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
  equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
  last held 23 May 1999 (next to be held 23 May 2004); chancellor
  elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
  four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
  held NA September 2006)
  head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
  the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
  election results: Johannes RAU elected president; percent of Federal
  Convention vote - 57.6%; Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor;
  percent of Federal Assembly vote 50.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or parlament consists of the Federal Assembly
  or Bundestag (603 seats; elected by popular vote under a system
  combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win
  5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
  representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
  represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
  and are required to vote as a block)
  elections: Federal Assembly - last held 22 September 2002 (next to
  be held NA September 2006); note - there are no elections for the
  Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
  state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
  potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
  election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD
  38.5%, CDU/CSU 38.5%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.6%, FDP 7.4%, PDS 4%;
  seats by party - SPD 251, CDU/CSU 248, Alliance '90/Greens 55, FDP
  47, PDS 2; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Judicial branch:
  Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the
  judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
  Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
  Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
  FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or
  PDS [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Gerhard
  SCHROEDER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  employers' organizations; expellee, refugee, trade unions, and
  veterans groups

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
  CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7,
  G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU,
  WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140 chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (30) 238-5174 FAX: [49] (30) 238-6290 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview:
  Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy has turned
  in a weak performance throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s.
  The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy
  continues to be a costly long-term problem, with annual transfers
  from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's ageing
  population, combined with high unemployment, has pushed social
  security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from workers.
  Structural rigidities in the labor market - including strict
  regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on a
  national basis - have made unemployment a chronic problem. Growth in
  2002 and 2003 fell short of 1%. Corporate restructuring and growing
  capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany
  to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration
  and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are
  further addressed. In the short run, however, the fall in government
  revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised the deficit above
  the EU's 3% debt limit.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.16 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 31%
  services: 68% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  30 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  41.9 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 33.4%, agriculture 2.8%, services 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $802 billion
  expenditures: $825 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
  producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
  vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
  shipbuilding; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  544.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% other: 4.1% (2001) nuclear: 29.9%

Electricity - consumption:
  506.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  43.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  44 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  85,860 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.813 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  404,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  3.081 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  327.3 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  22.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  94.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  6.674 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  78.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  298.3 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports: $608 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
  France 10.7%, US 10.3%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.3%, Netherlands 6.1%,
  Austria 5.1%, Belgium 4.8%, Spain 4.6%, Switzerland 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $487.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:
  France 9.5%, Netherlands 8.2%, US 7.7%, UK 6.5%, Italy 6.4%,
  Belgium 5.2%, Austria 4%, China 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999), 1.76 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:
  50.9 million (March 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  55.3 million (June 2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
  technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
  intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
  backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
  World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
  western part
  domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
  telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
  cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
  satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
  expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
  countries
  international: Germany's international service is excellent
  worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
  facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
  EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:
  .de

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  200 (2001)

Internet users:
  32.1 million (2002)

Transportation Germany

Railways:
  total: 45,514 km (21,000 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 45,276 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
  0.750-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 230,735 km
  paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  7,500 km
  note: major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an
  important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea (1999)

Pipelines:
  condensate 325 km; gas 25,289 km; oil 3,743 km; refined products
  3,827 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden,
  Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
  Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Merchant marine:
  total: 337 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,036,397 GRT/7,334,067 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 94, chemical tanker 15, container 203,
  liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 5, railcar carrier 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 7
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 1, Finland 5, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3,
  Switzerland 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  551 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 328 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 54 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 131 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 63

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 223 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 189 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Heliports: 40 (2002)

Military Germany

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Medical Corps,
  Joint Support Service

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 20,509,838 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 17,399,936 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 472,946 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $38.8 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.38% (2002)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background:
  Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and
  the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country
  in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups
  resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the
  banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring
  multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head
  of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996,
  but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in
  2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice
  President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.

Geography Ghana

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
  and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 239,460 sq km
  land: 230,940 sq km
  water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,094 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
  877 km

Coastline:
  539 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and
  humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:
  mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:
  gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
  rubber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 15.82% permanent crops: 7.47% other: 76.71% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
  March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population:
  20,467,747
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454)
  15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.5 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.45% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.84 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 53.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 56.53 years
  male: 55.66 years
  female: 57.43 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  360,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  28,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ghanaian(s)
  adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:
  black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%,
  Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%

Languages:
  English (official), African languages (including Akan,
  Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  female: 67.1% (2003 est.)
  male: 82.7%
  total population: 74.8%

People - note:
  there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
  Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Government Ghana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
  conventional short form: Ghana
  former: Gold Coast

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Accra

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
  Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:
  6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:
  approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
  to approval by Parliament
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28
  December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004)
  election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff
  election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct,
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
  secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
  chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
  National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
  Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
  New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
  Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
  People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
  People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
  [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
  chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
  embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
  mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
  telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
  FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a
  large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the
  popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of
  Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview:
  Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the
  per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so,
  Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
  technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
  sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
  revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of
  GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
  Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
  (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary
  and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
  social services.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $41.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  14.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.603 billion
  expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food
  processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  950 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.255 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  11.89 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Exports: $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
  diamonds

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 14.8%, UK 9.9%, US 7%, Germany 6.6%, France 5.8%,
  Nigeria 4.8%, Belgium 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Nigeria 21.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.6%, China 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, Cote
  d'Ivoire 6.1%, Germany 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $7.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $6.9 billion (1999)

Currency:
  cedi (GHC)

Currency code:
  GHC

Exchange rates:
  cedis per US dollar - NA (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000),
  2,669.3 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  240,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  150,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many
  rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
  underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
  been installed
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana
  to its neighbors

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
  12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  10 (2001)

Televisions:
  1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .gh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  12 (2000)

Internet users:
  200,000 (2002)

Transportation Ghana

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 39,409 km paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,293 km
  note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial
  navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km
  of arterial and feeder waterways

Pipelines:
  refined products 74 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,559 GRT/27,531 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1
  (2002 est.)
  ships by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6

Airports:
  12 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Ghana

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,240,557 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,911,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 239,742 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $36.01 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.6% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international:
  Ghana has received many refugees and returning nationals escaping
  rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
  lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
  US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a
  problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
  limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:
  Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by
  Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was
  formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and
  2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
  overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Geography Gibraltar

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links
  the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern
  coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:
  12 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:
  a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural
  rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking
  water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North
  Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:
  27,776 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 2,593; female 2,482)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,458; female 8,946)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 1,873; female 2,424) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.8 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 39 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.22% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.38 years
  male: 76.51 years
  female: 82.4 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Gibraltarian(s)
  adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:
  Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish
  2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Languages:
  English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
  Italian, Portuguese

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Gibraltar

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Gibraltar

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national
  referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:
  30 May 1969

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been
  residents six months or more

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS
  (since 27 May 2003)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor
  head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
  members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
  with the chief minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular
  vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
  seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats
  or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP
  [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
  Women's Association

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a
  three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging
  from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:
  Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore
  banking, and its position as an international conference center. The
  British military presence has been sharply reduced and now
  contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in
  1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in
  1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also
  generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and
  tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts
  for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major
  structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but
  changes in government spending still have a major impact on the
  level of employment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (1998)

Labor force:
  14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%

Unemployment rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $307 million
  expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  100 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  93 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  none

Exports:
  $81.1 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,
  other 8%

Exports - partners:
  UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%, Spain 6.1%,
  Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $492 million c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached,
  could receive 50 million euros from the EU

Currency:
  Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:
  GIP

Exchange rates:
  Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
  0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar
  pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,620 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and
  adequate international facilities
  domestic: automatic exchange facilities
  international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Gibraltar

Highways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  0 km

Ports and harbors:
  Gibraltar

Merchant marine:
  total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6,
  Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
  13, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy,
  Royal Air Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
  "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
  UK to change 300-year rule over colony

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Glorioso Islands

Introduction Glorioso Islands

Background:
  A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed
  of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys)
  and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and
  radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location:
  Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
  Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 5 sq km
  note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock,
  and South Rock
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  35.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Glorioso Islands
  local short form: Iles Glorieuses
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
  Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (possession of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:
  Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
  During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the
  20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
  territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. Following the
  defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A
  military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political
  liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven
  years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a
  parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the
  European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).

Geography Greece

Location:
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 131,940 sq km
  water: 1,140 sq km
  land: 130,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,228 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:
  13,676 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 6 NM

Climate:
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas
  or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 22.12% permanent crops: 8.47% other: 69.41% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
  Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach
  to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago
  of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:
  10,665,989 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.7% (male 811,080; female 761,728)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 3,578,320; female 3,557,800)
  65 years and over: 18.3% (male 866,425; female 1,090,636) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.8 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 41 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.19% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.89 years
  male: 76.32 years
  female: 81.65 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  8,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:
  Greek 98%, other 2%
  note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
  Greece

Religions:
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:
  Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.5%
  male: 98.6%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Greece

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Kingdom of Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type:
  parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
  1974

Capital:
  Athens

Administrative divisions:
  51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*;
  Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis,
  Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
  Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
  Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
  Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
  Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
  Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
  Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
  11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
  criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
  (since 10 March 1995)
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February
  2005); prime minister appointed by the president
  head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
  January 1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
  percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
  elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA
  May 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%,
  KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party -
  PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6;
  note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE
  11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
  appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
  judicial council

Political parties and leaders:
  Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos
  KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
  New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
  Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
  EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
  is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
  cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
  religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:
  Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
  accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
  leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
  make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
  Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP.
  The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4%
  since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point.
  Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public debt,
  inflation, and unemployment; and further restructuring of the
  economy, including privatizing several state enterprises,
  undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic
  inefficiencies. The Olympic Games will be held in Athens in mid-2004.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $203.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8.1%
  industry: 22.3%
  services: 69.3% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.7 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.37 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 20%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $45 billion
  expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal
  products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% other: 1.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  254.9 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
  chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 6.3%, Bulgaria 5.4%, US 5.3%, Cyprus
  4.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.4%, South Korea 6%, France
  5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, US 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $63.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $5.4 billion from EU

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 365.4 (2000),
  305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998)
  note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency
  within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to
  all transactions

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5.431 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  937,700 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
  mobile telephone and international service
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
  connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
  international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
  Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US
  Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:
  2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  27 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.4 million (2002)

Transportation Greece

Railways:
  total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
  dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
  system) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 117,000 km
  paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  80 km
  note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth
  Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the
  Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage
  from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also
  three unconnected rivers

Pipelines:
  gas 1,531 km; oil 108 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra,
  Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
  Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
  total: 813 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,173,608 GRT/51,184,723 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2,
  Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 289, cargo 59, chemical tanker 32, combination
  bulk 6, combination ore/oil 4, container 47, liquefied gas 7,
  passenger 14, petroleum tanker 281, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 49, specialized tanker 4,
  vehicle carrier 2

Airports:
  79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Heliports: 7 (2002)

Military Greece

Military branches:
  Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National
  Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,662,208 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 74,650 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.91% (FY99/00 est.)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:
  Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex
  maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
  Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav
  Republic of Macedonia over its name

Illicit drugs:
  a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin
  from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
  chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is
  consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and
  organized crime

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:
  The world's largest non-continental island, about 81% ice-capped,
  Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish
  parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark
  continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location:
  Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 2,166,086 sq km
  land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
  ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  44,087 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:
  flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
  mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:
  zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,
  fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
  traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
  sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but
  close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
  world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:
  56,385 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 31.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69 years
  male: 65.44 years
  female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:
  Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and
  others 12% (January 2000)

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
  Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Greenland
  local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions:
  3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
  (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
  note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
  note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but
  Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating
  to Greenland

National holiday:
  June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
  Danish

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
  1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA
  1995)
  note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
  election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
  2002)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
  (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
  by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
  leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
  (next to be held NA December 2006)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
  Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
  November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
  election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
  Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
  8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
  elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
  December 2006)

Judicial branch:
  High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
  or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:
  Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a
  conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark)
  [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit
  or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete
  independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT];
  Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit
  (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no
  official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social
  democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and
  greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
  slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
  red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview:
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and
  substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about
  half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly
  owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in
  the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals
  exploration activities, it will take several years before production
  can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term
  potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high
  costs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
  24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $646 million
  expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
  million (1999)

Industries:
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts,
  hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  245 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 100%
  note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil
  fuel to hydropower production (2001)
  hydro: 0%
  other: 0%
  nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Exports:
  $364 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners:
  Denmark 60.3%, Japan 15.5%, US 6%, Thailand 5%, Germany 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $403 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Denmark 74.6%, Norway 14.2%, Russia 2.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $380 million subsidy from Denmark

Currency:
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083
  (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,617 (yearend 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12,676 (yearend 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate domestic and international service
  provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally
  digitalized in 1995
  domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
  international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2
  Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three
  AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
  .gl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Greenland

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq,
  Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab),
  Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  14 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

Background:
  One of the smallest independent countries in the western
  hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
  October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
  those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
  ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
  were reinstituted the following year.

Geography Grenada

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
  north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 344 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 344 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  121 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
  volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 26.47% other: 67.65% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to
  November

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population:
  89,258 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.1% (male 15,840; female 15,492)
  15-64 years: 61.3% (male 28,941; female 25,735)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 1,502; female 1,748) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.5 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.08% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.52 years
  male: 62.74 years
  female: 66.31 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.45 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Grenadian(s)
  adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:
  black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian
  5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
  Saint George's

Administrative divisions:
  6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*,
  Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark,
  Saint Patrick

Independence:
  7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:
  19 December 1973

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
  1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10
  appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
  opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA
  November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch:
  West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge
  resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders:
  Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National
  Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National Party or
  NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to
  Grenada
  embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's
  mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
  telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
  FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description:
  a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and
  bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red
  border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars
  with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
  bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center
  of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
  triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
  after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
  divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:
  Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,
  especially since the construction of an international airport in
  1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,
  together with the development of an offshore financial industry,
  have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  32% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.5% (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $85.8 million
  expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
  million (1997)

Industries:
  food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,
  construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  138 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  128.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Exports:
  $78 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:
  Germany 14%, US 13.6%, Bangladesh 9.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, Saint
  Lucia 6.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $270 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:
  US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 27.3%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8.3 million (1995)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:
  27,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  976 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
  domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
  international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago
  and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,200 (2002)

Transportation Grenada

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Grenada

Military branches:
  Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for
  marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background:
  Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of
  Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is
  named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its
  northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 1,780 sq km
  note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
  including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
  Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
  Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
  water: 74 sq km
  land: 1,706 sq km

Area - comparative:
  10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain:
  Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
  Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
  islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 10.65% permanent crops: 4.14% other: 85.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active
  volcano

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into
  two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
  eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population:
  440,189 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 55,521; female 53,137)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 144,764; female 147,449)
  65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,443; female 22,875) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31 years
  male: 30.2 years
  female: 31.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.53 years
  male: 74.37 years
  female: 80.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Guadeloupian(s)
  adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups:
  black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
  than 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages:
  French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90%
  male: 90%
  female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
  conventional short form: Guadeloupe
  local short form: Guadeloupe
  local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 6 August 2002)
  election results: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
  (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette
  MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be
  held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held NA 2004)
  note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS
  1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
  Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS
  1, different right parties 1
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
  right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of
  vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG
  5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25,
  PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe,
  French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique
  LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally
  for the Republic or RPR (may have become UMP) [Lucette
  MICHAUX-CHEVRY]; Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Union for
  French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG;
  General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of
  Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or
  MPGI

International organization participation:
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview:
  The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
  industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
  subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
  from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
  islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
  other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
  earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
  are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
  dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
  features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
  are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
  Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 17%
  services: 68% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  27.8% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Industries:
  construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.155 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports:
  $140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners:
  France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Imports:
  $1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
  construction materials

Imports - partners:
  France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2%
  (1999)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies

Currency:
  euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code:
  EUR; FRF

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
  (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use:
  171,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and
  Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  118,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2000)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Railways:
  NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: total: 2,467 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1998)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
  ships by type: passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background:
  Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese
  in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military
  installation on the island is one of the most strategically
  important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location:
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
  the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 549 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 549 sq km

Area - comparative:
  three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  125.5 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast
  trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July
  to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
  coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
  coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
  center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources:
  fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use:
  arable land: 10.91%
  permanent crops: 10.91%
  other: 78.18% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
  potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:
  extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
  the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:
  largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
  strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:
  163,941 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.1% (male 30,334; female 27,264)
  15-64 years: 58.4% (male 50,258; female 45,538)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,269; female 5,278) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.2 years
  male: 25.6 years
  female: 24.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.89% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.27 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 80.9 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Guamanian(s)
  adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:
  Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
  and other 27%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:
  English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long form: Guahan

Dependency status:
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
  between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of
  Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of the US)

Independence:
  none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
  Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:
  Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system:
  modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
  presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
  vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
  UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
  elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
  election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
  head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
  2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
  cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
  the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
  2004)
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
  Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held
  NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party)
  was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
  64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

Judicial branch:
  Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
  Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
  the governor)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben)
  PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Flag description:
  territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four
  sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
  containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
  with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
  national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:
  The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
  export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
  procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
  years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
  construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
  More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has
  recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
  slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
  Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
  of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
  military downsizing.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  23% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
  60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $340 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
  concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  830 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  771.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Exports:
  $75.7 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction
  materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:
  Japan 81.7%, South Korea 6.1%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $203 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 40.5%, South Korea 21.7%, Japan 21.6%, Hong Kong 4.9%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury
  ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise
  taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam
  Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes
  paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:
  84,134 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  55,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities
  for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
  domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
  and local access to the Internet
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
  Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific
  communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the
  US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
  221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1997)

Televisions:
  106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2000)

Transportation Guam

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 885 km
  paved: 675 km
  unpaved: 210 km
  note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public,
  including roads located on federal government installations

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Apra Harbor

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background:
  Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the
  second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of
  military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla
  war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally
  ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000
  people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
  Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
  Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:
  15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 108,890 sq km
  water: 460 sq km
  land: 108,430 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,687 km
  border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
  km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:
  400 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone
  plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
  earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
  other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note:
  no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:
  13,909,384 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 3,052,658; female 2,908,428)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 3,779,688; female 3,706,315)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 215,653; female 246,642) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.66% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.05 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 37.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 38.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.23 years
  male: 64.31 years
  female: 66.21 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.67 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  67,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guatemalan(s)
  adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:
  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in
  local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or
  predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:
  Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
  Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
  Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.6%
  male: 78%
  female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
  conventional short form: Guatemala
  local short form: Guatemala
  local long form: Republica de Guatemala

Government type:
  constitutional democratic republic

Capital:
  Guatemala

Administrative divisions:
  22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
  Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
  Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
  Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
  Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May
  1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
  ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces
  may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since
  14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since
  14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera
  (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez
  (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999
  (next to be held NA November 2003)
  election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected
  president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG)
  68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica
  (140 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November
  2007)
  note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
  seats increased to 140 from 113
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GANA 49, FRG 42, UNE 33, PAN 16

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen
  members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of
  the Court each year from among their number; the president of the
  Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the
  country, who are named to five-year terms); Constitutional Court or
  Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges are elected for concurrent
  five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of
  the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by
  the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
  elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
  and one by Colegio de Abogados)

Political parties and leaders:
  Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic
  Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA
  [leader NA]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz];
  Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo];
  Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Secretary General
  Alba ESTELA Maldonado]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain
  RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ
  Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco
  BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Secretary General
  Leonel LOPEZ Rodas]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM
  Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of
  DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently
  defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO
  Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot
  Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive
  Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement
  or MR [Secretary General Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE]; Unionista Party
  [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
  Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
  Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
  CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio Fernando ARENALES Forno chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Randle HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 334-8477

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and
  light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
  and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE
  1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed
  on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed
  by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:
  The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP,
  two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar,
  and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU (1996-2000)
  worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and
  political modernization. President PORTILLO has continued the
  liberalization program but with more sporadic results. The 1996
  signing of the peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
  removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but numerous
  corruption scandals associated with the PORTILLO administration have
  dampened investor confidence. The distribution of income remains
  highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty
  line. Ongoing challenges include increasing the government revenues,
  negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading
  both government and private financial operations, and narrowing the
  trade deficit. A free trade agreement between the US and Central
  American countries promises greater access to US and neighboring
  markets.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $53.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 20% services: 57% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 75% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.2 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.3 billion
  expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,
  metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% other: 12.9% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  336 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  95 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  263 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.543 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Exports: $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Exports - partners:
  US 58.7%, El Salvador 9.3%, Nicaragua 3.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $5.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 33.2%, Mexico 9.9%, South Korea 8.2%, El Salvador 5.7%, China 4%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.9 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $250 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:
  GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:
  quetzales per US dollar - 7.82 (2002), 7.86 (2001), 7.76 (2000),
  7.39 (1999), 6.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:
  665,061 (June 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  663,296 (September 2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
  Guatemala
  domestic: NA
  international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:
  835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  200,000 (2002)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 14,118 km
  paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Waterways:
  990 km
  note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
  during highwater season

Pipelines:
  oil 480 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas
  de Castilla

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  466 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 455
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 115
  under 914 m: 330 (2002)

Military Guatemala

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,320,077 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,167,270 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 151,294 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $120 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border region;
  OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land
  boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint
  ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK
  financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
  referendum leaving Guatemalan claim to southern half of Belize intact

Illicit drugs:
  major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of
  illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;
  proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
  (cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a serious
  problem; corruption is a major problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background:
  The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the
  last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway
  in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Guernsey

Location:
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 78 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
  smaller islands
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 78 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  50 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are
  overcast

Terrain:
  mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:
  64,818 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 5,216; female 5,061)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 21,433; female 21,835)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 4,705; female 6,568) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.04 years
  male: 77.04 years
  female: 83.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
  UK and Norman-French descent

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
  Methodist

Languages:
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Guernsey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions:
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
  Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
  Martin, Saint Andrew

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
  Court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor
  appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt.
  Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff de Vic Graham CAREY
  (since NA 1999)
  cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of
  the States

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10
  Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies
  elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her
  Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller
  (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and
  Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own
  parliaments
  elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
  Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
  extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
  William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:
  Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. -
  account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island
  economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes
  and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties
  make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration
  of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which
  Guernsey operates.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 10%
  services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.99% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  31,322 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $381.3 million
  expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Agriculture - products:
  tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
  Guernsey cattle

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
  vegetables

Exports - partners:
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
  0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernsey
  pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  44,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Guernsey

Railways: 5 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background:
  Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic
  elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military
  government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was
  reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into
  Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.

Geography Guinea

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
  11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 245,857 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
  November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
  with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
  generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 3.6% permanent crops: 2.44% other: 93.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
  season

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
  overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
  environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
  in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:
  9,030,220 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,027,970; female 1,986,300)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,358,566; female 2,372,384)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 124,382; female 160,618) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.7 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 17.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.37% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
  host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
  (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 87.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 49.54 years
  male: 48.28 years
  female: 50.83 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.54% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  55,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:
  Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:
  French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 35.9%
  male: 49.9%
  female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  conventional short form: Guinea
  local short form: Guinee
  former: French Guinea
  local long form: Republique de Guinee

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Conakry

Administrative divisions:
  33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
  Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
  Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
  Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
  Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
  Tougue, Yomou

Independence:
  2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:
  23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal
  codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
  government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
  president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA
  December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president
  election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
  - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UPR) 24.6%, Alpha
  CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
  other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El
  Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or
  UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana
  CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG
  [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE];
  Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for
  Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general];
  Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview:
  Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
  resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
  possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
  second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
  about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
  fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
  the country is to move out of poverty. The government made
  encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform
  progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment.
  However, fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has
  caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense
  costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor
  confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,
  while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local
  markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation permitted
  moderate 3.7% growth in 2002. Growth should strengthen in 2003
  because of a slowly improving security situation and increased
  investor confidence.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $18.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 37% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $395.7 million
  expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and
  agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production:
  790.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  735.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $835 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
  products

Exports - partners:
  South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%, US
  9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002)

Imports:
  $670 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
  textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium 7.6%,
  China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $359.2 million (1998)

Currency:
  Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code:
  GNF

Exchange rates:
  Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87
  (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  37,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  21,567 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small
  radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay
  system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave
  3 (2001)

Radios:
  357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 low-power stations (2001)

Televisions:
  85,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2001)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Guinea

Railways:
  total: 1,115 km
  standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 30,500 km
  paved: 5,033 km
  unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Ports and harbors:
  Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  15 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Guinea

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,
  paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
  National)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $154 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international:
  domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, Liberia,
  and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in
  border areas

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction Guinea-Bissau

Background:
  In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal, the country's
  first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held.
  An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil war in 1998 created
  hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. A military junta ousted
  the president in May 1999. An interim government turned over power
  in February 2000 when opposition leader Kumba YALA took office
  following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.
  Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated by
  its crippled economy, devastated in the civil war.

Geography Guinea-Bissau

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
  and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 36,120 sq km
  water: 8,120 sq km
  land: 28,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season
  (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to
  May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
  mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
  country 300 m

Natural resources:
  fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 1.78% other: 87.55% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
  season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying
  further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population:
  1,360,827 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 284,150; female 285,370)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 358,891; female 392,703)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,285; female 22,428) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 19.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.02% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  16.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 110.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 120.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.97 years
  male: 45.09 years
  female: 48.91 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,
  Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.4%
  male: 58.1%
  female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
  local short form: Guine-Bissau
  local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
  former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:
  republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital:
  Bissau

Administrative divisions:
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
  Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have
  been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:
  24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10
  September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:
  16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,
  9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28
  September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrough the
  elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA
  served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
  consultation with party leaders in the legislature
  note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
  government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
  Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
  until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
  a caretaker government
  election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
  second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
  cabinet: NA
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur SANHA (since 28 September
  2003)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional
  Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a
  maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the National
  People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislature
  were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed to
  April, then July, and were last scheduled to occur in September 2003
  elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA September
  2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the
  remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine
  justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his
  pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
  Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
  for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
  valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
  necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
  misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
  or PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for the Liberation and
  Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau
  Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean
  Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for
  Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];
  National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,
  secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor
  MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for
  Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary
  general]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Victor Sau'de
  MARIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
  Adriano DA SILVA
  chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
  FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954
  telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of
  violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and
  military-led junta; for the time being, US embassy Dakar is
  responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296;
  FAX - [221] 822-5903

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a
  vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed
  star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors
  of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:
  One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends
  mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased
  remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in
  cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with
  small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the
  major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between
  Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed
  much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to
  the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that
  year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade
  reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the
  country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The
  tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private
  sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high
  costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral
  resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore
  oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The
  inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the
  world. The government and international donors continue to work out
  plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base.
  Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in low
  growth in 2002 and dim prospects for 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $901.4 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -4.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 62%
  industry: 12%
  services: 26% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  480,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  55 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  51.15 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Exports:
  $71 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:
  India 51.5%, Uruguay 19.5%, Thailand 19.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $59 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Senegal 19.6%, Portugal 19.1%, India 15.3%, Taiwan 5.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $115.4 million (1995)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously
  the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Currency code:
  XOF; GWP

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
  note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the
  national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to
  the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system
  domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone, and cellular communications
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .gw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2002)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping

Ports and harbors:
  Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  28 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and
  Air Force), paramilitary force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 318,711 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $5.6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:
  separatist war in Senegal's Casamance region results in refugees
  and cross-border raids, arms smuggling and other illegal activities,
  and political instability in Guinea-Bissau

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Guyana

Introduction Guyana

Background:
  Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had
  become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black
  settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants
  from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide
  has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved
  independence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it was
  ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi
  JAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country's
  first free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five
  years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in
  1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
  reelected in 2001.

Geography Guyana

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 214,970 sq km
  water: 18,120 sq km
  land: 196,850 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:
  459 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy
  seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain:
  mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.08% other: 97.48% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and
  Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories
  are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population:
  702,100
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27% (male 96,775; female 93,077)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 240,305; female 236,378)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,755; female 19,810) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.7 years
  male: 25.2 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.27 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 37.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 41.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.09 years
  male: 60.51 years
  female: 65.79 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  18,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:
  East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and
  mixed 7%

Religions:
  Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:
  English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
  conventional short form: Guyana
  former: British Guiana

Government type:
  republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
  Georgetown

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
  Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
  Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
  Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:
  26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:
  6 October 1980

Legal system:
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);
  note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN
  head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
  responsible to the legislature
  elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
  Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
  least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
  be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,
  1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members
  appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and
  Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana
  Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader
  NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando
  CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
  Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or
  TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
  ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian
  Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
  note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
  organized

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
  chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
  embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
  telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
  FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:
  green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
  superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black
  border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
  between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:
  The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth in
  2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,
  a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
  realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued
  support of international organizations. Chronic problems include a
  shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The
  government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent
  need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sector
  should benefit in the near term by restructuring and partial
  privatization.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.628 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 21%
  services: 44% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  418,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (understated) (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $227 million
  expenditures: $235.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $93.4 million (2000)

Industries:
  bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  852 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  792.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Exports:
  $500 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:
  Canada 21.1%, US 17.9%, Netherlands Antilles 12.9%, UK 10.4%,
  Jamaica 5.3%, Portugal 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $575 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
  US 23.7%, Netherlands Antilles 20.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.2%,
  Italy 6.3%, UK 5.1%, Cuba 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)
  $253 million (1997)

Currency:
  Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:
  GYD

Exchange rates:
  Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43
  (2000), 178 (1999), 150.52 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  70,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,100 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
  domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
  international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:
  46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  95,000 (2002)

Transportation Guyana

Railways:
  total: 187 km
  standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Highways:
  total: 7,970 km
  paved: 590 km
  unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways)
  note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
  oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports and harbors:
  Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,929 GRT/4,507 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  51 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Guyana

Military branches:
  Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air
  Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana
  National Service

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 207,890 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:
  all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by Venezuela;
  Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and
  Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of the
  Courantyne); territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily
  Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:
  The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
  Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
  virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
  early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
  and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
  island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
  sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
  Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
  and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
  century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
  L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
  republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
  by political violence for most of its history since then, and it is
  now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over
  three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in
  1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his
  term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return
  to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate
  to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president
  in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis
  stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet
  been resolved.

Geography Haiti

Location:
  Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between
  the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
  Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
  19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 27,750 sq km
  land: 27,560 sq km
  water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.32% permanent crops: 12.7% other: 66.98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is
  being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
  one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population:
  7,527,817
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.7% (male 1,637,853; female 1,575,893)
  15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,962,975; female 2,073,353)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 131,784; female 145,959) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.67% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 76.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 81.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.61 years
  male: 50.36 years
  female: 52.92 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  30,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:
  black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,
  Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
  note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo

Languages:
  French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.9%
  male: 54.8%
  female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
  conventional short form: Haiti
  local short form: Haiti
  local long form: Republique d'Haiti

Government type:
  elected government

Capital:
  Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions:
  9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,
  Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence:
  1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:
  approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles
  reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be
  observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October
  1994

Legal system:
  based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March
  2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January
  2002
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National
  Assembly
  election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
  of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the
  Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year
  terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
  Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000,
  with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
  still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
  2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
  May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
  vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
  vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
  [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
  RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed of
  ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc
  MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or
  ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the following
  parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM,
  National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004,
  and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH
  [Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark
  PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization
  for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for
  National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the
  Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement
  for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean
  MOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy
  JOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL
  and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
  MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];
  Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian
  Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National
  Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular
  Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Harry
  Frantz LEO
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
  (Puerto Rico)
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
  chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. Foley embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612 FAX: [509] 223-1641

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered
  white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree
  flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto
  L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview:
  About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of
  all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly
  of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of
  the economically active work force. Following legislative elections
  in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -
  including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The
  economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in
  2002. The contraction will likely intensify in 2003 unless a
  political agreement with donors is reached on economic policy.
  Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 million
  at the start of 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Unemployment rate:
  widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds
  of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $273 million
  expenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly
  industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  580 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  539.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Exports:
  $298 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  US 83.9%, Dominican Republic 6.6%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.14 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
  raw materials

Imports - partners:
  US 53.4%, Dominican Republic 5.3%, Colombia 3.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $120 million (FY02)

Currency:
  gourde (HTG)

Currency code:
  HTG

Exchange rates:
  gourdes per US dollar - 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17 (2000),
  16.94 (1999), 16.77 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:
  60,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  over 180,000 (January 2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
  international facilities slightly better
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
  415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:
  38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ht

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2002)

Transportation Haiti

Railways:
  total: 40 km
  narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track
  note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001
  est.)

Highways:
  total: 4,160 km
  paved: 1,011 km
  unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  NEGL; less than 100 km navigable

Ports and harbors:
  Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
  Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  12 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Military Haiti

Military branches:
  Haitian National Police (HNP)
  note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
  demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
  constitutionally abolished

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,735,845 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 94,349 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $50 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:
  despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians
  continue to cross into Dominican Republic; claims US-administered
  Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:
  major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
  and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
  narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
  transactions; pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:
  These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred
  from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal
  and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:
  islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
  Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
  53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 412 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 412 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  101.9 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by
  a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);
  McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
  NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald
  Islands
  conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment
  and Heritage

Legal system:
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:
  No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government
  allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts
  fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:
  Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula
  for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many
  of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of
  Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when
  Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"
  popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,
  which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted
  Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat
  between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier
  treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the
  Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the
  failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and
  reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of
  rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide
  profess the Catholic faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 0.44 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 0.44 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry
  summers (May to September)

Terrain:
  low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
  outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
  (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:
  911 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
  Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:
  conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
  conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
  local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
  local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
  ecclesiastical

Capital:
  Vatican City

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  11 February 1929 (from Italy)
  note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy
  which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the
  Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin
  of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably
  in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century

National holiday:
  Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution:
  Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal system:
  based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
  2 December 1990)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
  election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
  of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
  there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
  matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
  pertaining to the Holy See
  note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
  XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the
  crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the
  white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
  This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
  annual tax on Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well
  as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of
  postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for
  admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and
  real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue.
  The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to
  those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -
  dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
  outside the Vatican

Budget:
  revenues: $173.5 million
  expenditures: $176.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Industries:
  printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small
  amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
  financial activities

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
  (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic exchange
  domestic: tied into Italian system
  international: uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1996)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .va

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Railways:
  total: 0.86 km
  standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint
  Peter's station (2001 est.)

Highways:
  none; all city streets

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
  Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are
  posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and
  protect the Pope

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
  Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an
  independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly
  military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in
  1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista
  contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to
  Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.
  The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed
  about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
  Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
  between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 112,090 sq km
  land: 111,890 sq km
  water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,520 km
  border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
  922 km

Coastline:
  820 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
  mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
  timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
  fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 15.15% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 81.72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
  damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
  urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
  degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
  and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
  mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
  source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
  heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
  including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
  6,669,789
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,414,791; female 1,357,537)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 1,811,757; female 1,843,456)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 114,791; female 127,457) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 19.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.32% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  31.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 33.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.65 years
  male: 65.31 years
  female: 68.06 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  57,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Honduran(s)
  adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
  2%, white 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages:
  Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.2%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
  conventional short form: Honduras
  local short form: Honduras
  local long form: Republica de Honduras

Government type:
  democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
  Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions:
  18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
  Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
  Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
  Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
  rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
  English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
  Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
  accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January
  2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27
  January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ
  Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ
  Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
  52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
  members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
  party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PN
  61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
  elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Dr. Hernan CORRALES Padilla];
  Democratic Unification Party or PUD [leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL
  [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
  Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
  National Party of Honduras or PN [Raphael CALLEJAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
  Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
  Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
  Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
  Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
  Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
  Workers or FUTH

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI
  honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
  Tampa
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2604
  chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
  the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
  Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
  Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
  triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
  AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
  Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
  with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, is banking
  on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin
  Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its
  macroeconomic targets, it failed to meet the IMF's goals to
  liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains
  dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading
  partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction
  of the high crime rate.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $16.29 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 32% services: 54% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  56.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.3 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  28% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $607 million
  expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of $106
  million (1999 est.)

Industries:
  sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  308 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Exports:
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Exports - partners:
  US 69.5%, El Salvador 3%, Guatemala 2% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
  chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
  US 55.3%, El Salvador 4.3%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $557.8 million (1999)

Currency:
  lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
  HNL

Exchange rates:
  lempiras per US dollar - 16.43 (2002), 15.47 (2001), 14.84 (2000),
  14.21 (1999), 13.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
  234,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  14,427 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate system
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
  2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  40,000 (2000)

Transportation Honduras

Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  465 km (navigable by small craft)

Ports and harbors:
  La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto
  Lempira

Merchant marine:
  total: 250 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 680,784 GRT/765,815 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, Belize 1, British Virgin
  Islands 1, Bulgaria 1, China 8, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 6, El
  Salvador 1, Germany 1, Greece 18, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Italy 1,
  Japan 7, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4, Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 1,
  Mexico 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Panama 14, Philippines 1, Romania 2,
  Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1, Singapore 24, South Korea 12, Spain 1, Syria 1, Taiwan 4,
  Tanzania 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos
  Islands 1, United Arab Emirates 6, UK 1, US 5, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1,
  Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 18, cargo 140, chemical tanker 4, container 7,
  livestock carrier 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
  tanker 55, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea
  passenger 4, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
  115 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 103 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 83 (2002)

Military Honduras

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,594,266 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 948,957 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 74,895 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
  in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
  areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but they still remain
  largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an application to
  the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of bolsones; the ICJ
  also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the
  Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the
  Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the
  ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; Honduras claims Sapodilla
  Cays off the coast of Belize but agreed to creation of a joint
  ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in the 2002
  Belize-Guatemala Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim against
  Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a
  complex maritime dispute in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
  cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
  consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
  activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:
  Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China
  the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the
  19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on
  19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
  agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
  systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
  imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
  autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
  next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
  22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 1,092 sq km
  water: 50 sq km
  land: 1,042 sq km

Area - comparative:
  six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km

Coastline:
  733 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from
  spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources:
  outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use:
  arable land: 5.05%
  other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 1.01%

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geography - note: more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
  7,394,170 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 680,973; female 599,309)
  15-64 years: 71.7% (male 2,619,929; female 2,679,430)
  65 years and over: 11% (male 375,058; female 439,471) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.5 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 37.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.22% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.93 years
  male: 77.23 years
  female: 82.83 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
  eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
  Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local short form: Xianggang
  local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
  abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
  special administrative region of China

Government type:
  limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
  none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
  of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
  Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
  Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
  Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
  living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
  indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional
  constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
  regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
  bodies

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and
  10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald
  TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG
  (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1
  July 1997)
  elections: TUNG Chee-Hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
  by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
  the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly
  elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote,
  and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held in September
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong
  Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive
  Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy
  and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19

Judicial branch:
  Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG
  Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic
  Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing,
  chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman];
  Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong
  Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party
  [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai,
  chairman]
  note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
  Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party,
  Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
  of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New
  Century Forum

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
  Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
  Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
  general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
  of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong
  Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China
  [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council
  (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong
  Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal
  Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]

International organization participation:
  APEC, AsDB, BIS, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO
  (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL,
  WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
  Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
  international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
  materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
  reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
  reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
  trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
  integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
  to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
  Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
  China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
  level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
  averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
  recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
  in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
  Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak has also battered Hong Kong's
  economy but the resumption of strong growth began in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $198.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 13.4%
  services: 86.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.52 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing,
  insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social services 12%,
  manufacturing 6%, transport and communications 6%, construction 5%,
  other 25% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $22.8 billion
  expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY02/03)

Industries:
  textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
  plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
  -9.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  10.36 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork

Exports:
  $200.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
  watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Exports - partners:
  China 34%, US 19.5%, UK 5.5%, Japan 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $208.1 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures,
  petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical equipment; a large share
  is reexported

Imports - partners:
  China 37.5%, Japan 12.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 6.2%, Singapore 5.3%,
  South Korea 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $49.5 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
  Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
  HKD

Exchange rates:
  Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001), 7.79
  (2000), 7.76 (1999), 7.75 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.839 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3.7 million (December 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
  and international services
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
  network
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access
  to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN
  member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western
  Europe

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.35 million (2002)

Transportation Hong Kong

Railways:
  total: 34 km
  standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked)
  note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border
  (2001)

Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
  total: 549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,176,728 GRT/27,119,764 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 315, cargo 66, chemical tanker
  15, combination bulk 2, container 86, liquefied gas 16,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 40,
  refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1,
  vehicle carrier 2, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
  as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin
  Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8,
  Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5,
  Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, UK 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1
  note: (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
  China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA
  Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
  the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
  and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
  Region

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,033,716 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 47,477 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA% (FY02)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious
  challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
  regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit
  for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
  especially among young people

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

Background:
  Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was
  officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies
  mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near
  the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during
  World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of
  the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the
  US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  6.4 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
  fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
  wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
  low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
  nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
  by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
  airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
  round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
  Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
  airstrip is no longer serviceable (2002)

Transportation - note:
  Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
  that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
  rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
  Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
  collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
  following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
  from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
  by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
  began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "goulash
  Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
  initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and is
  scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May
  2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of
  joining the EU.

Geography Hungary

Location:
  Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 93,030 sq km
  water: 690 sq km
  land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,171 km
  border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
  Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
  Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
  highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 52.2%
  other: 45.34% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 2.46%

Irrigated land:
  2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
  Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
  Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
  Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
  10,045,407 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 832,033; female 787,336)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 3,406,046; female 3,523,118)
  65 years and over: 14.9% (male 544,099; female 952,775) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 35.7 years
  female: 41.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.29% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.32 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.17 years
  male: 67.84 years
  female: 76.81 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Hungarian(s)
  adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
  Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
  Romanian 0.7%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other
  7.5%

Languages:
  Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
  conventional short form: Hungary
  local short form: Magyarorszag
  local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Budapest

Administrative divisions:
  19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties*
  (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros);
  Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
  Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*,
  Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*,
  Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom,
  Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy,
  Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*,
  Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala,
  Zalaegerszeg*

Independence:
  1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
  Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
  18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18
  October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
  constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
  also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
  amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
  rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Peter MEDGYESSY (since 27 May
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
  the recommendation of the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
  June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the president
  note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
  legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
  third round
  election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
  of voting); Peter MEDGYESSY elected prime minister; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
  direct representation to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
  required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
  Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
  party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20
  elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
  2006)

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
  for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian
  Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Laszlo VARGA, chairman];
  Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Jozsef SZASER, chairman];
  Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian
  Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
  Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman];
  Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Laszlo KOVACS, chairman];
  Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
  (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: 1054 Szabadsag ter 12, Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
  Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
  market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
  Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
  economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union
  in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP.
  Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are
  widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more
  than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded
  in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European
  transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14%
  in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6%
  level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner.
  Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit
  to 3% in 2004 and avoiding unjustified increases in wages.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $134 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 33.8% services: 62.1% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.2 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  5.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13 billion
  expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
  textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 39%

Electricity - consumption:
  35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  110.7 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  50.45 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products

Exports: $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food
  products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 34.3%, Austria 8.5%, Italy 5.5%, France 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK
  4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $33.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and
  electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 25.3%, Austria 7.7%, Italy 7.5%, Russia 6%, China 5%,
  France 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $31.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $250 million (2000)

Currency:
  forint (HUF)

Currency code:
  HUF

Exchange rates:
  forints per US dollar - 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18
  (2000), 237.15 (1999), 214.4 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.095 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.269 million (July 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is
  capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
  domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
  services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
  radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
  initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
  international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all
  neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian
  Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT)
  system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.2 million (2001)

Transportation Hungary

Railways:
  total: 7,875 km
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
  note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage a cross-border,
  standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev
  railroad) with a route length of 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in
  Austria; 156 km of this line is electrified (2002)
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 188,203 km
  paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)

Waterways:
  1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 3,784 GRT/5,500 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1

Airports:
  49 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 16

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military Hungary

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,541,426 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,026,912 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 64,305 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:
  Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and
  cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who
  protest the law

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for
  South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer
  of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
  methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

Background:
  Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants
  during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
  world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,
  established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was
  subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
  volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
  widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
  island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
  home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
  attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
  are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location:
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:
  65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 103,000 sq km
  land: 100,250 sq km
  water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4,988 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
  winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:
  mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
  deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
  fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
  arable land: 1%
  other: 70% (2001 est.)
  forest and woodlands: 1%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 28%

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
  treatment

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Environmental Protection through Criminal Law, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Oil Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
  European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
  the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
  Europe

People Iceland

Population:
  280,798 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.7% (male 32,902; female 30,952)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 92,519; female 91,000)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,973; female 18,452) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34 years
  male: 33.2 years
  female: 34.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.49% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.8 years
  male: 77.54 years
  female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  220 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Icelander(s)
  adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
  population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic
  1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

Languages:
  Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Iceland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
  conventional short form: Iceland
  local short form: Island
  local long form: Lydhveldidh Island

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Reykjavik

Administrative divisions:
  23 counties (syslur, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns*
  (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*,
  Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla,
  Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla,
  Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*,
  Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
  Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
  Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla,
  Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*,
  Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla,
  Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*,
  Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla,
  Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
  note: there may be four other counties

Independence:
  1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
  17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
  16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
  1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April
  1991)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  Parliament
  election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and
  was reelected
  elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
  popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996
  (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in
  June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by
  the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
  33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
  Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
  Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
  Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4
  elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by
  the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are
  appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
  Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or
  LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
  KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
  Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
  Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON];
  Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's
  List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA,
  NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
  chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
  embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
  mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
  telephone: [354] 5629100
  FAX: [354] 5629118

Flag description:
  blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of
  the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:
  Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet
  with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
  subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of
  income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for
  abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends
  heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export
  earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains
  sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in
  world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum,
  and ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the budget
  and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing
  inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying
  the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government
  remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders'
  concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's
  economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service
  industries in the last decade, and new developments in software
  production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place.
  The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in
  ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in
  1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an
  environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and
  inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.444 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $30,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 14% (includes fishing 12%)
  industry: 21%
  services: 65% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  159,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.5 billion
  expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
  million (1999)

Industries:
  fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
  geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.894 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% other: 17.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  7.341 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, green vegetables, chicken, pork, mutton; fish

Exports:
  $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite,
  ferrosilicon

Exports - partners:
  Germany 18.5%, UK 17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain 5.2%,
  Denmark 4.6%, Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.1 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  US 10.9%, Germany 10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%,
  Netherlands 6%, Sweden 5.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.6 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor:
  $NA

Currency:
  Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:
  ISK

Exchange rates:
  Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 91.66 (2002), 97.42 (2001), 78.62
  (2000), 72.34 (1999), 70.96 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  196,984 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  248,131 (221,231 GSM, 26,900 NMT) (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: extensive domestic service
  domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
  cables and microwave radio relay links
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
  Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
  countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .is

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2001)

Internet users:
  220,000 (2002)

Transportation Iceland

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 12,955 km
  paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
  unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn,
  Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,500 GRT/5,000 DWT
  ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  86 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 73
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 21
  under 914 m: 49 (2002)

Military Iceland

Military branches:
  no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 71,157 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 62,552 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $0

Military - note:
  defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF)
  headquartered at Keflavik

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:
  Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and
  the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
  Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands'
  fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark,
  the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
  boundary outside 200 NM

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@India

Introduction India

Background:
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes
  back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded
  about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created
  the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th
  century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European traders,
  beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had
  assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent
  resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and
  Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent was
  divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state
  of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted
  in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.
  Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with
  Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental
  degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife, all
  this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

Geography India

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
  between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 3,287,590 sq km
  land: 2,973,190 sq km
  water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 14,103 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
  km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:
  7,000 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:
  upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
  the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:
  coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
  mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
  petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 54.35%
  permanent crops: 2.66%
  other: 42.99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
  flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
  pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
  water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
  population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
  trade routes

People India

Population:
  1,049,700,118 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.2% (male 173,973,350; female 163,979,116)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 342,620,712; female 319,259,867)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,281,756; female 24,585,317) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 24.1 years male: 24.1 years female: 24.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.47% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 59.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.62 years
  male: 62.92 years
  female: 64.37 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3.97 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  310,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Indian(s)
  adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:
  Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:
  Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups
  including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Languages:
  English enjoys associate status but is the most important language
  for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the
  national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are
  14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,
  Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,
  Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu
  spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official
  language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 59.5%
  male: 70.2%
  female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of India
  conventional short form: India

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  New Delhi

Administrative divisions:
  28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
  Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
  Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
  Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
  Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
  Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
  Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
  West Bengal

Independence:
  15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:
  26 January 1950

Legal system:
  based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
  acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002); Vice
  President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 12 August 2002)
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
  the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002
  (next to be held NA July 2007); vice president elected by both
  houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12
  August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister elected
  by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
  elections; election last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA
  October 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19
  March 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - NA%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
  president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE
  elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or
  Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to
  12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen
  by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;
  members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha
  (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the
  president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3
  October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP
  alliance 40.8%, Congress (I) alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by
  party - BJP alliance 304, Congress (I) alliance 134, other 107

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
  office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders:
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha
  JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS (general
  secretary)]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj
  Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Jana
  KRISNAMURTHY]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist
  Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
  India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress
  (I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a
  regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
  League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA];
  Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Kerala Congress (Mani
  faction) [K. M. MANI]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or
  MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress
  Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo
  Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or RSP [Abani ROY];
  Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal [G.
  S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K.
  VASAN]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool
  Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
  including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
  Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
  communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
  Hurriyat Conference

International organization participation:
  AfDB, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
  C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC,
  NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lalit MANSINGH consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. BLACKWILL embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (11) 419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),
  white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
  the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
  orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:
  India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern
  agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
  multitude of support services. Overpopulation severely handicaps the
  economy and about a quarter of the population is too poor to be able
  to afford an adequate diet. Government controls have been reduced on
  imports and foreign investment, and privatization of domestic output
  has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an excellent average
  growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by about 10
  percentage points. India has large numbers of well-educated people
  skilled in the English language; India is a major exporter of
  software services and software workers; the information technology
  sector leads the strong growth pattern. The World Bank and others
  worry about the continuing public-sector budget deficit, running at
  approximately 10% of GDP in 1997-2002. In 2003 the state-owned
  Indian Bank substantially reduced non-performing loans, attracted
  new customers, and turned a profit. Deep-rooted problems remain,
  notably conflicts among political and cultural groups.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.664 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 25% services: 50% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  406 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  8.8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $48.3 billion
  expenditures: $78.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $14
  (FY01/02 est.)

Industries:
  textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
  equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  533.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 3.4%

Electricity - consumption:
  497.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  321 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.54 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  732,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.33 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  542.4 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Exports: $44.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
  leather manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US 22.5%, UK 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Germany 4.3%, China
  4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $53.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  US 7.1%, Belgium 6.7%, China 4.6%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $100.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.9 billion (FY 98/99)

Currency:
  Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
  INR

Exchange rates:
  Indian rupees per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94
  (2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use:
  27.7 million (October 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.93 million (November 2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance
  service provided throughout all regions of the country, with
  services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective
  is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep
  pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady
  improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and
  private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two
  for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand
  for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very
  long time
  domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and
  manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in
  the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been
  introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance
  traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity
  microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has
  been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite
  system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided
  in four metropolitan cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges
  operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta),
  Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and
  Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to
  Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah,
  UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and
  Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with
  landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios:
  116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions:
  63 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .in

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  43 (2000)

Internet users:
  7 million (2002)

Transportation India

Railways:
  total: 63,518 km (15,009 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 45,142 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 15,013 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,363 km 0.762-m gauge and
  0.610-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 3,319,644 km paved: 1,517,077 km unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  16,180 km
  note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels

Pipelines:
  gas 5,798 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km; refined
  products 5,567 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata
  (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Merchant marine:
  total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,753,279 GRT/9,621,911 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 100, cargo 82, chemical tanker 15, combination
  bulk 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10,
  passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll off 1,
  short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: China 1, UAE 10, UK 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  334 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 232 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 20 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 102 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 48 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 42

Heliports: 19 (2002)

Military India

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Strategic Nuclear
  Command (SNC), Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary forces
  (including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles,
  National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special
  Frontier Force, Ladakh Scouts, Central Reserve Police Force, Central
  Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, Defense
  Security Corps, and Indian Reserve Battalions)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 288,251,975 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $11.52 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:
  much of the rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute,
  but the two sides have participated in more than 13 rounds of joint
  working group sessions on this issue; India objects to Pakistan
  ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India believes
  are part of disputed Kashmir; with Pakistan, armed stand-off over
  the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; disputes with
  Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Rann
  of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Joint
  Border Committee with Nepal continues to work on resolution of
  disputed boundary sections; dispute with Bangladesh over New
  Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime
  boundary delimitation

Illicit drugs:
  world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
  trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
  international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
  produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
  vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Indian Ocean

Introduction Indian Ocean

Background:
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans
  (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the
  Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access
  waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
  (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
  Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).

Geography Indian Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and
  Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 68.556 million sq km
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
  Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
  Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
  Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  66,526 km

Climate:
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to
  October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
  October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February
  in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain:
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system
  of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
  surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
  pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
  the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
  while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter
  air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest
  winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean
  Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest
  Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,
  placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and
  whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait
  of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle
  East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries
  a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products
  from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are
  of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for
  domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan,
  South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for
  shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in
  the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
  Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
  comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
  offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
  countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
  and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South
  Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
  (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Indonesia

Introduction Indonesia

Background:
  Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved
  independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
  alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of
  the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected
  government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing
  charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police
  accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing
  separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.

Geography Indonesia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
  Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 1,919,440 sq km
  water: 93,000 sq km
  land: 1,826,440 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,830 km
  border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
  Guinea 820 km

Coastline:
  54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper,
  fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 9.9% permanent crops: 7.2% other: 82.9% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
  volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air
  pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Geography - note:
  archipelago of more than 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
  straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea
  lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population:
  234,893,453 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.7% (male 35,437,274; female 34,232,824)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 76,743,613; female 76,845,245)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 5,086,465; female 6,548,032) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 25.8 years male: 25.4 years female: 26.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.52% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 38.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 43.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.94 years
  male: 66.54 years
  female: 71.47 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  120,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,600 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Indonesian(s)
  adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:
  Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%,
  other 26%

Religions:
  Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist
  1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
  Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,
  Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.5%
  male: 92.9%
  female: 84.1% (2003 est.)

Government Indonesia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
  conventional short form: Indonesia
  local long form: Republik Indonesia
  former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
  local short form: Indonesia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Jakarta

Administrative divisions:
  27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special
  regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1
  special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,
  Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa
  Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan
  Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka
  Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa
  Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah,
  Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan,
  Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of
  decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies)
  have become the key administrative units responsible for providing
  most government services
  note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for
  independence that was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor
  Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national
  legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as the provisional name
  for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur;
  East Timor gained its formal independence on 20 May 2002

Independence:
  17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949,
  Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:
  August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
  Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous
  concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July
  2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July
  2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected separately by the
  People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; selection
  of president last held 23 July 2001; selection of vice president
  last held 26 July 2001; next election to be held in July 2004; in
  accordance with constitutional changes, the election of the
  president and vice president will be by direct vote of the citizenry
  note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
  Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan
  Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 195 indirectly selected members; it
  meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and
  to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly
  meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes;
  constitutional amendments adopted in 2001 and 2002 provide for the
  MPR to be restructured in 2004 and to consist entirely of
  popularly-elected members who will be in the DPR and the new House
  of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD); the
  MPR will no longer formulate national policy
  election results: MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected president, receiving
  591 votes in favor (91 abstentions); Hamzah HAZ elected vice
  president, receiving 340 votes in favor (237 against)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
  (DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are appointed
  military representatives until 2004 election when military seats
  expire; members serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDI-P 37.4%, Golkar
  20.9%, PKB 17.4%, PPP 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats
  by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14,
  other 30; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change
  in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is: PDI-P 153,
  Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 13, other 32
  elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held April 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
  president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature);
  note - the Supreme Court is preparing to assume administrative
  responsibility for the lower court system, currently run by the
  Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; a separate Constitutional
  Court was invested by the president on 16 August 2003

Political parties and leaders:
  Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
  chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar
  TANDJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or
  PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party
  or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien
  RAIS, chairman]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Hidayat NUR WAHID,
  chairman]; United Development Party or PPP (federation of former
  Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH,
  UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
  chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
  telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
  embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
  mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
  telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
  FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
  consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
  flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
  Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview:
  Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic
  development problems stemming from secessionist movements and the
  low level of security in the regions; the lack of reliable legal
  recourse in contract disputes; corruption; weaknesses in the banking
  system; and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence
  will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these
  circumstances. In November 2001, Indonesia agreed with the IMF on a
  series of economic reforms in 2002, thus enabling further IMF
  disbursements. Negotiations with the IMF and bilateral donors
  continued in 2002. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, the
  build-up of the confidence of international donors and investors,
  and a strong comeback in the global economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $714.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 41% services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  27% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  99 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $26 billion
  expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and footwear; mining,
  cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber; food; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  95.78 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% other: 2.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  89.08 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  1.451 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.045 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  7.083 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  36.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  32.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.549 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Exports:
  $52.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:
  Japan 21.1%, US 13.2%, Singapore 9.4%, South Korea 7.2%, China
  5.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $32.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Japan 14.1%, Singapore 13.1%, US 8.5%, China 7.8%, South Korea
  5.3%, Taiwan 5.1%, Australia 5.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $131 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing
  (1997-2000)

Currency:
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code:
  IDR

Exchange rates:
  Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 9,311.19 (2002), 10,260.8
  (2001), 8,421.77 (2000), 7,855.15 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but
  starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,588,310 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.07 million (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic service fair, international service
  good
  domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
  domestic satellite communications system
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios:
  31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  41 (1999)

Televisions:
  13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .id

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  24 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.4 million (2002)

Transportation Indonesia

Railways:
  total: 6,458 km
  narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
  0.750-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 342,700 km
  paved: 158,670 km
  unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  21,579 km total
  note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
  km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Pipelines:
  condensate 672 km; condensate/gas 125 km; gas 8,183 km; oil 7,429
  km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km; water 72 km
  (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang, Semarang,
  Surabaya

Merchant marine:
  total: 710 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,045,673 GRT/4,106,508 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, India 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 1,
  Monaco 3, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 1,
  Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 400, chemical tanker 15, container 56,
  liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, passenger 9, passenger/cargo
  13, petroleum tanker 127, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 16,
  short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 6

Airports:
  631 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 153 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 48 under 914 m: 43 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 478 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 450 (2002)

Heliports: 9 (2002)

Military Indonesia

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including marines and naval air arm), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 65,665,721 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 38,290,550 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 2,213,727 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Indonesia

Disputes - international:
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet regularly
  to survey and delimit land boundary; East Timor refugees delay
  return from camps in Indonesia; maritime delimitations with
  Australia and East Timor await further discussions; ICJ awarded
  Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002; Indonesian
  secessionists, squatters and illegal migrants create repatriation
  problems for Papua New Guinea

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible
  growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Iran

Introduction Iran

Background:
  Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979
  after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical
  forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate
  political authority vested in a learned religious scholar. A group
  of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November
  1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought
  a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory. Over the
  past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the government, driven by
  demographic changes, restrictive social policies, and poor economic
  conditions, has created a powerful and enduring pressure for
  political reform.

Geography Iran

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
  Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 1.648 million sq km
  land: 1.636 million sq km
  water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,440 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
  Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
  1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:
  2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: natural prolongation
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
  Persian Gulf

Climate:
  mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain:
  rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
  mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
  manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 10.17% permanent crops: 1.16% other: 88.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
  along western border and in the northeast

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,
  refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;
  overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;
  wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);
  inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw
  sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which
  are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People Iran

Population:
  68,278,826 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.3% (male 10,279,588; female 9,727,668)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 22,916,431; female 22,095,124)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,625,113; female 1,634,902) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 22.9 years male: 22.7 years female: 23.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.08% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 44.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 44.31 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.35 years
  male: 68.04 years
  female: 70.73 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  290 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups:
  Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab
  3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,
  and Baha'i 1%

Languages:
  Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,
  Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.4%
  male: 85.6%
  female: 73% (2003 est.)

Government Iran

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
  conventional short form: Iran
  local short form: Iran
  former: Persia
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

Government type:
  theocratic republic

Capital:
  Tehran

Administrative divisions:
  28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
  Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
  Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
  Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad,
  Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan,
  Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence:
  1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
  note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
  Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
  March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Constitution:
  2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency
  and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system:
  the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage:
  15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
  (since 4 June 1989)
  elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
  the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held June
  2005)
  election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected
  president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
  legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
  appointments to the more sensitive ministries
  head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since
  3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI
  (since 26 August 2001)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
  Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
  with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 February 2000 with a runoff held 5 May 2000
  (next to be held February 2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers
  189, conservatives 54, independents 42, seats reserved for religious
  minorities 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front achieved
  considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000,
  and groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation
  Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran);
  Solidarity Party; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization
  (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); a new apparently
  conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, emerged at the
  local level in early 2003

Political pressure groups and leaders: active pro-reform student groups include the "Organization for Strengthening Unity"; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Association, and Islamic Engineers Society; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala

International organization participation:
  CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the
  national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the
  shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the
  white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
  repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
  times along the top edge of the red band

Economy Iran

Economy - overview:
  Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of
  oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and
  small-scale private trading and service ventures. President KHATAMI
  has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President
  RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of
  Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made little progress
  toward that goal. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have
  enabled Iran to amass some $15 billion in foreign exchange reserves,
  but have not solved Iran's structural economic problems, including
  high unemployment and inflation.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $458.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 21 million note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  16.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $29.5 billion
  expenditures: $31.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction
  materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and
  vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  124.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  115.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  94.39 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  65.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  4.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  24.8 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Exports:
  $24.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  Japan 17.4%, China 8.6%, UAE 7.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea 4.9%,
  South Africa 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $21.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
  supplies

Imports - partners:
  Germany 10.9%, Italy 9%, France 7.9%, China 7.4%, South Korea 6.5%,
  UAE 4.4%, Japan 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $8.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $408 million (2002 est.)

Currency:
  Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code:
  IRR

Exchange rates:
  rials per US dollar 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43
  (2000), 1,752.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998)
  note: from 1997 to 2001, Iran had a multi-exchange-rate system; one
  of these rates, the official floating exchange rate, by which most
  essential goods were imported, averaged 1,750 rials per US dollar;
  in March 2002, the multi-exchange-rate system was converged into one
  rate at about 7,900 rials per US dollar

Fiscal year:
  21 March - 20 March

Communications Iran

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  265,000 (August 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and
  expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
  increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
  telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
  connected
  domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
  since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
  radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
  brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
  has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
  subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
  system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
  switches
  international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey,
  Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait,
  Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with
  access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
  through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
  to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
  4 Inmarsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios:
  17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ir

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  100 (2002)

Internet users:
  1.326 million (2002 est.)

Transportation Iran

Railways:
  total: 7,201 km
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,107 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 167,157 km
  paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Waterways:
  904 km
  note: the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for
  about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km;
  oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz,
  Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni,
  Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar
  (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye
  Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now
  Shahr

Merchant marine:
  total: 139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10,
  liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum
  tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea
  passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  309 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 122 over 3,047 m: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 187 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 39 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 138

Heliports: 13 (2002)

Military Iran

Military branches:
  Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces,
  Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Iranian Revolutionary
  Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods
  [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army] forces),
  Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower - military age:
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 20,343,063 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 870,711 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.7 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Iran

Disputes - international:
  Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on
  Helmand River tributaries in response to prolonged drought in
  region; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; despite
  restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iraq over
  maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues
  from eight-year war persist; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League
  support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands
  and Abu Musa Island; Iran insists on division of the Caspian Sea
  into five equal sectors, while other littoral states have generally
  agreed to equidistant seabed boundaries - Iran has threatened
  Azerbaijanian hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters

Illicit drugs:
  despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
  narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and Iranian press
  reports estimate at least 2 million drug users in the country

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Iraq

Introduction Iraq

Background:
  Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain
  during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League
  of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next
  dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A
  "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of
  military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest
  being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an
  inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990,
  Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces
  during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's
  liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap
  all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow
  UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC
  resolutions over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led
  invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn
  regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded
  infrastructure and facilitating the establishment of a freely
  elected government.

Geography Iraq

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 437,072 sq km
  water: 4,910 sq km
  land: 432,162 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,650 km
  border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
  Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline:
  58 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: not specified
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
  summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
  borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
  melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
  central and southern Iraq

Terrain:
  mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south
  with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
  Turkey

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
  Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 11.89% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 87.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues:
  government water control projects have drained most of the
  inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
  the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
  Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
  displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
  serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
  rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
  Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
  erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the
  Persian Gulf

People Iraq

Population:
  24,683,313 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 40.7% (male 5,103,669; female 4,946,443)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 7,033,268; female 6,855,644)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 348,790; female 395,499) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 19.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.78% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.81 years
  male: 66.7 years
  female: 68.99 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,000

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Iraqi(s)
  adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:
  Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.4%
  male: 55.9%
  female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Government Iraq

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
  conventional short form: Iraq
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
  local short form: Al Iraq

Government type:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Capital:
  Baghdad

Administrative divisions:
  18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
  Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
  At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
  Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence:
  3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)

Constitution:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Legal system:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Suffrage:
  formerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transition following
  April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition

Executive branch:
  chief of state: in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM
  Husayn regime by US-led coalition

Legislative branch:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Judicial branch:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Political parties and leaders:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime
  by US-led coalition

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with
  three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the
  white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic
  script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the
  left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
  Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has two
  stars but no script and the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white
  band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle
  centered in the white band

Economy Iraq

Economy - overview:
  Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has
  traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In
  the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the
  eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran
  led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily,
  and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic
  losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities
  ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction
  of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's
  seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic
  sanctions, and damage from military action by an international
  coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic
  activity. Although government policies supporting large military and
  internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters
  of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's
  oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped improve
  conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export
  limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some
  infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Council
  authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required
  to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports have recently been more than
  three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues
  under the program have been deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund
  and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was
  largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil
  prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while
  medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per
  capita output and living standards were still well below the prewar
  level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The military
  victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the
  shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure
  and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $58 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 13%
  services: 81% (1993 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  70% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  6.5 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
  processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  36.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  33.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.); note - production was disrupted
  as a result of the March-April 2003 war (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  113.8 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.149 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep

Exports:
  $13 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil

Exports - partners:
  US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%,
  Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $7.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners:
  Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%,
  Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $120 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $327.5 million (1995)

Currency:
  Iraqi dinar (IQD)

Currency code:
  IQD

Exchange rates:
  Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.31 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000),
  0.31 (1999), 0.31 (1998), note: fixed official rate since 1982;
  market rate subject to wide fluctuations

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000 (1997); note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April war

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: an unknown number of telecommunication
  facilities were damaged during the March-April 2003 war
  domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio
  relay links
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region),
  and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
  to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably
  nonoperational

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (1997); note - unknown number were destroyed during the
  March-April 2003 war

Televisions:
  1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .iq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  12,500 (2001)

Transportation Iraq

Railways: total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,399 km unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  1,015 km
  note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for
  about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris
  and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft
  boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft
  before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war

Pipelines:
  gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Merchant marine:
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 119,433 GRT/170,221 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during the
  March-April 2003 war

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 77
  over 3,047 m: 21
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 73
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

Heliports:
  5 (2002)

Military Iraq

Military branches:
  Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border
  Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam; note - with the defeat of Saddam
  Hussein's regime in 2003, the data listed in the following entries
  for Iraq is invalid, but is retained here for historical purposes
  and until replaced by valid information related to the future Iraqi
  Government (April 2003)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,339,458 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 292,930 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Iraq

Disputes - international:
  despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iran
  over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other
  issues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab boundary
  demarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah
  islands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in the Persian
  Gulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects to regulate the
  Tigris and Euphrates rivers upstream

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Ireland

Introduction Ireland

Background:
  Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C.
  Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
  finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
  English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
  seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
  and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
  off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
  independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
  (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
  Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
  European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
  peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
  against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
  known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is
  currently being implemented.

Geography Ireland

Location:
  Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in
  the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates:
  53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 70,280 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km
  land: 68,890 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
  winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
  time

Terrain:
  mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills
  and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources:
  zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,
  dolomite, peat, silver

Land use:
  arable land: 19.49%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 80.47% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
  America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
  within 97 km of Dublin

People Ireland

Population:
  3,924,140 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.2% (male 427,017; female 404,191)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 1,322,982; female 1,322,429)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 194,724; female 252,797) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 34 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.35 years
  male: 74.58 years
  female: 80.31 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
  adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic, English

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)

Languages:
  English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken
  mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98% (1981 est.)
  male: NA
  female: NA

Government Ireland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dublin

Administrative divisions:
  26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,
  Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,
  Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,
  Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
  note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Independence:
  6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

National holiday:
  Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution:
  29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Legal system:
  based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous
  concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
  by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
  election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
  Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
  note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
  Democrats
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November
  2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and
  appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad
  Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
  candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
  by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
  of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
  Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
  Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
  3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
  Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
  others 14
  elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
  by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
  (next to be held by May 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party
  [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats
  [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe
  HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC,
  NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY; note - FAHEY has announced
  that he will leave
  chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN
  embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
  FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
  has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
  of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy Ireland

Economy - overview:
  Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth
  averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especially
  in the information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.7% in
  2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by
  industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about
  80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports
  remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also
  benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and
  business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four
  big European economies. Over the past decade, the Irish Government
  has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to
  curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force
  skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching
  the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU
  nations.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $113.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.9 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.8 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $30.7 billion
  expenditures: $30.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
  billion (2002)

Industries:
  food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
  crystal; software

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  23.53 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% other: 1.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  285 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  38 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  9.911 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Exports:
  $86.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
  live animals, animal products (1999)

Exports - partners:
  UK 23.3%, US 16.7%, Belgium 14.6%, Germany 7.3%, France 5% (2002)

Imports:
  $48.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
  chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners:
  UK 41.1%, US 15.3%, Germany 6.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $11 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999), 0.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.6 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave
  radio relay
  domestic: microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ie

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.31 million (2002)

Transportation Ireland

Railways:
  total: 3,312 km
  broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
  Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
  (2002)

Highways:
  total: 92,500 km
  paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,795 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross,
  Waterford

Merchant marine:
  total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 110,913 GRT/128,017 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports:
  36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Military Ireland

Military branches:
  Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police
  (Garda Siochana)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,020,182 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 821,378 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 31,437 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Ireland

Disputes - international: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa
  to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;
  minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
  Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Israel

Introduction Israel

Background:
  Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of
  Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish
  states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the
  Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the
  deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
  Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
  profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
  from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
  Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved
  in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition,
  on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon,
  which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework
  established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral
  negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian
  representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip)
  and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a
  permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of
  Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.

Geography Israel

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Lebanon

Geographic coordinates:
  31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 20,770 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  land: 20,330 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,017 km
  border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
  Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline:
  273 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain:
  Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;
  Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources:
  timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium
  bromide, clays, sand

Land use: arable land: 17.02% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 78.81% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic
  earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Geography - note:
  there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in
  the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the
  Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of
  Galilee is an important freshwater source

People Israel

Population:
  6,116,533 (July 2002 est.)
  note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
  about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
  in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem
  (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.9% (male 842,885; female 803,864)
  15-64 years: 63.2% (male 1,941,440; female 1,922,512)
  65 years and over: 9.9% (male 260,315; female 345,517) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.9 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 29.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.39% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.02 years
  male: 76.95 years
  female: 81.19 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Israeli(s)
  adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups:
  Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
  Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
  (1996 est.)

Religions:
  Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%,
  other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Languages:
  Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
  English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.4%
  male: 97.3%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Israel

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Israel
  conventional short form: Israel
  local short form: Yisra'el
  local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in
  1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,
  Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence:
  14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
  independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
  the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution:
  no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are
  filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of
  the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system:
  mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in
  personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in
  December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no
  longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000)
  elections: president elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member -
  traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming
  a governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next to
  be held fall of 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
  Knesset
  election results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member
  Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
  received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
  continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
  2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
  government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
  National Union

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next to be held fall of 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
  Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
  5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
  National Democratic Alliance 2.3%, YBA 2.2%, United Arab List 2.1%,
  Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other 1.6%; seats by party -
  Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11, National Union 7, Meretz 6,
  National Religious Party 6, United Torah Judaism 5, Democratic Front
  for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3, National Democratic Alliance
  3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality
  (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN];
  Gesher [David LEVI]; Green Leaf Party [Boaz WACHTEL and Shlomi
  SANDAK]; Herut [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party [Binyamin
  BEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meimad [Rabbi Michael
  MELCHIOR]; Meretz [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance
  (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY];
  National Union [Benyamin ELON] (includes Tekuma and Moledet); One
  Israel [Ra'anan COHEN]; One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu
  YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik
  DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or
  YBA [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the
  West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler
  interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors
  human rights abuses

International organization participation:
  BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7457/7369/7454/7458/7453 FAX: [972] (3) 517-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description:
  white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the
  Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal
  blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy Israel

Economy - overview:
  Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
  substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
  oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
  natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
  and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
  significant quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in
  other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
  equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
  leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
  deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
  and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
  is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
  military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR
  during the period 1989-99, coupled with the opening of new markets
  at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew
  rapidly in the early 1990s; growth began moderating in 1996 when the
  government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the
  immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 7.2% in 2000, but
  the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, difficulties in the
  high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors, and fiscal
  austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small declines in
  GDP in 2001 and 2002.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $117.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 30% services: 67% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 18% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.5 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  10.4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $38.5 billion
  expenditures: $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
  computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood
  and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and
  tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Industrial production growth rate:
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  42.24 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  37.82 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.457 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  80 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.92 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  20.81 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Exports:
  $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
  products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners:
  US 39.2%, Belgium 6.5%, Germany 4.4%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
  diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 21.6%, Belgium 8.9%, Germany 6.7%, UK 6.6%, Switzerland 4.9%,
  Italy 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $42.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $720 million from US (2001 est.)

Currency:
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;
  ILS is the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) code
  for the NIS

Currency code:
  ILS

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.74 (2002), 4.21 (2001), 4.08
  (2000), 4.14 (1999), 3.8 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Israel

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.8 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.5 million (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East
  although not the largest
  domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
  all systems are digital
  international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.69 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .il

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  21 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.94 million (2001)

Transportation Israel

Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 16,281 km
  paved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 100 km; oil 1,509 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine:
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 705,897 GRT/823,605 DWT
  ships by type: container 17, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  52 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Heliports: 3 (2002)

Military Israel

Military branches:
  Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air
  components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal);
  note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military
  services

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,562,716 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 1,516,505

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,279,277
  females age 15-49: 1,237,926 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 51,080
  females: 53,496 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $8.97 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  8.75% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Israel

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights
  is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan
  Heights)

Illicit drugs:
  increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive
  in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Italy

Introduction Italy

Background:
  Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the
  peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King
  Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a close
  in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist
  dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to
  Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the
  monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter
  member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has
  been at the forefront of European economic and political
  unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent
  problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,
  high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of
  southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

Geography Italy

Location:
  Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
  Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
  42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 301,230 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
  water: 7,210 sq km
  land: 294,020 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,932.2 km
  border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
  City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline:
  7,600 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
  secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Natural resources:
  mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil
  reserves, fish, coal, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28.07% permanent crops: 9.25% other: 62.68% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
  southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People Italy

Population:
  57,998,353 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14% (male 4,193,412; female 3,947,679)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 19,625,428; female 19,337,861)
  65 years and over: 18.8% (male 4,516,995; female 6,376,978) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 41 years male: 39.4 years female: 42.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.11% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.4 years
  male: 76.47 years
  female: 82.52 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups:
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
  Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
  Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions:
  predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
  communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Languages:
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are
  predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking
  minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking
  minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99%
  female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Government Italy

Country name:
  conventional long form: Italian Republic
  conventional short form: Italy
  local long form: Repubblica Italiana
  former: Kingdom of Italy
  local short form: Italia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Rome

Administrative divisions:
  20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata,
  Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio,
  Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna,
  Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence:
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally
  unified until 1870)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution:
  1 January 1948

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial
  review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where
  minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
  seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA
  May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
  by Parliament
  head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
  president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
  June 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 70%
  note: a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
  National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center,
  United Christian Democrats

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato
  della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are
  directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
  representation; in addition, there are a small number of
  senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
  members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
  dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
  proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance
  46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128
  (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16,
  Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with
  either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties
  367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern
  League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138,
  Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9,
  independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
  judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
  Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
  Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of
  the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian
  Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower
  Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic
  Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House
  Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and
  Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower
  Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian
  Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic Center or CCD
  [Marco FOLLINI]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza
  Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro
  SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian
  Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal or RI
  [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];
  Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Pino RAUTI];
  National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL
  [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German
  speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green
  Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes
  Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for
  Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals
  (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA];
  The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center,
  United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR
  [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU [Rocco
  BUTTIGLIONE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,
  Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,
  Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
  confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
  [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei
  Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman
  Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro
  LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI,
  CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO consulate(s): Detroit consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
  similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist
  side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote
  d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
  white, and green
  note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
  1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview:
  Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same
  total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic
  economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated
  by private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependent
  agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed
  by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.
  Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in
  order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions
  and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The
  current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at
  improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved
  slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as
  lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor
  market and over-generous pension system, because of the current
  economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.455 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 30%
  services: 67.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  27.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  23.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $504 billion
  expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,
  textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2.8% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  258.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% other: 3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  289.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  556 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  48.93 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  586.6 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  209.7 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $259.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,
  motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and
  tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
  Germany 13.7%, France 12.2%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9%, Spain 6.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $238.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
  products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
  food, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.8%, France 11.3%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 5%, US 4.9%,
  Spain 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Italy

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  20.5 million (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated
  telephone, telex, and data services
  domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total
  of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine
  cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
  50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .it

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users:
  19.25 million (2001)

Transportation Italy

Railways:
  total: 19,493 km
  standard gauge: 18,090 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 88 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,315 km
  0.950-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 479,688 km
  paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  2,400 km
  note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of
  limited overall value (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 17,448 km; oil 1,245 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia,
  Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia),
  Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)

Merchant marine:
  total: 462 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,518,900 GRT/9,963,040 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of
  1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland
  1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, UK 6, US 12 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 39, chemical tanker 98, combination
  ore/oil 5, container 28, liquefied gas 39, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, petroleum tanker 67,
  refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 60, short-sea passenger 32,
  specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 22

Airports:
  134 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Heliports: 4 (2002)

Military Italy

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 14,450,147 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 12,349,356 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 291,529 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20.2 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.64% (2002)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international:
  Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral property and ethnic
  minority rights issues stemming from border changes after the Second
  World War

Illicit drugs:
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and
  Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
  laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Jamaica

Introduction Jamaica

Background:
  Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in
  1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to
  recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw
  the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent
  governments have been open market oriented. Political violence
  marred elections during the 1990s.

Geography Jamaica

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 10,991 sq km
  land: 10,831 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,022 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin
  contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:
  mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 9.23% other: 74.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the
  main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population:
  2,695,867 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.6% (male 395,074; female 376,870)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 870,486; female 869,431)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 82,022; female 101,984) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.5 years
  male: 25.8 years
  female: 27.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.61% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.35 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.85 years
  male: 73.84 years
  female: 77.97 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  980 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Jamaican(s)
  adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:
  black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed
  7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions:
  Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United
  Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),
  Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages:
  English, patois English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Government Jamaica

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

Government type:
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Kingston

Administrative divisions:
  14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,
  Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint
  James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Independence:
  6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Constitution:
  6 August 1962

Legal system:
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
  August 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
  30 March 1992)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
  general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
  minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body
  appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
  prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
  allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
  the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
  seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the
  advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic
  Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP
  [Percival James PATTERSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
  religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
  chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
  embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
  Kingston 5
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
  FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Flag description:
  diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green
  (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview:
  The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been
  stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy
  inched ahead, by 0.8% in 2000, 1.7% in 2001, and 0.8% in 2002; the
  global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after
  the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic
  recovery. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased
  foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate;
  a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt,
  the result of government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the
  economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic
  conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including serious
  violent crime. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon
  encouraging investment and tourism, maintaining a competitive
  exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper
  fiscal and monetary policies.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.08 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 31% services: 63% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 34.2% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.13 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  15.4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.23 billion
  expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $232.5 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures,
  rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.272 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% other: 1.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.833 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Exports:
  $1.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Exports - partners:
  US 28.1%, Canada 12.2%, Norway 10.7%, UK 10.5%, Germany 7%,
  Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $3.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel,
  food, chemicals, fertilizers

Imports - partners:
  US 45%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.3 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency:
  Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code:
  JMD

Exchange rates:
  Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 48.42 (2002), 46 (2001), 42.7
  (2000), 39.04 (1999), 36.55 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  353,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  54,640 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (1997)

Televisions:
  460,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  21 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Jamaica

Railways:
  total: 272 km
  standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to
  the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but
  are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned
  and used to transport bauxite (2002)

Highways: total: 18,700 km paved: 13,109 km unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  petroleum products 10 km

Ports and harbors:
  Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios,
  Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,536 GRT/62,868 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
  short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Latvia 2, US 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  35 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Military Jamaica

Military branches:
  Jamaica Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and
  Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 755,698 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 528,689 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 27,398 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $30 million (FY95/96 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North
  America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has
  an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major
  concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
  traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background:
  This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling
  captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are
  inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and
  trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
  Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
  Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
  northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location:
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
  Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:
  71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 373 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 373 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  124.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 4 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:
  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic
  activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
  the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2003 est.)

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo
  through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
  authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
  Defense Communication Service

Legal system:
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:
  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
  resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
  employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on
  the island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Japan

Introduction Japan

Background:
  While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed
  Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an
  economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor
  retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests
  in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business
  executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the
  1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.

Geography Japan

Location:
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
  Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
  36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 377,835 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
  Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
  Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
  water: 3,091 sq km
  land: 374,744 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  29,751 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the international
  straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
  Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Climate:
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 86.86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
  occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
  acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
  threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
  fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
  resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
  strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population:
  127,214,499 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 9,368,132; female 8,906,024)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 42,852,204; female 42,368,109)
  65 years and over: 18.6% (male 9,945,638; female 13,774,392) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 42 years male: 40.3 years female: 43.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.11% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.55 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.93 years
  male: 77.63 years
  female: 84.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  430 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups:
  Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian
  182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914) (2000)

Religions:
  observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
  Christian 0.7%)

Languages:
  Japanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1995 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Japan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital:
  Tokyo

Administrative divisions:
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
  Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
  Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
  Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
  Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
  Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
  Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:
  660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:
  3 May 1947

Legal system:
  modeled after European civil law system with English-American
  influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI,
  Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority
  Liberal Democratic Party and soon thereafter designated by the Diet
  to become the next prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the
  prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister
  must command a parliamentary majority; therefore, following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
  a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes
  prime minister
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
  2001)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or
  Sangi-in (247 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
  reelected every three years; 149 members in multi-seat
  constituencies and 98 by proportional representation); House of
  Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
  four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
  proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8,
  Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; distribution
  of seats as of July 2001 was: LDP 115, DPJ 60, Komeito 24, JCP 20,
  SDP 8, Liberal Party 8 (merged with DPJ in 2003), independents 6,
  others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP
  49.38%, DPJ 36.88%, Komeito 7.09%, JCP 1.88%, SDP 1.25%, NCP .84%;
  seats by party - LDP 237, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, NCP 4,
  others 13; distribution of seats as of 13 November 2003 was: LDP
  244, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 10
  elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be
  held in July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 9 November
  2003 (next election has not been scheduled)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
  designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
  cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Naoto KAN, leader; Katsuya OKADA,
  secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII,
  chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito [Takenori
  KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president; Shinzo ABE,
  secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho
  FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
  EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
  Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri),
  Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San
  Francisco, and Seattle
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr. embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
  the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview:
  Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of
  high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of
  GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of
  second-most-technologically-powerful economy in the world after the
  US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable
  characteristic of the economy is the working together of
  manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
  called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
  lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
  force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
  sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
  materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly
  subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
  world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
  of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
  one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
  15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
  growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
  average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
  markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
  aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
  contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
  excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts
  to revive economic growth have met with little success and were
  further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European,
  and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which is
  approaching 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two
  major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term
  economic strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's
  720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to
  reform the ailing banking system continues.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.651 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 30.9%
  services: 67.7% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.9 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  67.7 million (December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 70%, industry 25%, agriculture 5% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.4% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $441 billion
  expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public
  works only) of about $0 NA (FY 01/02 est.)

Industries:
  among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of
  motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
  nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:
  -1.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.037 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% other: 1.8% (2001) nuclear: 29.8%

Electricity - consumption:
  964.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  29.29 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  20.02 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish

Exports:
  $383.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 28.8%, China 9.6%, South Korea 6.9%, Taiwan 6.2%, Hong Kong 6.1%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $292.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,
  raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:
  China 18.3%, US 17.4%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.2%, Australia
  4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)

Currency:
  yen (JPY)

Currency code:
  JPY

Exchange rates:
  yen per US dollar - 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000),
  113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  60.381 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  63.88 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
  every kind
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and
  1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to
  China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21
  (2001)

Radios:
  120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions:
  86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  73 (2000)

Internet users:
  56 million (2002)

Transportation Japan

Railways:
  total: 23,168 km (15,995 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 19,855 km
  1.067-m gauge (12,683 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (31 km
  electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 1,161,894 km
  paved: 534,471 km (including 6,455 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 627,423 km (1999)

Waterways: 1,770 km approximately note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas

Pipelines:
  gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima,
  Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima,
  Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Merchant marine:
  total: 594 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,467,142 GRT/13,335,833 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 120, cargo 45, chemical tanker 18, combination
  bulk 28, combination ore/oil 1, container 18, liquefied gas 52,
  passenger 8, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 179, refrigerated
  cargo 9, roll on/roll off 59, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier
  49
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  172 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 141 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 32 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 26 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Heliports: 15 (2002)

Military Japan

Military branches:
  Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
  (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 29,392,559 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 25,405,779 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 725,281 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $39.52 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international:
  islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group
  occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia,
  claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) disputed with
  South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Jarvis Island

Introduction Jarvis Island

Background:
  First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was
  annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano
  had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never
  carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and
  reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the
  island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the
  US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the
  middle of the west coast.

Geography Jarvis Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 4.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 4.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources:
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
  wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs;
  primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
  shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Jarvis Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
  used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
  abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
  Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
  permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
  restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
  and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

Government Jarvis Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Jarvis Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Jarvis Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the
  southwest corner of the island

Transportation - note:
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Jarvis Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Jarvis Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Jersey

Introduction Jersey

Background:
  The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the
  last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in
  both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Jersey

Location:
  Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 116 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 116 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  70 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:
  gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
  population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population:
  90,156 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 8,292; female 7,744)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 30,178; female 30,410)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 5,858; female 7,674) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.8 years
  male: 39.1 years
  female: 40.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.93 years
  male: 76.48 years
  female: 81.57 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
  UK and Norman-French descent

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
  Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages:
  English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken
  in country districts

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Jersey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
  conventional short form: Jersey

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint Helier

Administrative divisions:
  none (British crown dependency)

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
  Court

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
  bailiff appointed by the monarch
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
  Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
  Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
  cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators
  (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes
  (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms);
  the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the
  Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all
  appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52

Judicial branch:
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the
  flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
  shield holding the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based largely on international financial services,
  agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and
  especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the
  UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
  represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
  the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
  for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of
  the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the
  government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with
  the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the
  traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy
  requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food
  needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax
  haven.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 2%
  services: 93% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.7% (1998)

Labor force:
  57,050 (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  0.7% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $601 million
  expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
  million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
  UK

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,
  mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  UK

Debt - external:
  none

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
  (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at par
  with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  65,500 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,400 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .je

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Jersey

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 577 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Johnston Atoll

Introduction Johnston Atoll

Background:
  Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in
  1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late
  1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the
  US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for
  high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late
  in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for
  chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and
  closure of the facility is progressing, with completion anticipated
  in 2004.

Geography Johnston Atoll

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km)
  southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from
  Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  16 45 N, 169 31 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 2.8 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 2.8 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  34 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with
  little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources:
  guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and
  aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and
  Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral
  dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade
  islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in
  circumference; closed to the public; a former US nuclear weapons
  test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System
  (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation

People Johnston Atoll

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
  and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
  population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
  Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2003 the island
  population was just above 800 personnel, including US Air Force, US
  Department of Defense civilian, and civilian contractor personnel
  (January 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Government Johnston Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI,
  by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish and
  Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
  National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Johnston Atoll

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military
  personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - production:
  44.2 million kWh; note - approximate annual production; there are
  six 25,000 kWh generators operated by the base operating support
  contractor (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.002 million kWh; note - approximate annual consumption

Communications Johnston Atoll

Telephone system:
  general assessment: 33 commercial lines, 15 incoming and 18
  outgoing; adequate telecommunications
  domestic: 60-channel submarine cable (broken in January 2002), 24
  DSN circuits by satellite, Automated Digital Network (AUTODIN) with
  standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military
  Affiliated Radio System (MARS) station (scheduled for
  decommissioning March 2003), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the
  Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite
  international: NA (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM 7 (1 island-run morale, welfare, and recreation station
  and 6 all-music digital radio stations broadcast over FM band),
  shortwave NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  commercial satellite television system, with 30 channels (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run Nonsecure Internet
  Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002)

Transportation Johnston Atoll

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Johnston Island

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Johnston Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Jordan

Introduction Jordan

Background:
  For most of its history since independence from British
  administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
  A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
  from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
  Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several
  wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections
  and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal
  peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest
  son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following
  his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated
  his power and established his domestic priorities, including an
  aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World
  Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements
  with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade
  Association in 2001.

Geography Jordan

Location:
  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 92,300 sq km
  water: 329 sq km
  land: 91,971 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,635 km
  border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
  Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:
  26 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:
  mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift
  Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 1.52% other: 95.61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing;
  soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab
  country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied
  West Bank

People Jordan

Population:
  5,460,265 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.9% (male 1,001,174; female 959,157)
  15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,764,061; female 1,541,453)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 95,566; female 98,854) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 22.4 years
  female: 21.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.78% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 22.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.88 years
  male: 75.42 years
  female: 80.5 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,000

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Jordanian(s)
  adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some
  Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
  Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
  small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle
  classes

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.3%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  conventional short form: Jordan
  local short form: Al Urdun
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
  former: Transjordan

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  'Amman

Administrative divisions:
  12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
  'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
  Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:
  25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:
  8 January 1952

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
  legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown
  Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)
  head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
  with the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the
  Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (40
  seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
  of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
  al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
  of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
  seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
  electoral panel if no women are elected)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003, next
  to be held NA 2007
  note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
  by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
  parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
  were not legalized until 1992; King Abdallah delayed the 2001
  elections until 2003
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%;
  seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18
  (note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF
  candidate)

Judicial branch:
  Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab
  Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist
  Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front
  [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular
  Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive
  Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's
  Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general];
  Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; National
  Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; National
  Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; (Arab)
  Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab
  (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
  chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
  Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
  Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr. embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5920121

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate
  of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the
  Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle
  (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side
  bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
  verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
  points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
  spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview:
  Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water
  and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
  unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since
  assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic
  reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in
  the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
  careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with
  privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
  sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a
  free trade accord with US (2000), and an association agreement with
  the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and
  have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in
  Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent
  on Iraq for discounted oil. It remains unclear how Jordan will
  finance energy imports in the absence of such a deal. Other ongoing
  challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit
  and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $22.63 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26% services: 70.3% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.36 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.7 billion
  expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $614
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement,
  potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.091 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.86 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  267 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  40 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  103,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  445,000 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.256 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry

Exports: $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products,
  manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
  Iraq 20.1%, US 14.5%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, Israel 4.4%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals,
  manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Iraq 13.4%, Germany 8.8%, US 8%, China 6%, France 4.2%, UK 4.1%,
  Italy 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
  JOD

Exchange rates:
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.71 (2002), 0.71 (2001), 0.71
  (2000), 0.71 (1999), 0.71 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  403,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11,500 (1995)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service has improved recently with the
  increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
  the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
  to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
  domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
  fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
  mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and
  29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi
  Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria;
  connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link
  Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links
  total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
  1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  500,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  212,000 (2002)

Transportation Jordan

Railways: total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,245 km paved: 7,245 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Al 'Aqabah

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 63,522 GRT/79,776 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  17 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Jordan

Military branches:
  Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal
  Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations
  Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls
  under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis
  situations

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,577,136 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 58,840 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $757.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  8.6% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Juan de Nova Island

Introduction Juan de Nova Island

Background:
  Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer,
  the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been
  exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military
  garrison oversees a meteorological station.

Geography Juan de Nova Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third
  of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 4.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 4.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  24.1 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  wildlife sanctuary

People Juan de Nova Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Government Juan de Nova Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
  local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
  Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (possession of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Juan de Nova Island

Economy - overview:
  Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Communications Juan de Nova Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Juan de Nova Island

Railways:
  total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Juan de Nova Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Juan de Nova Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kazakhstan

Introduction Kazakhstan

Background:
  Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
  migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
  a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
  century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
  1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
  were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
  This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
  deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
  non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of
  these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
  cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
  country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
  achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
  mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
  and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location:
  Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
  River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:
  48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 2,717,300 sq km
  water: 47,500 sq km
  land: 2,669,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 12,012 km
  border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
  km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now
  split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea
  (1,894 km)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:
  extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains
  in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:
  major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
  manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:
  arable land: 11.23%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 88.72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:
  radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former
  defense industries and test ranges throughout the country pose
  health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe
  in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the
  Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
  leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
  salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown
  into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil
  pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from
  poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory
  enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome

People Kazakhstan

Population:
  16,763,795 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.4% (male 2,161,510; female 2,089,780)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 5,425,545; female 5,769,457)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 458,379; female 859,124) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 26.6 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.17% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 58.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 63.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.48 years
  male: 58.16 years
  female: 69.06 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.16 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kazakhstani(s)
  adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:
  Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
  German 2.4%, Uighur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:
  Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in
  everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
  communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
  conventional short form: Kazakhstan
  local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
  former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
  local short form: none

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in
  December 1998

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,
  singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
  (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
  (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
  Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
  (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of
  Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
  lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
  Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
  (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)

Independence:
  16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 25 October (1990)

Constitution:
  adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
  post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
  Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December
  1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
  percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
  ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
  note: President NAZARBAYEV expanded his presidential powers by
  decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and
  dismiss the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his
  discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
  scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
  previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
  30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats - previously
  47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members
  are popularly elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital
  of Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms) and the
  Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members are elected from
  the winning party's lists; members are popularly elected to serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: note - the election results are for the old Senate
  structure; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; 16 seats up for election in 1999, candidates nominated by local
  councils; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Otan 23, Civic Party 13, Communist Party 3, Agrarian Party 3,
  People's Cooperative Party 1, independents 34; note - most
  independent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises
  and other pro-government institutions
  elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
  be held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 10 and 24 October and
  26 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak Zhol Party "White Road" [Bulat
  ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, cofounders]; AUL
  "Village" [leader NA]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first
  secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first
  secretary]; Otan "Fatherland" [Gani YESIMOV, chairman]; Patriots'
  Party [Gani KASYMOV]
  note: only seven parties in Kazakhstan have been registered under
  the new political party law passed in July 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY]; AZAMAT
  "Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSEITOV,
  cochairmen]; Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan ZHAKIYANOV,
  Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, cochairmen]; Labor and Worker's Movement
  [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human
  Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Orleu "Development"
  Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye
  [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of Kazakhstan of
  NKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's Cooperative Party of
  Kazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican People's Party of
  Kazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN]; Socialist Party [Petr
  SVOIK]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
  PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
  consulate(s): New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
  chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry C. NAPPER
  embassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
  480091
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-21, 63-13-75, 50-76-23, 50-76-27
  (emergency number)
  FAX: [7] (3272) 63-38-83

Flag description:
  sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun
  with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on
  the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:
  Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
  territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
  as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
  is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer.
  Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
  processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
  machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
  tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
  breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
  Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
  short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
  decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
  program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
  a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
  enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
  thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
  reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the
  Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's
  Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export
  capacity. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy
  designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the
  oil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policy
  aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign
  personnel; the government has engaged in several disputes with
  foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, and
  tensions continue.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $120 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 40% services: 51% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  8.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,
  titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
  tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,
  construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  10% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  52.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  48.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  798,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  195,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.709 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  10.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  920.3 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Exports:
  $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,
  machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Russia 16.2%, Bermuda 12.1%, China 11.3%, Germany 8.8%, Italy 5.5%,
  Ukraine 4.9%, France 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $9.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%
  (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 37.1%, US 9.3%, China 9.3%, Germany 9.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $6.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000

Currency:
  tenge (KZT)

Currency code:
  KZT

Exchange rates:
  tenge per US dollar - 153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000),
  119.52 (1999), 78.3 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.92 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  400,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
  domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
  cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
  international: international traffic with other former Soviet
  republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay
  and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
  6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Railways: total: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 81,331 km paved: 77,020 km unpaved: 4,311 km (2000)

Waterways:
  3,900 km
  note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers

Pipelines:
  condensate 640 km; gas 10,527 km; oil 9,771 km; refined products
  1,187 km; water 1,465 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
  Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
  ships by type: roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  488 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 60
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 428
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 44
  914 to 1,523 m: 103
  under 914 m: 251 (2002)

Military Kazakhstan

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Border
  Service, Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,580,754 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,658,815 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 174,111 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:
  Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute and are
  working to delimit their large open borders to control population
  migration, illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of boundary
  with Russia is scheduled for completion in 2003 - delimitations with
  Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are complete with demarcations underway
  - delimitation with Kyrgyzstan is largely complete; equidistant
  seabed treaties have been signed with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
  Caspian Sea but no resolution has been made on dividing the water
  column among any of the littoral states; no resolution of Caspian
  seabed boundary with Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs:
  significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as
  well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug
  ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
  point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
  Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kenya

Introduction Kenya

Background:
  Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led
  Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
  Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
  The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
  the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
  legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
  for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
  opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
  and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
  having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
  MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
  elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
  united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
  KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
  campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Geography Kenya

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
  Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 582,650 sq km
  water: 13,400 sq km
  land: 569,250 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,477 km
  border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
  Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:
  536 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:
  low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;
  fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:
  gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,
  wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.03% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 92.06% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
  agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
  Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
  supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
  value

People Kenya

Population:
  31,639,091
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.3% (male 6,609,904; female 6,461,945)
  15-64 years: 55.8% (male 8,900,615; female 8,766,698)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 389,918; female 510,011) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.4 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)
  male: 18.2 years

Population growth rate:
  1.27% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  28.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  16.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
  220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
  145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 63.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 66.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 45.22 years
  male: 45.02 years
  female: 45.43 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  15% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2.5 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  190,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kenyan(s)
  adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,
  Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)
  1%

Religions:
  Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim
  10%, other 2%
  note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
  the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
  beliefs vary widely

Languages:
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
  languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.1%
  male: 90.6%
  female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
  conventional short form: Kenya
  former: British East Africa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Nairobi

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,
  North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:
  12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:
  12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
  amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Legal system:
  based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
  tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
  amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
  1991

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and
  Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
  terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
  vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
  avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
  NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
  Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
  "nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
  by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
  ex-officio members)
  elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
  by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
  Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
  [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
  [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
  the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National
  Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of
  political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
  Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava
  MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme
  Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMISET, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO
  consulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York are
  closed; mission to the UN remains open
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
  chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
  embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606
  Village Market Nairobi
  mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
  telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
  FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the
  red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
  crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview:
  Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, is
  hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whose
  prices remain low. Following strong economic growth in 1995 and
  1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to keep
  up with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF suspended
  Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
  government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
  severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
  causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
  As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which had
  resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
  halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
  several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
  in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
  investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%. Growth fell below
  1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager
  donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the
  key December 27, 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign
  ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
  economic problems facing the nation. Substantial donor support and
  rooting out corruption are essential to making Kenya realize its
  substantial economic potential.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $32.89 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 13% services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  10 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75% 75%-80%

Unemployment rate:
  40% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.91 billion
  expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
  textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products
  processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.033 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71% hydro: 17.7% other: 11.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.981 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  230 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Exports: $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
  cement

Exports - partners:
  Uganda 18.3%, UK 12.9%, US 8%, Netherlands 7.6%, Pakistan 4.9%,
  Tanzania 4.4%, Egypt 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:
  UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, US 8.1%, UK 7.1%, South Africa 7.1%,
  France 5.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 5%, India 4.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $457 million (1997)

Currency:
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:
  KES

Exchange rates:
  Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.75 (2002), 78.56 (2001), 76.18
  (2000), 70.33 (1999), 60.37 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:
  310,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  540,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except
  for service to business
  domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
  commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (2002)

Televisions:
  730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ke

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  65 (2001)

Internet users:
  500,000 (2002)

Transportation Kenya

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 63,942 km
  paved: 7,737 km
  unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA
  note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of
  Kenya

Pipelines:
  refined products 752 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,893 GRT/6,320 DWT
  ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  230 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 211 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 113 under 914 m: 83 (2002)

Military Kenya

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 8,096,142 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,017,501 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $185.2 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international:
  Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
  creating the "Ilemi triangle"

Illicit drugs:
  widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country
  for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian
  methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant
  potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status
  as a regional financial center, massive corruption, and relatively
  high levels of narcotics-associated activities

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kingman Reef

Introduction Kingman Reef

Background:
  The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a
  way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights
  during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef,
  which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse
  marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out
  to 12 NM around the reef were designated a US National Wildlife
  Refuge.

Geography Kingman Reef

Location:
  Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
  6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain:
  low and nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter
  makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:
  none

Geography - note:
  barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People Kingman Reef

Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Government Kingman Reef

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the
  Interior
  note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
  restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
  from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
  January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
  administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
  refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
  Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Kingman Reef

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Kingman Reef

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American
  Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
  (2002)

Military Kingman Reef

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Kingman Reef

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kiribati

Introduction Kiribati

Background:
  The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and
  complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US
  relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line
  Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location:
  Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
  the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from
  Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed
  that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert
  Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line
  Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the
  International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:
  1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 811 sq km
  note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
  Phoenix Islands
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 811 sq km

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,143 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 50.68% other: 49.32% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
  occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
  very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
  heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy
  migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines
  and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in
  Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population:
  98,549 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 19,839; female 19,333)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 27,705; female 28,438)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,385; female 1,849) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.26% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  31.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 51.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 56.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 60.93 years
  male: 57.97 years
  female: 64.03 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
  adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:
  predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
  Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
  of God (1999)

Languages:
  I-Kiribati, English (official)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Kiribati

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
  conventional short form: Kiribati
  former: Gilbert Islands
  note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Tarawa

Administrative divisions:
  3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in
  addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line
  Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island
  councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,
  Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,
  Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,
  Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:
  12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:
  12 July 1979

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
  candidates from among their members and then those candidates
  compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote
  for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be
  held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the
  president
  election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
  9.1%
  cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
  members of the House of Parliament
  head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;
  39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney
  general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
  round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
  note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
  round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all
  levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te
  Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP
  [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
  note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
  in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
  because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
  structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO
  (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary
  consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the
  Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:
  the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a
  yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal
  wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview:
  A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few
  natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
  exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
  fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
  has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
  constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
  and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
  than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
  development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
  Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
  China is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in
  recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than
  $5 million each year.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a nearly
  equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 7%
  services: 63% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers

Unemployment rate:
  2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $28.4 million
  expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.51 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Exports:
  $6 million f.o.b. (1998)

Exports - commodities:
  copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners:
  Japan 56.7%, Thailand 16.6%, South Korea 16.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $44 million c.i.f. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured
  goods, fuel

Imports - partners:
  France 28.7%, Australia 26.3%, Fiji 12.5%, Japan 9.5%, Latvia 5.4%,
  US 4.6%, New Zealand 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (1995)

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93 (2001), 1.72
  (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,800 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
  note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative
  Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios:
  17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ki

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,000 (2000)

Transportation Kiribati

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands)

Ports and harbors:
  Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
  ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  20 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Military Kiribati

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
  enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
  are on all islands)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is
  provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Korea, North

Introduction Korea, North

Background:
  Following World War II, Korea was split, with the northern half
  coming under Communist domination and the southern portion becoming
  Western-oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his
  father and the country's founder, president KIM Il-song, died in
  1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on
  international food aid to feed its population while continuing to
  expend resources to maintain an army of about 1 million. North
  Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear,
  chemical, and biological weapons and massive conventional armed
  forces are of major concern to the international community. In
  December 2002, North Korea repudiated a 1994 agreement that shut
  down its nuclear reactors and expelled UN monitors, further raising
  fears it would produce nuclear weapons.

Geography Korea, North

Location:
  Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
  Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 120,540 sq km
  water: 130 sq km
  land: 120,410 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:
  2,495 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the
  exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
  vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:
  temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:
  mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
  coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:
  coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,
  gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 14.12% permanent crops: 2.49% other: 83.39% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional
  typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne
  disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;
  mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population:
  22,466,481 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25% (male 2,845,727; female 2,763,800)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,485,310; female 7,746,603)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 541,155; female 1,083,886) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.1 years
  male: 30 years
  female: 32.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.07% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 27.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.79 years
  male: 68.1 years
  female: 73.61 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
  racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few
  ethnic Japanese

Religions:
  traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and
  syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
  note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
  government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
  religious freedom

Languages:
  Korean

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99%

Government Korea, North

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: North Korea
  local short form: none
  local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
  note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:
  authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Capital:
  Pyongyang

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 special cities* (si,
  singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto
  (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province),
  Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South
  Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon
  Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City),
  P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South
  P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (Pyongyang City), Yanggang-do
  (Yanggang Province)

Independence:
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
  September (1948)

Constitution:
  adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in
  April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system:
  based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and
  Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note - on 3
  September 2003, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National
  Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest
  administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was reelected President of
  the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility
  of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials
  elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly;
  election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA)
  election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme
  People's Assembly vote - NA%
  cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
  People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
  head of government: Premier PAK Pong-chu (since 3 September 2003);
  Vice Premiers KWAK Pom-ki (since 5 September 1998), CHON Sung-hun
  (since 3 September 2003), NO Tu-chol (since 3 September 2003)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected without
  opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Judicial branch:
  Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Social Democratic
  Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman]; major party - Korean Workers' Party
  or KWP [KIM Chong-il, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS,
  IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New
  York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (Swedish Embassy in P'yongyang represents the US as consular
  protecting power)

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
  the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is
  a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview:
  North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated
  economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital
  stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of
  underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power
  output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its tenth
  year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land; collective
  farming; weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000;
  and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international
  food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape mass
  starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains the victim of
  prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions.
  Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for
  investment and civilian consumption. Recently, the regime has placed
  emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information
  technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid,
  but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over
  key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented
  reforms. In 2003, heightened political tensions with key donor
  countries and general donor fatigue have held down the flow of
  desperately needed food aid and have threatened fuel aid as well.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $22.26 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 30.4%
  industry: 32.3%
  services: 37.3% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation:
  agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;
  mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and
  precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  30.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  27.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Exports:
  $842 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including
  armaments); textiles and fishery products

Exports - partners:
  China 23.5%, Japan 19.9%, Costa Rica 12.4%, Brazil 6.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.314 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain

Imports - partners:
  China 24.9%, Brazil 12.1%, India 9.2%, Thailand 9.2%, Germany 7.8%,
  Japan 7.1%, Singapore 4.5%, Qatar 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA; note - nearly $300 million in food aid alone from US, South
  Korea, Japan, and EU in 2001 plus much additional aid from the UN
  and non-governmental organizations

Currency:
  North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code:
  KPW

Exchange rates:
  official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150 (December 2002),
  2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14
  (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won per
  US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December 2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.1 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections
  through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)

Radios:
  3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  38 (1999)

Televisions:
  1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Korea, North

Railways:
  total: 5,214 km
  standard gauge: 4,549 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 31,200 km
  paved: 1,997 km
  unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,253 km note: mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines:
  oil 136 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
  Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine:
  total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 881,276 GRT/1,309,547 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 2, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 120, combination bulk 2, container 1,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo
  1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 4, short-sea passenger 2

Airports:
  72 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Military Korea, North

Military branches:
  Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil
  Security Forces

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,103,615 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,654,223 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 180,875 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $5,217.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  33.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international:
  with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in
  uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san
  (mountain) is indefinite; China objects to illegal migration of
  North Koreans into northern China; Military Demarcation Line within
  the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South
  Korea since 1953

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Korea, South

Introduction Korea, South

Background:
  After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of
  the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was
  installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-1953), US and
  other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean
  attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953,
  splitting the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th
  parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth
  with per capita income rising to roughly 20 times the level of North
  Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment to democratize its
  political processes. In June 2000, a historic first North-South
  summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the
  North's leader KIM Chong-il.

Geography Korea, South

Location:
  Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
  Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:
  37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 98,480 sq km
  land: 98,190 sq km
  water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:
  2,413 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait
  continental shelf: not specified
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:
  mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 17.44% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic
  activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the
  discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population:
  48,289,037 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 5,256,451; female 4,703,853)
  15-64 years: 71.5% (male 17,527,407; female 16,991,229)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,512,157; female 2,297,940) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 33.2 years male: 32.2 years female: 34.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.66% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.36 years
  male: 71.73 years
  female: 79.32 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  4,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  220 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:
  Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo
  (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Languages:
  Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.1%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 97% (2003 est.)

Government Korea, South

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: South Korea
  local short form: none
  note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
  their country
  local long form: Taehan-min'guk
  abbreviation: ROK

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Seoul

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities*
  (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto,
  Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
  Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
  Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*,
  Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*,
  Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Independence:
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:
  17 July 1948

Legal system:
  combines elements of continental European civil law systems,
  Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun) (since 25
  February 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27
  February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Chin-p'yo (KIM Jin-pyo)
  (since 27 February 2003) and YUN Tok-hong (since 6 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
  term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held NA
  December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy
  prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's
  recommendation
  election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO
  Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of
  vote - NO Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227
  elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms);
  note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly elected;
  possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of seats in
  the National Assembly
  elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats
  as of April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1,
  independents 5; one seat vacant

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the
  consent of the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader NA]; Grand National Party
  or GNP [CH'OE Pyong-ryol, chairman]; Millennium Democratic Party or
  MDP [CHO Sun-hyong, chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM
  Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [KIM Kun-t'ae, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
  Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
  Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
  National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
  Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
  Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
  AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest),
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG,
  UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo)
  consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam)
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
  Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
  chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description:
  white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
  there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of
  Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview:
  As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an
  incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech
  modern world economy. Three decades ago GDP per capita was
  comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia.
  Today its GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the
  lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the
  late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business
  ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
  specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
  promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
  of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
  consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed
  longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
  including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
  undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in
  1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000.
  Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global
  economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed
  corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer
  spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite
  anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In
  2003 the six-day work week was reduced to five days.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.4% industry: 41.6% services: 54% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.6 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  22 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $118.1 billion
  expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6
  billion (2000)

Industries:
  electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel,
  textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 36.6%

Electricity - consumption:
  270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $162.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Exports - partners:
  US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $148.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,
  transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Imports - partners:
  Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA $200 million

Currency:
  South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code:
  KRW

Exchange rates:
  South Korean won per US dollar - 1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001),
  1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use:
  24 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  28 million (September 2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the
  Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat
  (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001)

Radios:
  47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American
  Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Televisions:
  15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  25.6 million (2002)

Transportation Korea, South

Railways: total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 86,990 km
  paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,609 km note: restricted to small native craft

Pipelines:
  gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan,
  Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant marine:
  total: 541 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,490,521 GRT/10,602,751 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1,
  Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
  UK 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 174, chemical tanker 63, combination
  bulk 9, container 52, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, petroleum
  tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea
  passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 5

Airports:
  102 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 21 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Heliports: 204 (2002)

Military Korea, South

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police
  (Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 345,331 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13,094.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international:
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone
  has separated North from South Korea since 1953; Liancourt Rocks
  (Take-shima/Tok-do) are disputed with Japan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kuwait

Introduction Kuwait

Background:
  Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
  Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
  Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
  several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
  ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
  days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
  damaged during 1990-91.

Geography Kuwait

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
  Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 17,820 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 17,820 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:
  499 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:
  flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.34% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.6% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  60 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy
  rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms
  occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and
  August

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and
  most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the
  water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine
  Dumping

Geography - note:
  strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,183,161 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 310,008; female 298,474)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 970,282; female 547,753)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 36,306; female 20,338) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.9 years
  male: 28.4 years
  female: 21.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.34%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
  expatriates (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.83 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  14.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.65 years
  male: 75.72 years
  female: 77.62 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:
  Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and
  other 15%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.5%
  male: 85.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Kuwait
  conventional short form: Kuwait
  local short form: Al Kuwayt
  local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

Government type:
  nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Kuwait

Administrative divisions:
  5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al
  Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Independence:
  19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:
  approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:
  civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have
  resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at
  age 21
  note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
  naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
  have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
  first time

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31
  December 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
  (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al
  Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al
  Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
  approved by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21,
  government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
  all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
  Assembly

Judicial branch:
  High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
  merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
  nationalists

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sheikh SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES
  embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
  palace), Kuwait City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000,
  APO AE 09880-9000
  telephone: [965] 539-5307, ext. 2240
  FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
  black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview:
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude
  oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves.
  Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues,
  and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural
  development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends
  almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be
  distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign
  oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.
  Oil production declined by an estimated 8% in 2002 but is expected
  to return to the 2001 level in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $36.85 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 39.7%
  services: 0.3% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.3 million
  note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (1998
  est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $11 billion
  expenditures: $17.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 02/03)

Industries:
  petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing,
  construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  -5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  31.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  29.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.117 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  273,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  97.68 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.548 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  practically no crops; fish

Exports:
  $16 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:
  Japan 24.4%, South Korea 12.9%, US 11.9%, Singapore 10.1%, Taiwan
  7%, Netherlands 4.5%, Pakistan 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $7.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:
  US 13.1%, Japan 11.1%, Germany 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, UK 6%,
  Italy 5.4%, France 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $10.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency:
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code:
  KWD

Exchange rates:
  Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31
  (2000), 0.3 (1999), 0.3 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:
  412,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  210,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
  domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
  subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
  coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
  telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
  supplied with pay telephones
  international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi
  Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG)
  cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2
  Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions:
  875,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  200,000 (2002)

Transportation Kuwait

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al
  Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine:
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,273,628 GRT/3,638,645 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6,
  livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports:
  3 (2002)

Military Kuwait

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National
  Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 845,026 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 18,885 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,967.3 million (FY01) note: Kuwait is changing its fiscal year; the above figure is for July-March 2001; future budget years will be April-March annually

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international:
  the Kuwait 1994 land and Khawr 'Abd Allah channel boundary
  demarcation ended Iraqi claims to Kuwait and Bubiyan and Warbah
  islands; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are negotiating maritime boundary
  with Iran

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:
  A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud
  nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
  achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
  concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
  expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
  relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:
  Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 198,500 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km
  land: 191,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,878 km
  border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in
  southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:
  peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass
  entire nation

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
  highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:
  abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth
  metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other
  deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:
  arable land: 7.04%
  permanent crops: 0.39%
  note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
  forest (1998 est.)
  other: 92.57%

Irrigated land:
  10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
  many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population:
  4,892,808 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.8% (male 836,593; female 819,615)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 1,436,371; female 1,492,884)
  65 years and over: 6.3% (male 117,405; female 189,940) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.7 years
  male: 21.8 years
  female: 23.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.46% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 75.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 84.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.66 years
  male: 59.49 years
  female: 68.03 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  over 500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
  adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:
  Kyrgyz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German
  2.4%, other 11.8%

Religions:
  Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:
  Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
  note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an
  official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 99%
  female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
  conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
  local short form: none
  former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bishkek

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
  Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
  Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty
  (Karakol)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV
  and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly
  expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May
  2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May
  2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in
  March of 2002
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
  note - election marred by serious irregularities
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held November or
  December 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of the
  Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative
  Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
  seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
  Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
  independents 73, other 10
  note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
  elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
  People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly
  elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005);
  Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next
  to be held NA February 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the
  Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
  Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson S. SYDYKOV]; Agrarian
  Party of Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken or Fatherland [Omurbek
  TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA [Chaprashty
  BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar
  JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A.
  SHAILIYEVA]; Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan
  Progressive and Democratic Party [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Justice
  Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement for the People's Salvation
  [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement or Ashar [Jumagazy
  USUPOV]; My Country Party of Action [Almazbek ISMANKULOV]; National
  Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of
  Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the
  Veterans of the War in Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party
  [leader NA]; People's Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Republican Popular
  Party of Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or
  PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union of Democratic Forces (composed of Social
  Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or PSD [J. IBRAMOV], Economic Revival
  Party, and Birimdik Party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights
  [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
  Entrepreneurs

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW
  (signatory), OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
  FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
  consulate(s): New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
  chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
  embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
  FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description:
  red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
  representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
  counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
  sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
  representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:
  Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a
  predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat
  are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton
  are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,
  mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has
  been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an
  improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first
  CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With
  fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in
  2001, 2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock
  in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe
  after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by
  mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase.
  Growth was held down to 2.1% in 1998 largely because of the
  spillover from Russia's economic difficulties, but moved ahead to
  3.6% in 1999, 5% in 2000, and 5% again in 2001. The drop in output
  at the Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and
  again in 2003. On the positive side, the government and the
  international financial institutions have been engaged in a
  comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth
  strategy. Further restructuring of domestic industry and success in
  attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $13.88 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 25% services: 40% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 55% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 27.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.6 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.2% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $207.4 million
  expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn
  logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
  metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  13.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  10.46 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  2.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  200 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Exports:
  $488 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,
  hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:
  Switzerland 19.9%, Russia 16.5%, UAE 14.2%, China 8.5%, Kazakhstan
  7.6%, US 7.4%, Uzbekistan 5.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $587 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Kazakhstan 21.1%, Russia 19.9%, Uzbekistan 10.2%, China 10.1%, US
  8.1%, Germany 5.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $50 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
  Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Currency code:
  KGS

Exchange rates:
  soms per US dollar - 46.94 (2002), 48.38 (2001), 47.7 (2000), 39.01
  (1999), 20.84 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  351,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied
  applications for household telephones
  domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
  probably limited to Bishkek region
  international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or
  microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections
  with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite
  earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected
  internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from
  Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions:
  210,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  51,600 (2001)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Railways: total: 420 km broad gauge: 420 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 18,500 km
  paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  600 km (1990)

Pipelines:
  gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Airports:
  68 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 50 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,265,019 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,026,063 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 54,445 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:
  Kyrgyzstan's constitutional court has ruled that 1,270 sq km ceded
  to China in a 2000 delimitation agreement were legally transferred;
  delimitation with Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor
  disputed areas; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of
  delimitation with Tajikistan; serious disputes with Uzbekistan
  around Uzbek enclaves mar progress on delimitation efforts

Illicit drugs:
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS
  markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
  point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
  Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background:
  In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government,
  ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam
  and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private
  enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the
  admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 236,800 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km
  land: 230,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,083 km
  border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
  Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April)

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use:
  arable land: 3.47%
  permanent crops: 0.23%
  other: 96.3% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,640 sq km
  note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  floods, droughts

Environment - current issues:
  unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the
  population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
  forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with
  Thailand

People Laos

Population:
  5,921,545 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 1,255,172; female 1,242,823)
  15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,592,697; female 1,639,431)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,192; female 104,230) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.45% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 88.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 78.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 99.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 54.3 years
  male: 52.34 years
  female: 56.33 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 150 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
  adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:
  Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
  (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic
  Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions:
  Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian
  denominations 1.5%)

Languages:
  Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.8%
  male: 67.5%
  female: 38.1% (2003 est.)

Government Laos

Country name:
  conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
  conventional short form: Laos
  local short form: none
  local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Vientiane

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
  (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
  (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
  Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang,
  Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan,
  Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:
  19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:
  promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:
  based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,
  and socialist practice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February
  1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27
  March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
  March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli
  (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since
  27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since
  26 February 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
  approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
  election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
  increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
  elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Judicial branch:
  People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
  is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
  National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
  People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
  Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
  Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party
  president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
  fled the country in 1975

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
  chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red
  with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview:
  The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
  Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
  private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
  low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except
  during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
  beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
  country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
  rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
  telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban
  areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
  80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
  aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
  foreign investment in food processing and mining.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 53% industry: 23% services: 24% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $211 million
  expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY98/99 est. est.)

Industries:
  tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
  processing, construction, garments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  824.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Exports:
  $345 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Exports - partners:
  Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $555 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.53 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $345 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
  kip (LAK)

Currency code:
  LAK

Exchange rates:
  kips per US dollar - 7,562 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64
  (2000), 7,102.02 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,915 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving
  with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional
  48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone
  network to communicate with remote areas
  domestic: radiotelephone communications
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1999)

Televisions:
  52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .la

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Laos

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
  total: 21,716 km
  paved: 9,664 km
  unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4,587 km approximately
  note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
  intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Pipelines:
  refined products 540 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  51 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 42
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 26 (2002)

Military Laos

Military branches:
  Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force,
  National Police Department

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,411,042 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 67,260 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $55 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.2% (FY96)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international:
  demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is
  nearing completion, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong
  River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and
  Vietnam over squatters

Illicit drugs:
  world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation
  in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase over 2001; estimated
  potential production in 2002 - 180 metric tons, a 10% decrease from
  2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and
  methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis;
  growing methamphetamine abuse problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background:
  After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars,
  Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
  independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
  Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
  Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual
  integration into various Western European political and economic
  institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography Latvia

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
  Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 64,589 sq km
  water: 1,000 sq km
  land: 63,589 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,150 km
  border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
  Russia 217 km

Coastline:
  531 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:
  low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.01% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
  irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
  has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
  industries after the country regained independence; the main
  environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
  and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and
  reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession
  negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of
  EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with
  some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population:
  2,348,784 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39 years
  male: 35.5 years
  female: 42.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.73% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.31 years
  male: 63.46 years
  female: 75.45 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Latvian(s)
  adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:
  Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
  Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%

Religions:
  Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages:
  Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
  conventional short form: Latvia
  local short form: Latvija
  former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Latvijas Republika

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Riga

Administrative divisions:
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
  Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
  Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
  Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
  Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
  Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
  Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
  Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
  Ventspils Rajons

Independence:
  21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
  the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the
  date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922
  constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  appointed by the Parliament
  elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
  parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL
  18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%;
  seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12,
  First Party 10, LNNK 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS
  (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political
  Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS];
  For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human
  Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of
  the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or
  LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS];
  Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris
  RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats)
  or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS];
  Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars
  REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars
  GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party
  [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social
  Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare
  Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or
  LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner),
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
  chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [371] 703-6200
  FAX: [371] 781-0047

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
  maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview:
  Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget
  stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU
  countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The
  majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized,
  although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large
  enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization
  in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top
  foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government
  deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to
  increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget
  deficit.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 26%
  services: 69.5% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.6% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.4 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
  agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
  dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.365 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.046 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  703 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  2.69 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Exports:
  $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
  foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%,
  Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden
  5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $96.2 million (1995)

Currency:
  Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code:
  LVL

Exchange rates:
  lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59
  (1999), 0.59 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  734,693 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  401,263 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
  an international capability independent of the Moscow international
  switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
  domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
  rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
  subscriber applications
  international: international connections are now available via cable
  and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections
  for most calls (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  41 (2001)

Internet users:
  312,000 (2001)

Transportation Latvia

Railways:
  total: 2,347 km
  broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 73,202 km
  paved: 28,256 km
  unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)

Waterways:
  300 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3,
  roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports:
  38 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 22
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military Latvia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard,
  National Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 19,477 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:
  the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty
  with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
  maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
  over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
  Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
  cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money
  laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:
  Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
  institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil
  war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
  reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
  political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
  the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
  in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
  conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
  been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
  extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
  country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons.
  Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of
  Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was
  legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the
  Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in
  Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese
  Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the
  Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern
  Lebanon in May 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese
  Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as
  well.

Geography Lebanon

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
  Syria

Geographic coordinates:
  33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 10,400 sq km
  water: 170 sq km
  land: 10,230 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:
  225 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
  Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and
  Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit
  region, arable land

Land use: arable land: 17.6% permanent crops: 12.51% other: 69.89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in
  Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;
  pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
  international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
  protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
  clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population:
  3,727,703 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 514,447; female 494,166)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,177,773; female 1,286,433)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 115,693; female 139,191) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 27.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.32 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.07 years
  male: 69.64 years
  female: 74.61 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or
  Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic,
  Protestant), Jewish NEGL%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local short form: Lubnan
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Beirut

Administrative divisions:
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa,
  Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Independence:
  22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:
  23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of
  Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:
  mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;
  no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at
  age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October
  2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000);
  note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed the
  next day
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president and members of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
  term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004);
  prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
  in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president
  is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
  the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim
  election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly
  vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
  Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
  vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held
  NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which
  Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian
  43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which
  Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which
  Maronite 34)

Judicial branch:
  four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial
  cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council
  (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);
  Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime
  minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
  consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent Martin BATTLE
  embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
  mailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2,
  FPO AE 09836-0002
  telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600
  FAX: 011-961-4-544-136

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red
  with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview:
  The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
  infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
  Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub.
  Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut,
  begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government
  facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound
  banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.
  Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports,
  and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange.
  Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of
  "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program.
  Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but
  slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001,
  and 1.5% in 2002. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost
  0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn
  physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless
  faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded
  reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In
  order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed
  HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in
  government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize
  state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international
  donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral
  assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of
  interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not
  occurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfully avoided
  a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $17.61 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  28% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.5 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
  (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate:
  18% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.1 billion
  expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and
  chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal
  fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  6.728 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  7.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Exports:
  $1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal
  products, electrical products, jewelry, paper products

Exports - partners:
  Switzerland 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 9%, UAE 8.6%, US 6.7%, Jordan 4.6%,
  Turkey 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, electrical products, vehicles, minerals, chemicals,
  textiles, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Italy 11.3%, France 10.7%, Germany 8.4%, US 5.6%, Syria 5.4%, China
  4.8%, Belgium 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $9.3 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) $4.2 billion in pledges November
  2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Currency:
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code:
  LBP

Exchange rates:
  Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001),
  1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999), 1,516.13 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  700,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  580,000 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by
  civil war; rebuilding well underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria;
  microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to
  Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2000)

Internet users:
  300,000 (2001)

Transportation Lebanon

Railways:
  total: 401 km
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
  note: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  oil 209 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail,
  Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 230,142 GRT/306,442 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
  1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 9, roll on/roll
  off 4, vehicle carrier 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  8 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Lebanon

Military branches:
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,025,984 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $541 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.8% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international:
  Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976;
  Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights

Illicit drugs:
  cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in
  2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
  American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
  to US and European markets

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background:
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence
  from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990.
  Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of
  military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
  following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South
  African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since
  restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
  held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:
  water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other
  minerals

Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.29% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,
  more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:
  1,861,959
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.19% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 36.94 years
  male: 36.76 years
  female: 37.13 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  31% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  360,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  25,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:
  Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.8%
  male: 74.5%
  female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland

Government type:
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Maseru

Administrative divisions:
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales
  Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:
  4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:
  2 April 1993

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -
  King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to
  February 1995, while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
  majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
  the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
  which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
  a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
  powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
  determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
  regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
  even depose the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
  principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
  and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
  proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
  terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
  in the May 2002 election
  elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
  7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch:
  High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
  Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National
  Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress
  for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha
  MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress
  or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles
  MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance
  [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete
  Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU,
  SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half
  is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with
  crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with
  a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
  Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
  from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
  Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
  revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to
  reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
  hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
  South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
  of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
  small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
  support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
  rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still
  primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,
  although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme
  inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.
  Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
  with the IMF.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 46% services: 34% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  56 (1986-87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  838,000

Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate:
  45% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $76 million
  expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
  construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  40 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Exports:
  $422 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
  mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:
  US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $738 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
  products (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:
  $41.5 million (2000)

Currency:
  loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:
  maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11
  (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:
  22,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  21,600 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: rudimentary system
  domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay
  system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular
  mobile telephone system is growing
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2000)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .ls

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2002)

Transportation Lesotho

Railways:
  total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the
  statistics of South Africa
  narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
  total: 5,940 km
  paved: 1,087 km
  unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  28 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal
  Lesotho Mounted Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $34 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future
  structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
  considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
  in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:
  Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997 when
  free and open presidential and legislative elections were held.
  President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real
  political opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight of
  most businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A still
  unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of
  rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn
  country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds,
  along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials,
  for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.
  Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic
  activity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of
  2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)
  indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges.

Geography Liberia

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
  d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
  6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 111,370 sq km
  water: 15,050 sq km
  land: 96,320 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,585 km
  border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
  306 km

Coastline:
  579 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
  nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
  low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.97% permanent crops: 2.08% other: 95.95% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
  lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
  grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population:
  3,317,176 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 724,960; female 716,831)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 858,191; female 898,851)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 59,539; female 58,804) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.1 years
  male: 17.7 years
  female: 18.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.67% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  17.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries though
  slowly returning (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 132.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 139.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.15 years
  male: 47.03 years
  female: 49.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  125,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Liberian(s)
  adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
  Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
  Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
  immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
  (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
  few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.5%
  male: 73.3%
  female: 41.6%
  note: (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
  conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Monrovia

Administrative divisions:
  15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
  Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
  River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:
  26 July 1847

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:
  6 January 1986

Legal system:
  dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
  the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
  practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
  2005)
  note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and the
  Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
  former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
  President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the National
  Transitional Government on 14 October 2003
  election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
  of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
  (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor
  stepped down in August 2003

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the
  House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote
  to serve six-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3,
  Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1
  elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
  2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be
  held 14 October 2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader
  NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian
  Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or
  LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA];
  National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party;
  United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP
  [Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Aaron B.
  KOLLIE
  chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
  telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
  embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
  1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
  FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description:
  11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in
  the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview:
  Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's
  economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many
  businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with
  them. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water,
  mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,
  Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -
  primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign
  owned, had been small in scope. The restoration of the
  infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
  depend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation of
  sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the
  encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor
  countries.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 74% industry: 7% services: 19% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $85.4 million
  expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  468.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  435.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Exports:
  $110 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:
  Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, US
  4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $165 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
  goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%,
  Singapore 7.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $94 million (1999)

Currency:
  Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:
  LRD

Exchange rates:
  Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001), 40.95
  (2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)
  note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship
  with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market
  determined

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave
  radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2001)

Internet users:
  500 (2000)

Transportation Liberia

Railways:
  total: 490 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: none of the railways are in operation (2002)

Highways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851 GRT/75,408,994 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker
  163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357,
  liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger
  6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19,
  short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil
  5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11,
  Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong
  69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20,
  Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway
  103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore
  20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,
  Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US
  113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  47 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Liberia

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.8 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:
  rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with Sierra
  Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government accuses
  Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
  South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
  criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
  significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:
  Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu
  Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a
  combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third
  International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he
  used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology
  outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to
  hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures
  failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou
  Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support
  for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
  Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Geography Libya

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
  25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,759,540 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1,759,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,348 km
  border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
  Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:
  1,770 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:
  Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:
  mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.8% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
  days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the
  Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
  the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
  the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,499,074 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.5% (male 970,026; female 929,174)
  15-64 years: 61.4% (male 1,744,992; female 1,630,399)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 109,262; female 115,221) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.1 years
  male: 22.2 years
  female: 21.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.39% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  3.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.07 years
  male: 73.91 years
  female: 78.34 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Libyan(s)
  adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:
  Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
  Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:
  Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
  cities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.6%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:
  conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
  Jamahiriya
  conventional short form: Libya
  local short form: none
  local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
  al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

Government type:
  Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
  populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital:
  Tripoli

Administrative divisions:
  25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
  'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
  Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
  Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
  Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
  municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:
  24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:
  11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system:
  based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
  religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
  al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
  but is de facto chief of state
  elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
  people's committees; head of government elected by the General
  People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA)
  election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of
  General People's Congress vote - NA%
  cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
  People's Congress
  head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
  (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
  indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
  memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
  Islamic elements

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description:
  plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
  religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:
  The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from
  the oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and
  about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population
  give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little
  of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Import
  restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to
  periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil
  manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20%
  of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products
  to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and
  aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit
  agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher
  oil prices in the last three years led to an increase in export
  revenues, which has improved macroeconomic balances but has done
  little to stimulate broad-based economic growth. Libya is making
  slow progress toward economic liberalization and the upgrading of
  economic infrastructure, but truly market-based reforms will be slow
  in coming.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $33.36 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 45%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  1.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  30% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.7 billion
  expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  29.75 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.321 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Exports:
  $11.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Italy 42.6%, Germany 14.1%, Spain 13.6%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland
  4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Italy 25.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Tunisia 6.5%,
  Japan 6.4%, France 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $15 million (2000)

Currency:
  Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
  LYD

Exchange rates:
  Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2 (2003), 0.6 (2002), 0.51 (2001),
  0.5 (2000), 0.39 (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
  500,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  20,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;
  mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
  tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat,
  and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave
  radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece;
  participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:
  730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ly

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2001)

Transportation Libya

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 225 km; gas 3,196 km; oil 6,872 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's
  Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine:
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 130,081 GRT/115,480 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll
  on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  136 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 58
  over 3,047 m: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 78
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Libya

Military branches:
  Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
  (includes Air Force)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,546,432 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 914,649 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 61,511 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:
  Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria
  and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes;
  various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:
  The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
  Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the
  end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
  devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter
  into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War
  II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
  taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However,
  shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in
  concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money
  laundering.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 160 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:
  0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool
  to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries
  in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:
  33,145 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740)
  65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.3 years
  male: 37.9 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.25 years
  male: 75.63 years
  female: 82.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
  adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:
  Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%
  (June 2002)

Languages:
  German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1981 est.)

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:
  conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
  conventional short form: Liechtenstein
  local short form: Liechtenstein
  local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

Government type:
  hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
  parliamentary basis

Capital:
  Vaduz

Administrative divisions:
  11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
  Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,
  Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:
  23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established;
  12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire

National holiday:
  Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:
  5 October 1921

Legal system:
  local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,
  assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
  ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
  appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
  the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
  deputy head of government by the monarch
  cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
  head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
  2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
  2001)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%,
  FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1
  elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or
  Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
  Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party
  or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin
  JENNY, Rene HASLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
  Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
  on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
  has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
  free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
  living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The
  Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
  small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
  and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called
  letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
  providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a
  customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its
  national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
  requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European
  Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.
  The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with
  those of an integrated Europe.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: 40%
  services: NA% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001)

Labor force:
  29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
  Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  1.3% (37500)

Budget:
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
  pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,
  optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% other: 0% (2002) hydro: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports:
  $2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:
  small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts
  for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
  electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:
  EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK
  4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Imports:
  $917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
  agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,
  textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
  EU, Switzerland

Debt - external:
  $0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
  CHF

Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888
  (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,072 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio
  relay

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:
  12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .li

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Liechtenstein

Railways:
  total: 18.5 km
  standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
  note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian
  Federal Railways (2002)

Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military Liechtenstein

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:
  Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of
  land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Illicit drugs:
  multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international
  guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in
  Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable
  to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as
  a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new
  anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal
  assistance cooperation with other countries

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Lithuania

Introduction Lithuania

Background:
  Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by
  the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of
  the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this
  proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991
  (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
  withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its
  economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions
  and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography Lithuania

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 65,200 sq km
  water: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,273 km
  border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
  Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline:
  99 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate
  winters and summers

Terrain:
  lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources: peat, arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.46% permanent crops: 0.93% other: 53.61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are
  ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population:
  3,592,561 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 323,776; female 310,087)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,188,171; female 1,268,035)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 169,513; female 332,979) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.6 years
  male: 33.9 years
  female: 39.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.23% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.89 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 16.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.6 years
  male: 63.78 years
  female: 75.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Lithuanian(s)
  adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:
  Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other
  2.1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant,
  Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:
  Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
  conventional short form: Lithuania
  local short form: Lietuva
  former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Vilnius

Administrative divisions:
  10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno,
  Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu,
  Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:
  11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
  September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is
  the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and
  Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from
  the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the
  constitutional court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26 February 2003)
  head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
  July 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the premier
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be
  held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the
  approval of the Parliament
  election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote
  - Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly
  elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
  representation; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)
  note: the voting results from the 2000 elections do not correspond
  to the make up of the Seimas, which has evolved into a number of
  factions, each made up of members of several parties
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic
  Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union
  17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by faction
  - Social Democratic Coalition 51, New Union-Social Liberals 25,
  United Political Group-Group of Liberals 24, Liberal Democrats 13,
  Conservatives 9, Farmers and New Democracy Parties 8, Mixed Group 6,
  independent 1 (four seats unfilled as of 1 June 2003)

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for
  all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders:
  Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI,
  chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius
  KUBILIUS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS [Kestutis
  GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Kazys
  BOBELIS]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS,
  chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS]; Lithuanian
  Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National Democratic
  Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition
  [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian
  Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic
  Party or LSDP, and New Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union
  [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas
  BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera
  PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas
  PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant),
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
  chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
  embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius
  mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
  FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview:
  Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with
  Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
  Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003, but is improving.
  Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered
  recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West.
  Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and
  has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the
  large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is
  nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been
  privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in
  the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $30.08 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 31%
  services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.5% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.59 billion
  expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets,
  refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small
  ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers,
  agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components,
  computers, amber

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 77.7%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

Exports:
  $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and
  equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs
  5% (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Latvia 12.8%, Germany 12%, UK 7.6%, Poland 6.3%, US 5.9%, France
  5.8%, Russia 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Denmark 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport
  equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5%
  (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 24.1%, Germany 20.3%, Italy 5.9%, Poland 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $228.5 million (1995)

Currency:
  litas (LTL)

Currency code:
  LTL

Exchange rates:
  litai per US dollar - 3.68 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000), 4 (1999), 4
  (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.142 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  500,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
  an improved international capability and better residential access
  domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
  nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
  mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
  is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
  applications
  international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major
  international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by
  submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  27
  note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
  have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions:
  1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  32 (2001)

Internet users:
  341,000 (2001)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways:
  total: 1,998 km
  broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2002)
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 75,243 km
  paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Waterways:
  600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,698 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine:
  total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 303,910 GRT/328,380 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 23, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 4

Airports:
  87 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 65 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 57 (2002)

Military Lithuania

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, National Volunteer
  Defense Forces (SKAT)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 937,055 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 735,536 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 29,420 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:
  in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified a 1997 land and
  maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which had ratified the
  treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders;
  the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary
  treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil
  exploration rights; discussions are still ongoing among Russia,
  Lithuania, and the EU concerning a simplified transit document for
  residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to transit through
  Lithuania to Russia

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from
  Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe
  and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;
  susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
  legislation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:
  Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an
  independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of
  its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
  autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
  in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
  into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
  year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries
  of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in
  1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:
  Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 2,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 2,586 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:
  mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands
  to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle
  flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 25%
  other: 75% (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 0%

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:
  454,157 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 44,182; female 41,640)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 152,963; female 151,061)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 26,060; female 38,251) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.1 years
  male: 37.2 years
  female: 38.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.23% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  9.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.66 years
  male: 74.38 years
  female: 81.15 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Luxembourger(s)
  adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
  Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest
  and resident workers)

Religions:
  87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:
  Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
  language), French (administrative language)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name:
  conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  conventional short form: Luxembourg
  local short form: Luxembourg
  local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Luxembourg

Administrative divisions:
  3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:
  1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
  National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:
  17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
  Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
  January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
  elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
  appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
  Deputies
  note: government coalition - CSV and DP

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2004)
  note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
  body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
  appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
  election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%,
  LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by
  party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2

Judicial branch:
  judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
  courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
  tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
  tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
  appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
  Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN];
  Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian
  Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or
  DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS];
  Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN];
  Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal
  leadership]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
  Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
  (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
  service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
  Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
  LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:
  ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU,
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
  chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr. embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;
  similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and
  is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:
  This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low
  inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially
  dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include
  chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial
  sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than
  compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned
  and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small
  family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border
  workers for more than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg,
  like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump,
  the country has maintained a fairly strong growth rate and enjoys an
  extraordinarily high standard of living.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $21.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $48,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 30%
  services: 69% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  262,300 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily
  from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 90.1%, industry 8%, agriculture 1.9% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.5 billion
  expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
  products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  457 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% other: 17.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  744 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  6.389 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products

Exports: $10.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber
  products, glass

Exports - partners:
  Germany 23.9%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.5%, UK 8.7%, Italy 6.1%,
  Spain 4.5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $13.25 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Belgium 29.7%, Germany 23%, France 13.2%, Taiwan 6.7%, Netherlands
  4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $160 million (1999)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
  314,700 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  215,741 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
  efficient system, mainly buried cables
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
  international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable
  (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1999)

Televisions:
  285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
  .lu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2001)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 5,189 km
  paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  37 km (on the Moselle)

Pipelines:
  gas 155 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Mertert

Merchant marine:
  total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,507,258 GRT/2,118,597 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 12, container 8, liquefied
  gas 18, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 21, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10, Monaco 1,
  Netherlands 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 9, United States 3 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
  Army, Grand Ducal Police

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 114,326 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 93,994 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 2,636 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $147.8 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:
  Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
  first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
  signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
  Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
  1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
  formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
  Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
  matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
  22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 25.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 25.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km

Coastline:
  41 km

Maritime claims:
  not specified

Climate:
  subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:
  generally flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two
  islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

People Macau

Population:
  469,903 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)
  15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.9 years
  female: 33.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.87 years
  male: 79.05 years
  female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
  Portuguese, other

Religions:
  Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
  Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.5%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Macau
  local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
  local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
  Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:
  special administrative region of China

Government type:
  limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
  none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
  of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
  as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
  Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
  Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
  direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
  living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
  to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
  registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad
  regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
  bodies

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
  elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection
  committee for up to two five-year terms
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government
  secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
  head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
  December 1999)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by
  popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
  executive; members serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
  Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
  2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1
  elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
  The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
  there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic
  associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together
  to form political blocs

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism
  and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for
  Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation:
  ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO
  (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
  US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
  light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
  in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
  in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
  Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of
  the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and
  services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as
  the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian
  financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew
  an estimated 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the number of mainland
  visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel drove
  the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of
  the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling
  profits, which generated about 63% of government revenue. The
  liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP
  growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have
  pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - in the
  territory. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland
  as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have
  to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate
  growth. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government
  forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the
  Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 12%
  services: 87% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation: restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.3% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.41 billion
  expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
  million (2002)

Industries:
  tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  193 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, livestock

Exports:
  $2.36 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners:
  US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital
  goods

Imports - partners:
  China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea
  5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $255 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
  MOP

Exchange rates:
  patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99
  (1999), 7.98 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  176,902 (November 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  158,251 (November 2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
  maintained for domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to
  international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
  China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2003)

Televisions:
  49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  101,000 (2002)

Transportation Macau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 271 km paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Macau

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Macau

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense
  reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic

Introduction Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Background:
  International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was
  delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it
  considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its
  trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize
  relations, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of
  "Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic
  Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of
  neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Geography Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
  41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 25,333 sq km
  water: 477 sq km
  land: 24,856 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
  total: 766 km
  border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
  heavy snowfall

Terrain:
  mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
  large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
  the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
  highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m

Natural resources:
  chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron
  ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 23.59% permanent crops: 1.85% other: 74.56% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
  Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Population:
  2,063,122
  note: a census was taken 1-15 November 2002, but results are not yet
  available (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 235,102; female 217,574)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 700,929; female 691,552)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 96,039; female 121,926) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.5 years
  male: 31.4 years
  female: 33.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.49 years
  male: 72.23 years
  female: 76.94 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
  Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
  1.8%, other 2.3% (1994)

Religions:
  Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%

Languages:
  Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other
  3%

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Country name:
  conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republika Makedonija
  abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
  local short form: Makedonija

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Skopje

Administrative divisions:
  123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac,
  Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila,
  Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska,
  Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
  Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo,
  Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste,
  Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor,
  Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
  Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste,
  Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis,
  Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska
  Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila,
  Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo,
  Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
  Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman,
  Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo,
  Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
  Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
  Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
  Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas,
  Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
  note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
  collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Independence:
  8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing
  independence (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
  Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
  adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
  note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a
  series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1
  November 2002)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October
  2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1
  November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round
  ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI
  46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with
  72% of the vote
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
  the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
  government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected
  by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted
  by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the
  overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33,
  Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians
  7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1,
  Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional
  Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council
  - Parliament appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president];
  Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI];
  Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president];
  Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
  Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI,
  president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True
  Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal
  Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan
  ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA];
  Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI];
  Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI,
  president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV,
  president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and
  LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM
  [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 116-180 FAX: [389] 117-103

Flag description:
  a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
  the red field

Economy Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Economy - overview:
  At independence in November 1991, Macedonia was the least developed
  of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal
  output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended
  transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from
  inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of
  infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest
  markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
  country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
  until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,
  the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and
  regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
  insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
  trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
  security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
  2002 to 0.3%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third
  of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. But
  even this issue is overshadowed by the fragile political situation.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.57 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 31% services: 58% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  24% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.1 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  37% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.13 billion
  expenditures: $1.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood
  products, tobacco, food processing, buses

Industrial production growth rate:
  -5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  100 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Exports:
  $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
  Germany 19.2%, Italy 9.2%, US 6.7%, Croatia 5.5%, Greece 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Imports - partners:
  Greece 19.4%, Germany 14.4%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy
  6.9%, Turkey 5.9%, Ukraine 5%, Austria 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $150 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
  Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
  MKD

Exchange rates:
  Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9
  (2000), 56.9 (1999), 54.46 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Telephones - main lines in use:
  408,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12,362 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2001)

Transportation Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 8,684 km
  paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders

Pipelines:
  gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  18 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Military Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Military branches:
  Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 553,988 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 17,909 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Disputes - international:
  the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of
  ethnic Albanians in F.Y.R.O.M. while continuing to seek regional
  cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo continue to protest 2000
  F.Y.R.O.M.-Serbia and Montenegro boundary treaty, which transfers
  small tracts of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; dispute with Greece over
  country's name persists

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
  minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
  while money laundering is a problem on a local level due to
  organized crime activities, the lack of a well-developed financial
  infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
  Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
  in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
  presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
  years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
  race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
  returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
  contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
  RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
  April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
  winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 587,040 sq km
  water: 5,500 sq km
  land: 581,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4,828 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate:
  tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
  graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
  semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 0.93% other: 94.66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
  desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
  other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
  the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
  Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
  16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958)
  15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 56.14 years
  male: 53.82 years
  female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  870 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
  adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:
  Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
  African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
  Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
  French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.9%
  male: 75.5%
  female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
  conventional short form: Madagascar
  local short form: Madagascar
  former: Malagasy Republic
  local long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Antananarivo

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
  Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
  26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
  19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of
  candidates nominated by the National Assembly
  election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%,
  Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High
  Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5%
  after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house
  arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime
  minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats;
  members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral
  Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the
  seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose
  members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of
  the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of
  seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will
  serve four-year terms
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
  be held NA 2006)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
  5, others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
  Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
  Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant];
  Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or
  LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM
  [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social
  Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
  chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
  embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
  mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
  telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
  FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
  white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
  Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
  since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of
  privatization and liberalization, which has placed the country on a
  slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and
  forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of
  GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings
  primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features
  textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and
  erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of
  fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002
  undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in
  output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction
  will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -11.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 12% services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  71% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38.1 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  7.3 million (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  5.9% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $553 million
  expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
  glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  830.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  772.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Exports: $700 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
  petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $985 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
  France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong
  6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $838 million (1997)

Currency:
  Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code:
  MGF

Exchange rates:
  Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001),
  6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  55,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  63,100 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system is above average for the region
  domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
  and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
  international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
  region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2002)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways: total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  of local importance only

Ports and harbors:
  Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  121 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 46 under 914 m: 44 (2002)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
  People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development
  Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential
  Security Regiment

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 163,864 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $52.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
  claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
  de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
  mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:
  Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
  the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
  one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under
  a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following
  year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.

Geography Malawi

Location:
  Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
  13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 118,480 sq km
  water: 24,400 sq km
  land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
  November)

Terrain:
  narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
  mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
  boundary with Mozambique 37 m
  highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
  uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 19.93% permanent crops: 1.33% other: 78.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
  prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:
  11,651,239
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,748,058; female 2,698,052)
  15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,911,892; female 2,973,723)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 128,722; female 190,792) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 16.1 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.21% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 109.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 37.98 years
  male: 37.57 years
  female: 38.39 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  15% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  850,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  80,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Malawian(s)
  adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:
  Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
  Asian, European

Religions:
  Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
  3%, other 2%

Languages:
  English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important
  regionally

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 62.7%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
  conventional short form: Malawi
  former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
  Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:
  multiparty democracy

Capital:
  Lilongwe

Administrative divisions:
  27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
  Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
  Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
  Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:
  6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:
  18 May 1994

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote
  - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD
  15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
  president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
  Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
  Party or MCP [John TEMBO, president; Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, vice
  president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; United
  Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
  chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWN embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
  radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:
  the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:
  Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
  countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
  of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
  nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
  depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
  the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
  was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
  million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
  relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
  develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
  up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
  problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
  discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
  is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
  exports.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $6.811 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 16% services: 47% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  54% (FY 90/91 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  27.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $490 million
  expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
  tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  769.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  715.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Exports: $435 million f.o.b. (201)

Exports - commodities:
  tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
  apparel

Exports - partners:
  US 17.3%, Germany 13.6%, South Africa 10.2%, Egypt 6.2%, Japan 6%,
  Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 4.8%, UK 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $505 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
  transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 44.4%, Zambia 12.7%, US 5.6%, India 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.9 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $540 million (1999)

Currency:
  Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
  MWK

Exchange rates:
  Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 76.69 (2002), 72.2 (2001), 59.54
  (2000), 44.09 (1999), 31.07 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
  45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  49,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and radiotelephone communications stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
  station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
  2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2002)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2002)

Transportation Malawi

Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 144 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall

Ports and harbors:
  Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
  43 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
  Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
  paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,625,495 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13.01 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:
  Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the former
  British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East
  Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
  Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred
  by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to
  Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island
  of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of
  Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 329,750 sq km
  water: 1,200 sq km
  land: 328,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:
  4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  specified boundary in the South China Sea
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
  (October to February) monsoons

Terrain:
  coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use: arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 17.61% other: 76.85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
  Sea

People Malaysia

Population:
  23,092,940 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.7% (male 4,001,507; female 3,777,896)
  15-64 years: 61.9% (male 7,163,252; female 7,131,745)
  65 years and over: 4.4% (male 447,230; female 571,310) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.6 years
  male: 23 years
  female: 24.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.86% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
  immigrants from other countries in the region (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 21.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.67 years
  male: 69.01 years
  female: 74.51 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  42,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Malaysian(s)
  adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:
  Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%
  (2000)

Religions:
  Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
  addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:
  Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
  Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
  Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia
  several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and
  Kadazan

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 85.4% (2003 est.)

Government Malaysia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy
  note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
  1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
  formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);
  nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
  consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
  Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka,
  George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
  appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments
  are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the
  federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
  prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration
  controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with
  foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers
  delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House
  of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
  security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital:
  Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:
  13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federal
  territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah
  persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri
  Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah,
  Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
  note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory of
  Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable;

Independence:
  31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:
  31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
  Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
  December 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
  31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NA (since 31 October 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
  election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
  Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
  elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
  of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
  December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
  from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
  of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
  Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
  by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
  Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward
  the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - BN 56%, other 44%; seats by party - BN 148, PAS 27, DAP 10,
  Keadilan 5, PBS 3
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999
  (next must be held by November 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
  advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
  ruling coalition parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM
  [LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik
  - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association
  (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LING Ong Ka Ting]; Malaysian
  Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU];
  Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE]; Parti Bersatu Sabah
  or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or
  PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah Progressive Party
  (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United
  People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [WONG Soon
  Kah]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad
  Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization
  (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [leader
  NA]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan
  Demokratik) or DAP [KERK Kim Hock]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti
  Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; National Justice Party
  (Parti Keadilan Nasional) or Keadilan [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael];
  National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (the ruling coalition
  dominated by the UMNO and includes MCA, MIC, PGRM, PBDS, SUPP, PBB,
  PBS, LDP, SAPP, UPKO) [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
  chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
  telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie T. HUHTALA embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:
  14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
  (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the
  crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design
  was based on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:
  Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
  through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
  emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
  by exports - particularly of electronics - and, as a result Malaysia
  was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
  Information Technology (IT) sector in 2001. GDP in 2001 grew only
  0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
  substantial fiscal stimulus package mitigated the worst of the
  recession and the economy rebounded in 2002. Healthy foreign
  exchange reserves and relatively small external debt make it
  unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar to the one
  in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more protracted
  slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and key
  sources of foreign investment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $198.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 40% services: 48% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.4% (1997 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.9 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  3.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $20.3 billion
  expenditures: $27.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
  billion (2001 est.)

Industries:
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
  manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
  and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
  petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
  production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  68.34 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  63.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  75 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  729,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  472,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.729 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.23 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
  subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,
  pepper; timber

Exports:
  $95.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and
  wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals (2000)

Exports - partners:
  US 21%, Singapore 17.4%, Japan 10.9%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 5%,
  Thailand 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $76.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,
  iron and steel products, chemicals (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Japan 16.9%, Singapore 15.9%, US 15.5%, China 7.3%, South Korea 5%,
  Taiwan 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $47.5 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
  ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:
  MYR

Exchange rates:
  ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8 (2000), 3.8
  (1999), 3.92 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
  domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
  mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
  relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
  satellite system with 2 earth stations
  international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
  Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:
  10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:
  .my

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7 (2000)

Internet users:
  5.7 million (2002)

Transportation Malaysia

Railways:
  total: 2,418 km
  standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 65,877 km
  paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)

Waterways:
  7,296 km
  note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km

Pipelines:
  condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad
  Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson,
  Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine:
  total: 366 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,111,476 GRT/7,242,323 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 15,
  Indonesia 3, Japan 4, Monaco 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 78, South
  Korea 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 103, chemical tanker 37, container 69,
  liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
  55, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 8

Airports:
  114 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Malaysia

Military branches:
  Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force,
  Royal Malaysian Police Field Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border
  Scouts

Military manpower - military age:
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,067,155 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 218,216 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:
  involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with China,
  Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants in
  November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea," a mechanism to ease tension but which fell
  short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; disputes over
  deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation
  on Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca
  Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration
  on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded Ligitan and
  Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by Indonesia
  and Philippines, to Malaysia; a small section of the
  Malaysia-Thailand boundary in the Kolok River remains in dispute

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted
  vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Maldives

Introduction Maldives

Background:
  The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then
  under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
  years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on
  the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location:
  Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest
  of India

Geographic coordinates:
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 300 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
  rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
  Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 3.33%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
  plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
  location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:
  329,684 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.9% (male 75,991; female 71,826)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 87,734; female 84,150)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 5,073; female 4,910) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.91% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 59.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.3 years
  male: 62.07 years
  female: 64.6 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim

Languages:
  Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
  English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Male

Administrative divisions:
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order
  administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
  Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,
  Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:
  26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:
  adopted January 1998

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
  primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
  1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
  must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
  margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)
  election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
  referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
  Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note -
  need not be members of Majlis
  head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by
  popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  although political parties are not banned, none exist

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a
  Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative is
  Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to
  Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description:
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical
  white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side
  of the flag

Economy Maldives

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and
  more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%
  of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
  tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands
  in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian
  Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by
  lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private
  sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more
  foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a
  lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability
  of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple
  foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment
  production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18%
  of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and
  possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area
  is one meter or less above sea level.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 18%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  88,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  NEGL%

Budget:
  revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
  expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
  mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  117 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  108.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Exports:
  $110 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, clothing

Exports - partners:
  US 51.7%, Sri Lanka 16.2%, Thailand 9.3%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $395 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 25.6%, Sri Lanka 15%, UAE 14.5%, India 6.6%, Malaysia
  5.7%, Thailand 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $281 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code:
  MVR

Exchange rates:
  rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000),
  11.77 (1999), 11.77 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:
  21,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,290 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
  inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
  international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .mv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,000 (2001)

Transportation Maldives

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Gan, Male

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,689 GRT/56,132 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Military Maldives

Military branches:
  National Security Service

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 78,025 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $34.46 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  8.6% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
  1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
  months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
  Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
  transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
  presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
  President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
  economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
  two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
  succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:
  Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
  17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.24 million sq km
  water: 20,000 sq km
  land: 1.22 million sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 7,243 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
  858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
  Senegal 419 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,
  and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in
  south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
  known but not exploited

Land use:
  arable land: 3.77%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 96.19% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
  droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies
  of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

Geography - note:
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
  cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
  northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population:
  11,626,219 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,759,802; female 2,727,226)
  15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,771,532; female 3,017,348)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 161,983; female 188,328) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.3 years
  male: 15.7 years
  female: 16.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.82% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  47.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  19.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 119.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 112.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 125.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 45.43 years
  male: 44.7 years
  female: 46.19 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  110,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
  Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages:
  French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 46.4%
  male: 53.5%
  female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Government Mali

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
  local long form: Republique de Mali

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bamako

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
  Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:
  22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
  established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag HAMANI (since 9
  June 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
  vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
  July 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda Traore KEITA, party
  chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
  [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
  Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
  Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
  [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
  Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
  Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
  National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
  secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
  GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
  chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
  TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
  or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
  Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and
  Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] (2) 223-833 FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview:
  Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
  land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
  distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
  riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
  nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
  fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
  commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
  to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
  with gold. The government has continued its successful
  implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
  that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
  investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
  devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
  economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker
  remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
  continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $9.775 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70%
  of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $764 million
  expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  480.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.7% hydro: 58.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 446.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 13.9%, Italy 9.8%, India 7.7%, Brazil 5.5%, Germany 5%,
  Spain 4.9%, Portugal 4.3%, Taiwan 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $630 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  Cote d'Ivoire 17.1%, France 13.5%, Senegal 6.5%, Germany 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $596.4 million (2001)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:
  45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  40,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
  provides only minimal service
  domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
  radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
  relay in progress
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios:
  570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  45,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ml

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2001)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2002)

Transportation Mali

Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,815 km

Ports and harbors:
  Koulikoro

Airports:
  26 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Military Mali

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard,
  National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,441,769 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,400,711 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $419.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  15% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international: armed bandits based in Mali attack southern Algerian towns

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Malta

Introduction Malta

Background:
  Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
  island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
  remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
  decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
  island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center,
  and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU
  membership.

Geography Malta

Location:
  Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
  (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
  35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 316 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 316 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31.25% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
  islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
  inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
  discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
  between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population:
  400,420 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.5% (male 40,448; female 37,623)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 136,221; female 134,142)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 21,730; female 30,256) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.2 years
  male: 35.6 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.73% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.43 years
  male: 75.94 years
  female: 81.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:
  Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
  strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:
  Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.8%
  male: 92%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Malta

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Malta
  conventional short form: Malta
  local short form: Malta
  local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders

Independence:
  21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:
  1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and
  again in 1987

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6
  September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 4 April
  1999)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
  five-year term; election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by
  April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
  deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister
  election results: Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House
  of Representatives vote - 54%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
  additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
  vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
  0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:
  Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry
  VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party
  or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony H. GIOIA
  embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
  Malta VLT 01
  mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta
  telephone: [356] 21-235-960
  FAX: [356] 2124-3229

Flag description:
  two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
  upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
  edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview:
  Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and
  a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food
  needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no domestic energy
  sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing
  (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is
  privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order
  to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island remains
  divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU.
  Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back
  exports, tourism, and overall growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $6.818 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 25.5%
  services: 71.7% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  160,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.5 billion
  expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Industries:
  tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food
  and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.768 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.644 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Exports:
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:
  Singapore 17.3%, US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9%, France 7.2%, China
  6.5%, Italy 6% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
  semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  Italy 18.3%, France 12.1%, South Korea 11.3%, UK 7.5%, Singapore
  5.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5%, US 4.6%, Spain 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $130 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code:
  MTL

Exchange rates:
  Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44 (2000),
  0.4 (1999), 0.39 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:
  187,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,691 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
  domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
  255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2000)

Televisions:
  280,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2002)

Internet users:
  59,000 (2002)

Transportation Malta

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,254 km paved: 1,972 km unpaved: 282 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,885,128 GRT/42,467,864 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3,
  Bulgaria 19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7,
  Denmark 3, Estonia 5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece 627, Hong Kong
  12, Iceland 3, India 10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36, Japan 2,
  Latvia 24, Lebanon 6, Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria 2, Norway
  43, Poland 29, Portugal 2, Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia 1,
  Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain 1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey
  84, Ukraine 25, UAE 3, UK 4, US 10 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 459, cargo 280, chemical tanker 45, combination
  bulk 10, combination ore/oil 10, container 80, liquefied gas 3,
  livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1,
  passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 236, refrigerated
  cargo 37, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 7, vehicle
  carrier 15

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Malta

Military branches:
  Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air squadron
  and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese
  Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 99,312 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $60 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (2000)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
  Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Man, Isle of

Introduction Man, Isle of

Background:
  Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th
  century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
  British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
  extinct Manx Celtic language.

Geography Man, Isle of

Location:
  Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
  Ireland

Geographic coordinates:
  54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 572 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 572 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  160 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third
  of the time

Terrain:
  hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
  (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air
  pollution

Geography - note:
  one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a
  bird sanctuary

People Man, Isle of

Population:
  74,261 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 6,637; female 6,337)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,373; female 24,165)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,102; female 7,647) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 37.8 years
  female: 40.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.53% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.38 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  11.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.98 years
  male: 74.62 years
  female: 81.53 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
  adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups:
  Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society
  of Friends

Languages:
  English, Manx Gaelic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Man, Isle of

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Douglas

Administrative divisions:
  there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
  US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own
  elections

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution:
  unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not
  embody the Manx Constitution

Legal system:
  English common law and Manx statute

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26
  October 2002)
  election results: Richard CORKILL elected chief minister by the
  Tynwald
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
  by the Tynwald; election last held 6 December 2001 (next to be held
  NA December 2006)
  head of government: Chief Minister Richard CORKILL (since 6 December
  2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member
  body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor
  and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the
  House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
  held NA November 2006)
  election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
  Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
  by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
  independents 19

Judicial branch:
  High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord
  Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders: Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;
  the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in
  order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,
  a two-sided emblem is used

Economy Man, Isle of

Economy - overview:
  Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the
  economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to
  high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
  the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in
  high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once
  the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP.
  Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to
  EU markets.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  13.5%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 13%
  services: 86% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Labor force:
  36,610 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%,
  construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
  retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
  public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
  entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Unemployment rate:
  0.7% (March 2003)

Budget:
  revenues: $485 million
  expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Industries:
  financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (FY 96/97)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Exports - partners:
  UK (2000 est.)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  timber, fertilizers, fish

Imports - partners:
  UK (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
  (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Manx pound is at par with
  the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Man, Isle of

Telephones - main lines in use:
  51,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
  international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
  earth station, submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Televisions:
  27,490 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .im

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Man, Isle of

Railways: total: 60 km (35 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Merchant marine:
  total: 211 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,297,301 GRT/8,703,079 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 45, France 1, Germany 48, Greece 6, Hong Kong
  10, Iceland 1, Italy 8, Monaco 7, Netherlands 3, Norway 5, Sweden 4,
  Switzerland 2, UK 70, US 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 32, chemical tanker 20, combination
  bulk 2, container 22, liquefied gas 38, petroleum tanker 49, roll
  on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Man, Isle of

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Man, Isle of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Marshall Islands

Introduction Marshall Islands

Background:
  After almost four decades under US administration as the
  easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
  the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact
  of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US
  nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The
  Marshall Islands have been home to the US Army Base Kwajalein
  (USAKA) since 1964.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 181.3 sq km
  note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
  Rongelap, and Utirik
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 181.3 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  370.4 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands border
  typhoon belt

Terrain:
  low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
  Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the
  famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test
  range

People Marshall Islands

Population:
  56,429 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.1% (male 11,233; female 10,819)
  15-64 years: 58.2% (male 16,857; female 16,003)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 726; female 791) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 19.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.3% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -6.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 35.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.39 years
  male: 67.49 years
  female: 71.4 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:
  Micronesian

Religions:
  Christian (mostly Protestant)

Languages:
  English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and
  Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects
  from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

Capital:
  Majuro

Administrative divisions:
  33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
  Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
  Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
  Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
  Wotho, Wotje

Independence:
  21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:
  1 May 1979

Legal system:
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
  members for a four-year term; election last held 15 November 1999
  (next to be held NA November 2003)
  election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
  Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than November 2007)
  note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
  matters affecting customary law and practice
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Honolulu FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. SENKO
  embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
  Islands 96960-1379
  telephone: [692] 247-4011
  FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:
  blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -
  orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays
  and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:
  US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island
  economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is
  concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
  coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
  handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
  small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
  labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
  islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
  Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US has
  provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have
  continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought,
  a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign
  investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less income
  from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to
  an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 16%
  services: 70% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  28,698

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Unemployment rate:
  30.9% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $42 million
  expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Industries:
  copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Exports:
  $9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:
  US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Imports:
  $54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)

Debt - external:
  $86.5 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,186 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  489 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services
  include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,
  and leased data circuits
  domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
  seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
  shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
  Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
  (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
  note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
  Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
  on Kwajalein (2002)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  900 (2002)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: NA km
  paved: 64.5 km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
  stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Majuro

Merchant marine:
  total: 342 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,471,690 GRT/23,802,896 DWT
  note: the ship's register of the Marshall Islands is a flag of
  convenience register since essentially none of the vessels on it is
  owned domestically; includes the following foreign-owned ships
  registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark
  9, Germany 70, Greece 54, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Monaco 8,
  Netherlands 8, UK 3, US 87, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 86, cargo 18, chemical tanker 31, combination
  bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 69, liquefied gas 8,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
  106, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4

Airports:
  15 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Martinique

Introduction Martinique

Background:
  Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a
  French possession except for three brief periods of foreign
  occupation.

Geography Martinique

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 1,100 sq km
  water: 40 sq km
  land: 1,060 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  350 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October);
  vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on
  average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain:
  mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use: arable land: 9.43% permanent crops: 11.32% other: 79.25% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one
  major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted
  and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000
  inhabitants

People Martinique

Population:
  425,966 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.7 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 33.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.85% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.72 years
  male: 79.27 years
  female: 78.16 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups:
  African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East
  Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%,
  other 3.5% (1997)

Languages:
  French, Creole patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.7%
  male: 97.4%
  female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Government Martinique

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Martinique
  conventional short form: Martinique
  local short form: Martinique
  local long form: Departement de la Martinique

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
  (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
  MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held by March 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
  candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
  won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3
  note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
  held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
  also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
  candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
  by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE]; Martinique
  Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique
  Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique Socialist
  Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and
  Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
  Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
  Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for
  Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
  League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

International organization participation:
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white
  cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of
  France is used for official occasions

Economy Martinique

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light
  industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small
  industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most
  of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports
  are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable,
  and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic
  trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from
  France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become
  more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign
  exchange.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 11%
  services: 83% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (1990)

Labor force:
  165,900 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
  27.2% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $900 million
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
  million (1996)

Industries:
  construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.151 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Exports:
  $250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)

Exports - partners:
  France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Imports:
  $2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
  vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US
  dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use:
  170,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  15,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and
  Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2000)

Transportation Martinique

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Martinique

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy,
  Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
  Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:
  Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern
  third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but
  relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario
  guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition
  parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two
  multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as
  flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
  generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party
  state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between
  its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber)
  populace.

Geography Mauritania

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,400 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,074 km
  border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
  Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
  754 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:
  mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
  April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
  are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
  water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
  river

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
  Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
  country

People Mauritania

Population:
  2,912,584 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46% (male 671,080; female 668,408)
  15-64 years: 51.8% (male 743,573; female 764,358)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,669; female 38,496) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.9 years
  male: 16.6 years
  female: 17.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.91% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 73.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 76.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.93 years
  male: 49.78 years
  female: 54.13 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  610 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
  mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions:
  Muslim 100%

Languages:
  Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official),
  French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 41.7%
  male: 51.8%
  female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  conventional short form: Mauritania
  local short form: Muritaniyah
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Nouakchott

Administrative divisions:
  12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
  Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
  Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
  Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:
  28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:
  12 July 1991

Legal system:
  a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12
  December 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
  July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
  for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
  (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years;
  members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
  the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
  April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
  (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
  seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for
  Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social
  Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid
  Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC
  [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and
  Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and
  Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
  CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El
  Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD
  [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed
  Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould
  DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI
  BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
  note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002;
  parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however,
  politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
  Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
  Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
  Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
  Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending
  member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM,
  OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL
  chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
  embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
  Embassy), Nouakchott
  mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
  telephone: [222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45
  FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Flag description:
  green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
  crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
  star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:
  Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
  a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
  were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
  1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
  for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for
  this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's
  coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but
  overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue.
  The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
  In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a
  buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for
  debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor
  and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In
  2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated
  potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment
  code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
  foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
  problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil
  production and exports probably will not begin until 2005.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.891 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  21% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $421 million
  expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  157.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  146.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Exports:
  $355 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:
  Italy 14.3%, France 14%, Spain 11.7%, Germany 10.9%, Belgium 9.9%,
  Japan 7.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $360 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
  foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 18.5%, Belgium 7.8%, China 7%, Spain 5.9%, Germany 5.2%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $220 million (2000)

Currency:
  ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:
  MRO

Exchange rates:
  ouguiyas per US dollar - ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December
  2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853
  (1997), 137.222 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  26,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  35,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
  minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
  stations (improvements being made)
  domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
  domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
  regional capitals
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .mr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  7,500 (2001)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Waterways:
  note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Ports and harbors:
  Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine:
  none (2002)

Airports:
  26 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard,
  National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 665,112 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $37.11 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
  Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently
  held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was
  attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and
  a positive human rights record, the country has attracted
  considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's
  highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar
  prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over
  standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 2,040 sq km
  note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
  Brandon), and Rodrigues
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 2,030 sq km

Area - comparative:
  almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  177 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May
  to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:
  small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
  central plateau

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
  that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of
  volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population:
  1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.8 years
  male: 29.1 years
  female: 30.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.84% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 67.82 years
  female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mauritian(s)
  adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:
  Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
  2%

Religions:
  Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
  Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages:
  English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
  Bhojpuri

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.6%
  male: 88.6%
  female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
  conventional short form: Mauritius

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port Louis

Administrative divisions:
  9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,
  Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,
  Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:
  12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
  12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system with elements of English common
  law in certain areas

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
  2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be
  determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
  (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
  election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
  elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
  NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30
  September 2003

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
  4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political
  parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by
  September 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
  36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
  [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
  BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party
  or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or
  MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR
  [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
  [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various labor unions

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
  chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
  embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
  mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
  mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
  DC 20521-2450
  telephone: [230] 202-4400
  FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview:
  Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
  low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
  diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
  sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
  of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
  equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
  infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
  grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
  of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
  foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore
  entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and
  investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion.
  Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal
  management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa
  Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging
  foreign investment in the information technology field.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  514,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  8.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.1 billion
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing;
  chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
  machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Exports:
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners:
  UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
  products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $42 million (1997)

Currency:
  Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code:
  MUR

Exchange rates:
  Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25
  (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:
  280,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  180,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system with good service
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
  new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several
  countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  258,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  158,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritius

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 1,926 km
  paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Port Louis

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
  refrigerated cargo 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mauritius

Military branches:
  National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile
  Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.712 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international:
  Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
  Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
  chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right
  to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:
  minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
  small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
  offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
  but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
  generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

Background:
  Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the
  Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
  that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
  independence.

Geography Mayotte

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
  of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 374 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 374 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  185.2 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern
  monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain:
  generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population:
  178,437 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 41,632; female 41,301)
  15-64 years: 51.8% (male 50,373; female 42,118)
  65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,502; female 1,511) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.9 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 15.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  4.25% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  7.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 65.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 72.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 60.6 years
  male: 58.49 years
  female: 62.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:
  NA

Religions:
  Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
  35% of the population

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Mayotte

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
  conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:
  territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 3 July 2002)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
  elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term
  head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
  BAMANA (since NA 1977)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
  held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
  - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
  elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
  2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
  44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
  or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
  KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
  SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
  Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
  [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
  including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
  self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
  requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
  of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
  an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
  obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  38% (1999)

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1991 est.)

Industries:
  newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Exports:
  $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
  cinnamon

Exports - partners:
  France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports:
  $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
  (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998),
  5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:
  12,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system administered by French Department
  of Posts and Telecommunications
  domestic: NA
  international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone
  communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2001)

Televisions:
  3,500 (1994)

Internet country code:
  .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Mayotte

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Mayotte

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French
  forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background:
  The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under
  Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early
  in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
  Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over
  half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.
  Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,
  underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable
  income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the
  largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.
  Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910
  Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
  government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
  of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
  as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
  between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates:
  23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 1,972,550 sq km
  land: 1,923,040 sq km
  water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:
  high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 13.2% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 85.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
  earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
  Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:
  scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
  migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
  north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
  southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
  urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
  deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
  the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
  subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
  note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
  deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of
  the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in
  Mexico

People Mexico

Population:
  104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728)
  15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 23.8 years male: 22.9 years female: 24.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.3 years
  male: 69.26 years
  female: 75.49 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mexican(s)
  adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
  Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:
  nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages:
  Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous
  languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.2%
  male: 94%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Mexican States
  conventional short form: Mexico
  local short form: Mexico
  local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions:
  31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
  Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
  Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
  Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
  Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
  Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
  Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:
  16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:
  5 February 1917

Legal system:
  mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial
  review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
  vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
  (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
  attorney general requires consent of the Senate
  head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the
  Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of
  each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or
  Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200
  members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,
  also for three-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224,
  PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28
  elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
  to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
  (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
  appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
  Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
  Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI
  Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio
  GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO
  Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA
  Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS
  Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON
  Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
  Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of
  Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of
  Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business
  Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and
  Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries
  or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union
  of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or
  CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
  Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
  APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer), EBRD,
  ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM
  (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC,
  UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino
  FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
  consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
  (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas
  (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis
  (Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha,
  Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),
  Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San
  Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
  Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
  embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
  Distrito Federal
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
  telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
  FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834
  consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
  consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
  the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its
  beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview:
  Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
  outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
  private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
  seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas
  distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly
  unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
  implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real
  GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with
  the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade
  agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European
  Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free
  trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in
  2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's
  second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $136 billion
  expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,
  mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% other: 2.9% (2001) nuclear: 4.2%

Electricity - consumption:
  186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
  US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,
  electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor
  vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:
  US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $150 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency:
  Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code:
  MXN

Exchange rates:
  Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46
  (2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:
  12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.02 million (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines
  per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
  competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development
  domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
  but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with
  120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
  considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile
  cellular service
  international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad
  (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America,
  and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications),
  numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American
  Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2
  fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands,
  Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios:
  31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  51 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 329,532 km
  paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,900 km
  note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines:
  crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas
  13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors:
  Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz,
  Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz,
  Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine:
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination
  ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8,
  short-sea passenger 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1,823 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 231
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  914 to 1,523 m: 82
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 83

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1,592
  under 914 m: 1,067 (2002)
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 454
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Mexico

Military branches:
  National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air
  Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age
  note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for
  military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US has strained water-sharing arrangements

Illicit drugs:
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400
  hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
  cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
  have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
  heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
  to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
  US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control
  majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing
  producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:
  In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory
  under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986
  independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with
  the US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment,
  overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:
  Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 702 sq km
  note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,
  and Kosrae (Kosaie)
  water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
  land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  6,112 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern
  islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with
  occasionally severe damage

Terrain:
  islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,
  coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:
  forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use:
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 45.71%
  other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
  overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:
  108,143 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 21,163; female 20,335)
  15-64 years: 58.5% (male 31,746; female 31,477)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,558; female 1,864) (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.04% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 32.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.13 years
  male: 67.39 years
  female: 70.95 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:
  nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages:
  English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,
  Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 91%
  female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: FSM
  former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the
  Pacific Islands)

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986;
  economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Capital:
  Palikir

Administrative divisions:
  4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:
  3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:
  10 May 1979

Legal system:
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);
  Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
  2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
  among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
  held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
  constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
  president and vice president failed
  election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
  of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote;
  four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms; and 10
  - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to
  serve two-year terms)
  elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003
  (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats
  last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  no formal parties

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate),
  IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry M. DINGER embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description:
  light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars
  are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and
  fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,
  except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist
  industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate
  facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In
  November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future
  revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with
  the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and
  technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's
  medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the
  reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the
  private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed
  infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $277 million
  note: $277 million $277 million GDP is supplemented by grant aid,
  averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  26.7%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate:
  16% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
  expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,
  craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% hydro: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports:
  $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY 99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners:
  Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports:
  $149 million f.o.b. (FY 99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:
  US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
  $53.1 million (FY 02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3
  billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used 1

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:
  11,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
  mostly for government purposes)
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
  (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  2,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine:
  none
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  7 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note:
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing
  state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on
  the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background:
  The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of
  the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought
  the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used
  as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory
  over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning
  points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval
  station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national
  wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the
  public. It is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the
  way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates:
  28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.2 sq km
  note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 6.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  15 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain:
  low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the
  public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
  observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba
  diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at
  present (2003)

People Midway Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the
  staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator
  living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from
  Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering
  Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally
  closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a
  presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the
  atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on providing support services for the national
  wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  7.8 km

Ports and harbors:
  Sand Island

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background:
  Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union
  at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR
  since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east
  of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population,
  mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria"
  republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the
  first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in
  2001.

Geography Moldova

Location:
  Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 33,843 sq km
  water: 472 sq km
  land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:
  rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54.08% permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues:
  heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides
  such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil
  erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
  minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population:
  4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32 years
  male: 29.8 years
  female: 34.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.88 years
  male: 60.63 years
  female: 69.35 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Moldovan(s)
  adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:
  Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,
  Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
  note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:
  Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
  Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
  conventional short form: Moldova
  local short form: none
  former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
  local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Chisinau

Administrative divisions:
  9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality*
  (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala
  autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti,
  Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
  Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence:
  27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
  constitution of 1979

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
  legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is
  unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
  many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
  (OSCE) documents

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
  2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002),
  Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002)
  cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
  presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
  2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
  failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early
  parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
  by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
  15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
  a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
  program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
  cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
  election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
  votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA
  3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
  confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
  electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis
  Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM
  71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
  constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:
  Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM
  [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic
  Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of
  Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Flag description:
  same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue
  (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
  Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
  carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
  right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
  is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
  head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview:
  Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from
  its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good
  farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy
  depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine,
  and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal,
  and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed
  to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union
  in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
  convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential
  credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
  removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
  entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
  growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
  of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003.
  Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
  backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
  higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
  foreign investors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 23% services: 49% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002
  est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $536 million
  expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
  refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
  vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports:
  $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:
  Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%,
  US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  textiles (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania
  8.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $100 million (2000)

Currency:
  Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code:
  MDL

Exchange rates:
  lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000), 10.52
  (1999), 5.37 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:
  627,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,200 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
  Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
  domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
  cellular telephone service being introduced
  international: service through Romania and Russia via landline;
  satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .md

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (1999)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2000)

Transportation Moldova

Railways: total: 1,300 km broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 12,657 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Waterways:
  424 km (1994)

Pipelines:
  gas 606 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 28
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Moldova

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic
  Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border
  Troops)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 44,084 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international:
  difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border
  crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms
  transfers, and other illegal activities

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS
  consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest
  Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the
  US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background:
  Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a
  railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,
  the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
  facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
  center.

Geography Monaco

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern
  coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 1.95 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1.95 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:
  4.1 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);
  almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population:
  32,130 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,551; female 2,445)
  15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,814; female 10,130)
  65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,937; female 4,253) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 45 years
  male: 43 years
  female: 47 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.27 years
  male: 75.37 years
  female: 83.37 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
  adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:
  French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
  French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name:
  conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
  conventional short form: Monaco
  local short form: Monaco
  local long form: Principaute de Monaco

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Monaco

Administrative divisions:
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
  by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,
  singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,
  Monte-Carlo

Independence:
  1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:
  National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution:
  17 December 1962

Legal system:
  based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
  Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
  (born 14 March 1958)
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
  appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
  candidates presented by the French Government
  cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
  head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
  January 2000)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
  members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
  representation; to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UNAM 21, UND 3
  elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
  2008)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch
  on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union
  for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco
  or UNAM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS,
  IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in
  Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
  flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is
  white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview:
  Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular
  resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In
  2001, a major new construction project will extend the pier used by
  cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully
  sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added,
  nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low
  business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who
  have established residence and for foreign companies that have set
  up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number
  of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal
  service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in
  prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish
  national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate:
  3.1% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $518 million
  expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1995)

Industries:
  tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh
  note: electricity supplied by France

Agriculture - products:
  none

Exports:
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Imports:
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
  (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:
  31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into
  the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios:
  34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1998)

Televisions:
  25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Monaco

Railways: total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Monaco

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service
  (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
  France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background:
  The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Genghis KHAN
  they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire
  was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke
  apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their
  original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won
  its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was
  installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist
  Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its
  monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which
  defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four
  years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to modernize the
  economy and to democratize the political system. The former
  Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional
  restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP
  won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76
  seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues
  many of the reform policies, the MPRP has focused on social welfare
  and public order priorities.

Geography Mongolia

Location:
  Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 1.565 million sq km
  water: 9,600 sq km
  land: 1,555,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain:
  vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
  and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
  highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:
  oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
  zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which
  is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies
  of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
  industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
  burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
  environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
  deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
  agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
  desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
  the environment

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population:
  2,712,315 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 423,081; female 408,119)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 890,482; female 892,140)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 42,292; female 56,201) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.2 years
  female: 23.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.39 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 57.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 60.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.81 years
  male: 61.63 years
  female: 66.09 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Mongolian(s)
  adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:
  Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the
  largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and
  Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions:
  Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest),
  Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages:
  Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Mongolia

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Mongolia
  local short form: Mongol Uls
  former: Outer Mongolia
  local long form: none

Government type:
  parliamentary

Capital:
  Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions:
  21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
  (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
  Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
  Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
  Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:
  11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:
  12 February 1992

Legal system:
  blend of Soviet, German, and US systems of law that combines
  aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a
  presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July
  2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
  with the president
  elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural
  and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held
  20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
  usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election
  last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent
  of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn
  GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other
  1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the
  State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch:
  unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
  courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
  nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the
  president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party or Civil
  Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [D.
  DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn
  ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP [B.
  ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]
  note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP (provisional),
  EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  MONUC, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
  chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. Slutz
  embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [976] (11) 329095
  FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description:
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
  centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem
  ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
  representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
  symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and
  breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits;
  copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a
  large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its
  height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-1991
  at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven
  into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's
  Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious
  economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government embraced
  free-market economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic
  and international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking
  system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs
  were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment
  through international tender of the oil distribution company, a
  leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the
  ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability
  brought about through four successive governments under the DC.
  Economic growth picked up in 1997-1999 after stalling in 1996 due to
  a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper
  and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered
  from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and
  Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the
  World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor
  community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative
  Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
  government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the
  investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of
  external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
  exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects
  of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP
  growth in 2000-2001. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose
  4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first
  applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a
  number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia
  owes it $11 billion from the old Soviet period; any settlement could
  substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $5.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 23% services: 45% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $386 million
  expenditures: $427 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
  fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal
  products

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  25 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  196 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: $501 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
  China 43.8%, US 33.6%, Russia 9.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $659 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
  goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:
  Russia 32%, China 19.4%, South Korea 12.1%, US 9.1%, Germany 4.7%,
  Japan 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $913 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $208.7 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
  togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code:
  MNT

Exchange rates:
  togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,134 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001),
  1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999), 840.83 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  104,100 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  110,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each
  thousand persons
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
  168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  40,000 (2002)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2000)

Waterways:
  400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:
  Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and
  Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are
  under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 796,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:
  Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the
  population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
  Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography Montserrat

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  40 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
  complex) 914 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
  Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Environment - current issues:
  land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:
  the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
  volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population:
  8,995
  note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
  resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
  (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
  15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.8 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  4.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.36 years
  male: 76.24 years
  female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
  black, white

Religions:
  Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
  Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
  government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
  Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions:
  3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system:
  English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party usually becomes chief minister
  head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
  minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
  finance secretary

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
  members serve five-year terms)
  note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
  general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
  elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
  constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
  ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPLM 7, NPP 2

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
  the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
  High Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
  Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
  harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:
  Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
  damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
  1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
  social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
  island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
  the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
  lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
  Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
  to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
  has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
  reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
  uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5.4%
  industry: 13.6%
  services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $31.4 million
  expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
  million (1997 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  2.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Exports: $700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle

Exports - partners:
  US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports:
  $17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
  goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:
  US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external:
  $8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending
  $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since
  1976)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  70 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Montserrat

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 227 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
  road system (2003)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing),
  Carr's Bay

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter
  service to Antigua is used (2002)

Military Montserrat

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:
  Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956.
  The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new
  country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
  during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
  territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
  resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.

Geography Morocco

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 446,550 sq km
  land: 446,300 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,017.9 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
  (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
  1,835 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:
  northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
  bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
  highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 20.12% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from
  farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation);
  water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs;
  oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:
  31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168)
  15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23 years
  male: 22.5 years
  female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.64% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.04 years
  male: 67.77 years
  female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Moroccan(s)
  adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:
  Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:
  Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
  business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.7%
  male: 64.1%
  female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
  conventional short form: Morocco
  local short form: Al Maghrib
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Rabat

Administrative divisions:
  37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni
  Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El
  Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim,
  Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache,
  Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi,
  Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata,
  Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued
  Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and
  Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara
  note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed
  by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created
  although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited :
  Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane,
  Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
  El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
  Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa,
  Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Independence:
  2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
  Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
  (1999)

Constitution:
  10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
  bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
  judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
  Supreme Court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
  Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
  professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
  terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
  lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members
  elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next
  to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
  September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI
  41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD
  6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
  Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
  ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
  Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
  Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
  for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
  [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
  [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
  ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
  Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
  Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
  [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
  El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the
  Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL
  KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
  Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
  Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
  Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
  or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
  [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
  chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
  Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
  Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
  Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
  PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
  MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman
  EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
  Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
  Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
  of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
  UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
  OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
  consulate(s) general: New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
  chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:
  red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
  Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional
  color of Islam

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:
  Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
  restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
  activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
  growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the
  IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully
  convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the
  financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity
  in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
  in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large
  foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license
  and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications
  company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good
  harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002.
  Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external
  debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for
  freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and
  attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job
  prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 33% services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  19% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.8 billion
  expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
  billion (2001 est.)

Industries:
  phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
  goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  900,000 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  665.4 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Exports:
  $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
  fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
  vegetables

Exports - partners:
  France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US
  4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
  wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:
  France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK
  4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $565.6 million (1995)

Currency:
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
  MAD

Exchange rates:
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63
  (2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.391 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  116,645 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
  however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
  100 persons
  domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
  microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
  principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
  network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
  service employs microwave radio relay
  international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
  Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
  radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable
  link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
  6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 57,707 km
  paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia,
  Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
  Melilla

Merchant marine:
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum
  tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
  passenger 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Morocco

Military branches:
  Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie,
  Auxiliary Forces

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:
  claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains
  unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
  September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
  parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests
  Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and
  Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and
  Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected
  Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary
  Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and
  refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish
  temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill
  soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both
  domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly
  directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
  America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:
  Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with
  independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
  dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
  war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally
  abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year
  provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A
  UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting
  in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the
  economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have
  encouraged recent foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:
  South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
  South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 801,590 sq km
  water: 17,500 sq km
  land: 784,090 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,571 km
  border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
  105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:
  2,470 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical to subtropical

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
  northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:
  coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 3.98% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central
  and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
  of the country

People Mozambique

Population:
  17,479,266
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
  Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003
  est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,634,173; female 3,725,396)
  15-64 years: 55.3% (male 4,712,891; female 4,945,123)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 189,778; female 271,905) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19 years
  male: 18.7 years
  female: 19.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.82% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  30.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 199 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 180.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 216.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 31.3 years
  male: 30.98 years
  female: 31.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  13% 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  60,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mozambican(s)
  adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena,
  Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians
  0.08%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.8%
  male: 63.5%
  female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
  conventional short form: Mozambique
  local short form: Mocambique
  former: Portuguese East Africa
  local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Maputo

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo
  Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula,
  Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
  25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
  30 November 1990

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
  November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was
  elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986
  (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17
  December 1994)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA
  47.71%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
  seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
  ballot to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%,
  Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
  note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other
  opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary
  seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was
  expelled from the party; he continues to hold his parliamentary seat
  as an independent

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
  judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
  Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
  courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
  note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
  separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
  its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
  Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
  Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
  Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
  president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
  or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
  chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
  Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
  Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
  Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
  FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
  embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
  mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
  telephone: [258] (1) 492797
  FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
  a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
  edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
  star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
  open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:
  At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
  countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
  1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
  on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
  economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
  political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
  led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
  was brought to single digits during the late 1990s although it
  returned to double digits in 2000-02. Fiscal reforms, including the
  introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
  have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
  spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
  assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
  population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
  continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
  substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
  MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
  project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
  projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
  manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
  Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
  forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
  manageable level.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $19.52 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 23% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $393.1 million
  expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $479.4 million (2001 est.)

Industries:
  food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
  petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  500 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  63.71 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
  coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
  beef, poultry

Exports:
  $680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
  electricity

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 24.3%, South Africa 9.1%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.18 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 27.5%, France 8.9%, US 7%, Australia 6.9%, Japan 6%,
  Malaysia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $966 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $632.8 million (2001)

Currency:
  metical (MZM)

Currency code:
  MZM

Exchange rates:
  meticais per US dollar - 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1
  (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998)
  note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
  weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
  transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:
  90,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  287,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system but not available generally
  (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
  domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
  connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
  Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
  730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2002)

Internet users:
  22,500 (2000)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines:
  gas 189 km; refined products 292 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  165 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Military Mozambique

Military branches:
  Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces,
  Militia

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,142,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian
  heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
  European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
  consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
  corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
  financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:
  South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during
  World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War
  II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West
  Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war
  of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was
  not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in
  accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence
  came in 1990 following multi-party elections and the establishment
  of a constitution. President NUJOMA is currently serving his third
  term as president.

Geography Namibia

Location:
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
  and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 825,418 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 825,418 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,936 km
  border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
  967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:
  1,572 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
  east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
  salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
  note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 0.99%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.01% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
  environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
  protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:
  1,927,447
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 414,559; female 404,346)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 517,469; female 522,549)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,038; female 38,486) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 17.9 years
  female: 18.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.49% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  19.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 68.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 42.77 years
  male: 44.27 years
  female: 41.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  22.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  230,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Namibian(s)
  adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:
  black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
  note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
  to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
  7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:
  Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs
  10% to 20%

Languages:
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
  population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
  indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84%
  male: 84.4%
  female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
  conventional short form: Namibia
  former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Windhoek

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
  Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:
  ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March
  1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
  2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA
  2004)
  election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent
  of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;
  two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
  determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1
  December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly
  - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent
  of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other
  1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle
  Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor
  Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's
  Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic
  Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description:
  a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left
  section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right
  section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
  contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:
  The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing
  of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich
  alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
  gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
  nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
  uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
  silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
  population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
  agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
  of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
  major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
  region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
  one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1400 in
  constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
  economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
  pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
  enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
  investment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $13.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 28% services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8% (2001)

Labor force:
  725,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  35% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $883 million
  expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998)

Industries:
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,
  lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  26.95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  603.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  31.15 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Exports:
  $1.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed
  fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:
  EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Imports:
  $1.38 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Debt - external:
  $517 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:
  Namibian dollars per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
  (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  110,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  82,000 (2000 est.)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100
  persons
  domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
  relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
  by open wire; 100% digital
  international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio
  relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries;
  connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine
  cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
  (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .na

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  45,000 (2002)

Transportation Namibia

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 66,467 km paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  135 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 114
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Military Namibia

Military branches:
  National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing), Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 459,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $73.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:
  commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual
  disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
  along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's
  planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa
  Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the
  boundary in the Orange River; dormant dispute remains where
  Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge; Angolan
  rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:
  Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
  century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
  Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
  1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
  independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
  Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 21 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 21 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  30 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain:
  sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
  phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
  rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
  plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
  by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
  Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
  Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:
  12,570 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 2,517; female 2,368)
  15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,681; female 3,779)
  65 years and over: 1.8% (male 116; female 109) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.6 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.95 years
  male: 58.41 years
  female: 65.66 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Nauruan(s)
  adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:
  Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:
  Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English
  widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
  commercial purposes

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Nauru

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
  conventional short form: Nauru
  former: Pleasant Island

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions:
  14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,
  Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:
  31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN
  trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:
  29 January 1968

Legal system:
  acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
  election last held 29 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  note: Ludwig SCOTTY was removed from the presidency in a
  no-confidence vote 8 August 2003; Rene HARRIS became president
  election results: Ludwig SCOTTY elected president 29 May 2003;
  Ludwig SCOTTY 10 parliamentary votes, Kinza CLODUMAR 7
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of Parliament
  head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party
  3, independents 15

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru
  Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader
  NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
  Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office
  at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone:
  (212) 937-0074
  consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji
  is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:
  blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and
  a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;
  the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator
  (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original
  tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:
  Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates,
  but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few years.
  Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen
  in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the
  remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally
  competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest
  per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist
  with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from
  Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of
  income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In
  anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits,
  substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust
  funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's
  economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the
  trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has
  called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public
  service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies,
  and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has
  encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens
  of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts.
  Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with
  estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate:
  0%

Budget:
  revenues: $23.4 million
  expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 95/96)

Industries:
  phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  30 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  27.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts

Exports:
  $27 million f.o.b. (1995)

Exports - commodities:
  phosphates

Exports - partners:
  India 46.1%, South Korea 18.3%, Australia 10.6%, New Zealand 7.8%,
  Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $33 million c.i.f. (1995)

Imports - commodities:
  food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Australia 59.3%, US 10.1%, Ireland 7.6%, Malaysia 6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $33.3 million

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320 (2001),
  1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  450 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone
  communication provided via Australian facilities
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  500 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Nauru

Railways:
  total: 5 km
  note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the
  island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Highways:
  total: 30 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Nauru

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Nauru

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,190 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  broad-based money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:
  This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its
  guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,
  built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa
  Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the
  Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as
  a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it
  became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way
  from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates:
  18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 5.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 5.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  marine, tropical

Terrain:
  raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by
  vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:
  guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo
  Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat
  herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
  (July 2003 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior;
  in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance
  of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern
  side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced
  against the island

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Navassa Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:
  In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule
  by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
  government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
  within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
  insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
  to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten
  members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then
  took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime
  minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
  parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of
  the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and
  his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the
  Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified
  future date.

Geography Nepal

Location:
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 140,800 sq km
  water: 4,000 sq km
  land: 136,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical
  summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:
  Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
  region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)

Natural resources:
  quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of
  lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 20.27% permanent crops: 0.49% other: 79.24% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine
  depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
  monsoons

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
  contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
  runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
  emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
  eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the
  world's tallest - on the border with China

People Nepal

Population:
  26,469,569 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,424,396; female 5,080,171)
  15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,692,134; female 7,320,059)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 468,697; female 484,112) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.6 years
  female: 19.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.26% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 70.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 72.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 68.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 59 years
  male: 59.36 years
  female: 58.63 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  58,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
  Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa,
  Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions:
  Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
  note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages:
  Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen
  other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in
  government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.2%
  male: 62.7%
  female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
  conventional short form: Nepal

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Kathmandu

Administrative divisions:
  14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
  Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
  Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:
  1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:
  Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution:
  9 November 1990

Legal system:
  based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the
  throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA
  Bir Bikram Shah)
  head of government: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA (since 4 June
  2003); note - Prime Minister CHAND resigned 30 May 2003
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
  note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
  the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
  of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
  believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
  wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
  still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
  days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch:

: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
  the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
  other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
  Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA,
  chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra
  Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri
  Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants
  Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Nepali
  Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president; Sushil
  KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani
  POKHAREL, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL also known as
  Prahanda, chairman; and chief negotiator, Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI,
  from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist]; numerous small, left-leaning
  student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese
  antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
  consulate(s) general: New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
  chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI
  embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [977] (1) 411179
  FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Flag description:
  red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
  right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
  moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:
  Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
  world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line.
  Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
  for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
  Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
  produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and
  carpet production, accounting for about 80% of foreign exchange
  earnings in recent years, contracted in 2001-02 due to the overall
  slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on
  factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of the
  Maoist conflict and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the
  US have led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign
  exchange. Since 1991, the government has been moving forward with
  economic reforms, e.g., by reducing business licenses and
  registration requirements to simplify investment procedures,
  reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off
  civil servants. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its
  potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign
  investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in
  other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size
  of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its
  landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural
  disaster. The international community's role of funding more than
  60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total
  budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of
  growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $37.32 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (1995-96)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.7 (FY 95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%

Unemployment rate:
  47% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $665 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
  mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.7% (FY 99/00)

Electricity - production:
  1.755 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.764 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  227 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Exports:
  $720 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade
  with India (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:
  India 47.5%, US 27.6%, Germany 7.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:
  India 21.2%, China 13%, UAE 11.1%, Singapore 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.9%,
  Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.55 billion (FY 00/01)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $424 million (FY 00/01)

Currency:
  Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:
  NPR

Exchange rates:
  Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 77.88 (2002), 74.95 (2001), 71.09
  (2000), 68.24 (1999), 65.98 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  236,816 (January 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
  radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to
  India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:
  840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .np

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2002)

Transportation Nepal

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 28 (2002)

Military Nepal

Military branches:
  Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service),
  Nepalese Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,674,014 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 303,222 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $57.22 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:
  joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
  sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
  border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international
  drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the
  West

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:
  The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium
  seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained
  neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by
  Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the
  Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The
  country was a founding member of NATO and the EC (now the EU), and
  participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union
  (EMU) in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 41,526 sq km
  water: 7,643 sq km
  land: 33,883 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
  southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 26.53%
  other: 72.44% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 1.03%

Irrigated land:
  5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
  nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
  vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
  Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
  16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.2% (male 1,501,127; female 1,436,453)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,576,141; female 5,389,764)
  65 years and over: 13.9% (male 929,087; female 1,317,939) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 37.7 years
  female: 39.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.5% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.74 years
  male: 75.85 years
  female: 81.76 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  110 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
  adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:
  Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin mainly
  Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%,
  unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages:
  Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Netherlands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
  conventional short form: Netherlands
  local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
  local short form: Nederland

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions:
  12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
  Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant,
  Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas:
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
  1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country
  concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally
  recognized their independence

National holiday:
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
  to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
  adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system:
  civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
  does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
  WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
  July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
  2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
  Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
  note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
  apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime
  minister on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:
  bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
  Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
  country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
  Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
  held NA January 2007)
  election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
  Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
  CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
  Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
  PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
  8, D66 6, other 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
  monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel
  VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or
  D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or
  PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for
  Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM]; Socialist
  Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising
  Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union;
  Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations;
  Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the
  nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
  consulate(s): Boston
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
  chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
  embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
  mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
  telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
  FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
  consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
  to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
  one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with William I,
  Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:
  The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily
  on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
  relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
  account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
  hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
  chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
  mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor
  force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
  and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
  began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
  continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting
  foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in
  2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four
  years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
  EU average. The government is wrestling with a deteriorating budget
  position, and is moving toward the EU 3% limit.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $437.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 25.7%
  services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.6 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  7.2 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $134 billion
  expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
  microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  88.32 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 5.7% (2001) nuclear: 4.3%

Electricity - consumption:
  99.42 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  4.209 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  21.49 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  88.06 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.693 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports:
  $243.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 25.1%, Belgium 12.7%, UK 10.7%, France 10.2%, Italy 6%, US
  4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $201.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
  clothing

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.8%, Belgium 9.7%, US 9.1%, UK 6.9%, France 5.5%, China
  5.1%, Japan 4% (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,132,400 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,081,891 (April 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
  domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually
  being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular
  telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of
  the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third
  generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  52 (2000)

Internet users:
  9.73 million (2002)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 116,500 km
  paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
  5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals)
  note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of
  1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger

Pipelines:
  condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem,
  IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine:
  total: 616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,711 GRT/5,226,912 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55,
  Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, UK 33, US 12 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 51, container 70,
  liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load
  carrier 15, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo
  34, roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6

Airports:
  28 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Netherlands

Military branches:
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air
  Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal
  Constabulary

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and midshipmen) (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,071,891 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 94,034
  note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003
  est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic
  drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering
  Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector
  vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao
  was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity
  (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th
  century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly
  discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is
  shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and
  is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is named Sint
  Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes
  Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the
  Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 960 sq km
  note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
  Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 960 sq km

Area - comparative:
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are
  rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are
  subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided
  geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint
  Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)
  group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:
  216,226 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 27,383; female 26,122)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 69,233; female 75,956)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 7,244; female 10,288) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.8 years
  male: 30.3 years
  female: 33.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.38 years
  male: 73.16 years
  female: 77.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
  mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
  Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English
  dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  former: Curacao and Dependencies
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

Dependency status:
  part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal
  affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense
  and foreign affairs

Government type:
  parliamentary

Capital:
  Willemstad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
  to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as
  amended

Legal system:
  based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
  influence

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
  1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
  July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT (since 11
  August 2003)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
  by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
  by NA 2006)
  note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

Legislative branch:
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1,
  WIPM 1
  note: the government of Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT is a
  coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3,
  FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
  elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93
  [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
  Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
  Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
  Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
  Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
  LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
  National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New
  Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of
  Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or
  SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro
  Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor
  Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St.
  Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative
  People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS
  [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
  JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald
  LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO
  (associate), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
  FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on
  a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars
  are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the
  five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,
  Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays
  of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.
  Although GDP has declined or remained even in each of the past six
  years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a
  well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the
  region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US
  and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate
  water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  89,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $710.8 million
  expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Industries:
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining
  (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
  light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.061 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  986.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Exports:
  $553 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US 20.9%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 10.5%, Guyana 6.6%, Singapore
  4.4%, Cuba 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.43 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
  Venezuela 60.8%, Mexico 11.7%, US 9.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
  IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its
  support with $40 million

Currency:
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:
  ANG

Exchange rates:
  Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79
  (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:
  76,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  13,977 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally adequate facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)

Televisions:
  69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .an

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

Merchant marine:
  total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,122,189 GRT/1,398,649 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 56, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
  1, combination ore/oil 3, container 27, liquefied gas 5,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 1, refrigerated
  cargo 27, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands
  52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 3, UK 5 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  5 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2038 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy,
  Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police
  Force

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 55,155 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1,643 (2003 est.)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
  Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the
  19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
  served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
  independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have
  dissipated.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 19,060 sq km
  water: 485 sq km
  land: 18,575 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,254 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
  coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0.38% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
  the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
  small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:
  210,798 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.7% (male 31,990; female 30,695)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 68,093; female 67,205)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,016; female 6,799) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.9 years
  male: 26.7 years
  female: 27.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.38% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.52 years
  male: 70.57 years
  female: 76.62 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
  Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92%
  female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
  conventional short form: New Caledonia
  local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
  local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Noumea

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on
  independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
  scheduled for 2014

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the
  islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3
  July 2002)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
  - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was
  reelected
  head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER
  (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Consultative Committee

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats;
  members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
  Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie
  3, LKS 1
  note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections
  last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New
  Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly;
  elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 2

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
  Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des
  Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois
  BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation
  Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National
  Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM);
  Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie
  POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or
  RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI
  [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE
  has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA;
  Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
  Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
  food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
  substantial financial support from France - equal to more than
  one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
  economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
  with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
  outlook for the next several years.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 30%
  services: 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  19% (1996)

Budget:
  revenues: $861.3 million
  expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
  million (1996 est.)

Industries:
  nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
  1.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Exports:
  $400 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
  Japan 20.6%, France 20.4%, Taiwan 16.3%, South Africa 11.3%, Spain
  7.7%, South Korea 5.4%, Australia 5.4%, Italy 5.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $1 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 52.8%, Australia 12.7%, Singapore 9.8% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $880 million annual subsidy from France

Currency:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
  euro in 2003

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04
  (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25
  (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  13,040 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  24,000 (2001)

Transportation New Caledonia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Heliports: 5 (2002)

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces
  (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $192.3 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.3% (FY96)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:
  The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In
  1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the
  Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
  Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
  British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
  land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
  peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
  dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
  New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
  lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
  address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 268,680 sq km
  note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
  Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
  water: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  15,134 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:
  predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
  limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.8% permanent crops: 6.44% other: 87.76% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
  species introduced from outside

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the
  southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:
  3,951,307 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 443,837; female 423,118)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,318,751; female 1,307,796)
  65 years and over: 11.6% (male 199,722; female 258,083) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 33.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.09% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.32 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: New Zealander(s)
  adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:
  New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%,
  Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Religions:
  Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%,
  Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Languages:
  English (official), Maori (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government New Zealand

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: New Zealand
  abbreviation: NZ

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Wellington

Administrative divisions:
  16 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's
  Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki,
  Tasman, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:
  Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:
  26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of
  the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986
  which is the principal formal charter

Legal system:
  based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts
  for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4
  April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
  1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament
  (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member
  constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional
  seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8,
  other 2

Judicial branch:
  High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New
  Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana
  Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS
  and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First
  Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP
  [Helen CLARK]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
  1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD,
  OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
  embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
  96531-1034
  telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
  FAX: [64] (4) 472-3478
  consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with
  four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
  half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
  constellation

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:
  Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic
  restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy
  dependent on concessionary British market access to a more
  industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This
  dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the
  bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological
  capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary
  pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they
  remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there
  is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap.
  New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in
  agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
  the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus
  far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, although
  growth may slow to 2.5% in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $78.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 23%
  services: 69% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.92 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $29.2 billion
  expenditures: $31.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002)

Industries:
  food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
  transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  37.51 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% other: 10.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  34.88 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  89.62 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  58.94 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $15 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:
  Australia 20.3%, US 15.5%, Japan 11.5%, UK 4.8%, China 4.6%, South
  Korea 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $12.5 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,
  electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:
  Australia 22.1%, US 13.6%, Japan 12%, China 8%, Germany 5.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $33 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $99.7 million

Currency:
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.16 (2002), 2.38 (2001), 2.2
  (2000), 1.89 (1999), 1.87 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.92 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.2 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
  domestic: NA
  international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  36 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.06 million (2002)

Transportation New Zealand

Railways: total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 92,053 km
  paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,609 km
  note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation
  requirements

Pipelines:
  gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined
  products 304 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 69,685 GRT/106,627 DWT
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
  113 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military New Zealand

Military branches:
  New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air
  Force

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,021,770 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 859,505 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 26,803 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $605.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:
  The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from
  Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was
  declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in
  1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the
  19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in
  subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation
  and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a
  short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas
  to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador
  caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through
  much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001
  saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its
  economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in
  1998.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 129,494 sq km
  water: 9,240 sq km
  land: 120,254 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
  mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:
  gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 20.24% permanent crops: 2.38% other: 77.38% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  880 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater
  body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:
  5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.4 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 20.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.68 years
  male: 67.68 years
  female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nicaraguan(s)
  adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
  Amerindian 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Languages:
  Spanish (official)
  note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.5%
  male: 67.2%
  female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government Nicaragua

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
  conventional short form: Nicaragua
  local short form: Nicaragua
  local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Managua

Administrative divisions:
  15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2
  autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
  autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
  Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
  Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system:
  civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January
  2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
  2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
  56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC)
  1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats;
  members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
  (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN
  36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal
  Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1,
  PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year
  terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha];
  Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance
  (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New
  Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity
  or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA];
  National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE];
  National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of
  the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ];
  Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista
  National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
  Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity
  Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or
  UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of
  eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC,
  Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
  Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
  Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
  Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
  Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
  Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
  umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
  Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
  Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
  Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
  Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
  business groups

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December
  2003)
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570
  chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013 FAX: [505] 266-9074

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
  NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
  the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
  the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
  the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
  blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:
  Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per
  capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external
  debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the
  globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic
  stability over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has
  shaken the economy. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on
  international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on the
  openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and
  human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt
  service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up moderately in
  2003 because of increased private investment and exports.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 26% services: 44% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  60.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $726 million
  expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,
  clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,
  wood

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.549 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% other: 8.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.388 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  17 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Exports:
  $637 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar,
  gold

Exports - partners:
  US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products,
  consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 23.7%, Costa Rica 10.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Guatemala 7.8%, Mexico
  6.7%, El Salvador 6%, South Korea 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Substantial foreign support

Currency:
  gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code:
  NIO

Exchange rates:
  gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68
  (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:
  140,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,911 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign
  investment
  domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
  expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ni

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2000)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 19,032 km paved: 2,094 km unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)

Waterways:
  2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)

Pipelines:
  oil 54 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino,
  Rama, San Juan del Sur

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  176 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2002)

Military Nicaragua

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,347,033 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 59,903 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $26 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international:
  territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San
  Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; with respect to
  the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ
  referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed
  Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution
  among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
  legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border
  with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
  transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Niger

Introduction Niger

Background:
  Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger
  hold it's first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a
  five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999
  were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council
  that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999.

Geography Niger

Location:
  Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.267 million sq km
  water: 300 sq km
  land: 1,266,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,697 km
  border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
  Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:
  predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains
  in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Niger River 200 m
  highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources:
  uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 3.94% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.06% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  660 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northern
  four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for
  livestock and limited agriculture

People Niger

Population:
  11,058,590 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.6% (male 2,686,169; female 2,581,785)
  15-64 years: 50.2% (male 2,710,554; female 2,842,319)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 125,505; female 112,258) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.1 years
  male: 15.6 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.71% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  49.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  21.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 123.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 119.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 127.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 42.21 years
  male: 42.29 years
  female: 42.12 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  6,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nigerien(s)
  adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups:
  Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)
  4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French
  expatriates

Religions:
  Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages:
  French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 17.6%
  male: 25.8%
  female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Government Niger

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Niger
  conventional short form: Niger
  local short form: Niger
  local long form: Republique du Niger

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Niamey

Administrative divisions:
  7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capital
  district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,
  Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence:
  3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution:
  the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum
  on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
  appointed by the president and shares some executive
  responsibilities with the president
  cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: TANDJA Mamadou elected president; percent of vote
  - TANDJA Mamadou 59.9%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40.1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members elected by popular
  vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8,
  ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4

Judicial branch:
  State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid
  ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
  [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
  Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien
  Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or
  ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for
  Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou
  ISSOUFOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or
  UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with
  a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white
  band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel
  centered in the white band

Economy Niger

Economy - overview:
  Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
  centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport
  trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world
  demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January
  1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products
  of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral
  and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999
  coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In
  2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of
  $105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could
  prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.
  The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility
  for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under
  the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Further
  disbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may be
  sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral
  resources.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.713 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.5 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  70,000 receive regular wages or salaries

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sources
  expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
  chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  242 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  325.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  100 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Exports:
  $293 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners:
  France 39%, Nigeria 33.2%, Japan 17.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $368 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners:
  France 16.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 14.9%, China 9.8%, Nigeria 7.4%, US
  5.2%, Japan 4.6%, India 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $341 million (1997)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Niger

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
  communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
  southwestern area of Niger
  domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
  relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
  125,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ne

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  12,000 (2002)

Transportation Niger

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
  total: 10,100 km
  paved: 798 km
  unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  300 km
  note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin
  frontier from mid-December through March

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  27 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Niger

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Intervention and Security
  Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,379,485 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,288,396 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 119,367 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20.54 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Niger

Disputes - international:
  Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute;
  much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,
  remains undemarcated but states accept 2001 arbitration over
  disputed Niger River islands; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge
  signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify
  delimitation treaty over the lake region, which remains the site of
  armed clashes among local populations and militias

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Nigeria

Introduction Nigeria

Background:
  Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was
  adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government
  was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a
  petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through
  corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
  addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding
  ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation
  for economic growth and political stability. Despite some
  irregularities the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian
  transfer of power in Nigeria's history.

Geography Nigeria

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and
  Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 923,768 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km
  land: 910,768 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,047 km
  border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
  1,497 km

Coastline:
  853 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:
  southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains
  in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone,
  lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 30.96% permanent crops: 2.79% other: 66.25% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
  pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
  has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
  rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward
  through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of
  Guinea

People Nigeria

Population:
  133,881,703
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.6% (male 29,322,774; female 28,990,702)
  15-64 years: 53.6% (male 36,513,700; female 35,254,333)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,890,043; female 1,910,151) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 18 years male: 18.1 years female: 17.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.53% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 71.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 74.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.01 years
  male: 50.89 years
  female: 51.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3.5 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nigerian(s)
  adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:
  Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of
  more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and
  politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
  (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions:
  Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
  English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68%
  male: 75.7%
  female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nigeria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
  conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:
  republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Capital:
  Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
  transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
  have now made the move to Abuja

Administrative divisions:
  36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*,
  Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross
  River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna,
  Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun,
  Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence:
  1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted May 1999

Legal system:
  based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some
  northern states), and traditional law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Executive Council
  elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
  four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2007)
  election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
  vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
  Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats, three
  from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of
  Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
  2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%,
  ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
  27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD
  31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of
  Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice
  of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria
  Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
  Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH];
  Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
  Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
  Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
  chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER
  embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
  mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
  telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
  FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy Nigeria

Economy - overview:
  The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political
  instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is
  undergoing substantial reform under the new civilian administration.
  Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy
  away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which
  provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65%
  of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector
  has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria,
  once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following
  the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria
  received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1
  billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
  The agreement was allowed to expire by the IMF in November 2001,
  however, and Nigeria apparently received much less multilateral
  assistance than expected in 2002. Nonetheless, increases in foreign
  oil investment and oil production kept growth at 3% in 2002. The
  government lacks the strength to implement the market-oriented
  reforms urged by the IMF, such as modernization of the banking
  system; to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands; and to
  resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the
  oil industry. When the uncertainties in the global economy are added
  in, estimates of Nigeria's prospects for 2003 must have a wide
  margin of error.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $112.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 20% services: 35% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  14.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  66 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  28% (1992 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.4 billion
  expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,
  wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction
  materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,
  ceramics, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  15.67 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  14.55 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  20 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  27 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.007 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Exports:
  $17.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:
  US 32.3%, Brazil 8.3%, Spain 7.2%, Indonesia 5.9%, France 5.6%,
  India 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $13.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food
  and live animals

Imports - partners:
  UK 9.6%, US 9.4%, China 9.3%, France 8.7%, Germany 6.8%, South
  Korea 6.1%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $29.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $250 million (1998)

Currency:
  naira (NGN)

Currency code:
  NGN

Exchange rates:
  nairas per US dollar - NA (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000),
  92.34 (1999), 21.89 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  500,000 (2000 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  200,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor
  maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made
  domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
  radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
  earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
  facilities and the Internet are available
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South
  African Far East)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
  23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions:
  6.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ng

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2000)

Transportation Nigeria

Railways:
  total: 3,557 km
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
  standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 194,394 km
  paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  8,575 km
  note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers
  and creeks

Pipelines:
  condensate 105 km; gas 1,660 km; oil 3,634 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Merchant marine:
  total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,689 GRT/607,560 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bulgaria 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, US
  1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker
  29, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
  70 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Nigeria

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 31,790,482 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 18,259,696 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1,418,099 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $417.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Nigeria

Disputes - international:
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi
  Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected the
  cession of the peninsula but the parties formed a Joint Border
  Commission to peaceably resolve the dispute and commence with
  demarcation in other less-contested sections of the boundary;
  several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin;
  Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad,
  Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region,
  which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
  militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish
  sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

Illicit drugs:
  a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East
  Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian
  narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;
  massive corruption and criminal activity, along with unwillingness
  of the government to address the deficiencies in its
  anti-money-laundering regime make money laundering a major problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Niue

Introduction Niue

Background:
  Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences
  between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook
  Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The
  population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in
  1966 to about 2,100 in 2002), with substantial emigration to New
  Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography Niue

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:
  19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 260 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 260 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  64 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:
  steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land

Land use: arable land: 19.23% permanent crops: 7.69% other: 73.08% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands

People Niue

Population: 2,145 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Niuean(s)
  adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Religions:
  Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related
  to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other
  15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day
  Adventist)

Languages:
  Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;
  English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Niue

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island

Dependency status:
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
  Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
  responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
  at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type:
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Alofi

Administrative divisions:
  none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
  second order

Independence:
  on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
  government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system:
  English common law
  note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
  and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
  John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
  election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of
  Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama
  HUNUKI (AI) 30%
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May
  2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
  roll and 14 are village representatives)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected
  elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders:
  Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
  Independents or AI [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
  yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;
  the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large
  one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of
  the bold red cross

Economy Niue

Economy - overview:
  The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
  geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
  Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
  is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
  used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
  expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
  agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
  although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
  primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
  honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
  collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
  years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
  of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
  promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
  Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down
  the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002
  was about $2.6 million.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: 55%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (1995)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
  government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.79 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Exports: $137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Imports:
  $2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
  lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners:
  NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Debt - external:
  $418,000 (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Currency:
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002), 2.3776 (2001),
  2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Niue

Telephones - main lines in use:
  376 (1991)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1991)

Telephone system:
  domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
  island
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Niue

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Niue

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Niue

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Norfolk Island

Introduction Norfolk Island

Background:
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony
  (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the
  island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the
  Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography Norfolk Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 34.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 34.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  32 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs,
  but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on
  Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People Norfolk Island

Population: 1,853 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander,
  Polynesians

Religions:
  Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic
  11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other
  3.9% (1996)

Languages:
  English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and
  ancient Tahitian

Literacy:
  NA

Government Norfolk Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth
  responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of
  Environment, Sport, and Territories

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Kingston

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)

Constitution:
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system:
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English
  common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or
  Norfolk Island law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
  and Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony J. MESSNER
  (since 4 August 1997)
  election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
  percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA%
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
  election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
  Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
  the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
  acts as an advisor to the administrator

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by
  electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be
  given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a
  large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider
  white band

Economy Norfolk Island

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over
  the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among
  inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has
  become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $4.6 million
  expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 92/93)

Industries:
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2002) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables,
  fruit; cattle, poultry

Exports:
  $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY 91/92)

Exports - commodities:
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm,
  small quantities of avocados

Exports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Imports:
  $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY 91/92)

Imports - commodities:
  NA

Imports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001),
  1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,087 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1983)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in
  Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Televisions:
  1,200 (1996)

Internet country code:
  .nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Norfolk Island

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Norfolk Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction Northern Mariana Islands

Background:
  Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the
  1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links
  with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A
  covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US
  was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into
  effect in 1978.

Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters
  of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 477 sq km
  note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 477 sq km

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,482 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
  seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
  season July to October

Terrain:
  southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing
  coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 15.22%
  permanent crops: 6.52%
  other: 78.26% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August
  to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population:
  80,006 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168)
  15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041)
  65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.4 years
  male: 31 years
  female: 30.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.37% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.16 years
  male: 73.06 years
  female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese,
  Chinese, Filipino, Korean

Religions:
  Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs
  and taboos may still be found)

Languages:
  English, Chamorro, Carolinian
  note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
  former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Dependency status:
  commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the
  Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior,
  Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:
  commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor,
  lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:
  Saipan

Administrative divisions:
  none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order;
  Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:
  none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:
  Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:
  Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution
  of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1
  January 1978

Legal system:
  based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws,
  and taxation

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
  but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January
  2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
  election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
  race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the
  House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1,
  independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
  Democratic Party 1, independent 1
  note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
  delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
  "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
  - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
  elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA
  November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
  (next to be held NA November 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno
  R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Flag description:
  blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray
  silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in
  building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from
  the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated
  government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs
  about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of
  GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have
  exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial
  difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The
  agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
  producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
  production is by far the most important industry with employment of
  17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
  duty and quota exemptions.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $900 million
  note: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy
  (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
  6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717
  foreign workers

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $193 million
  expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY
  01/02 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  garments

Exports - partners:
  US (2000)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  US, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  extensive funding from US

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  21,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,200 (1995)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two
  cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite
  networks) (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Saipan, Tinian

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Norway

Introduction Norway

Background:
  Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the
  adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion
  of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In
  1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that was to last
  for more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the
  cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution.
  Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its
  constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king.
  Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905
  referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in
  World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War
  II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid a five-year occupation by
  Nazi Germany (1940-1945). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and
  Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent
  waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The
  current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare
  system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are
  depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected
  joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 324,220 sq km
  land: 307,860 sq km
  water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,544 km
  border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:
  21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long
  fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM territorial sea: 4 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
  interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy
  year-round on west coast

Terrain:
  glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by
  fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
  by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc,
  lead, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.94% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.06% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting
  lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
  indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
  routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
  in world

People Norway

Population:
  4,546,123 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 465,320; female 439,095)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,501,608; female 1,462,590)
  65 years and over: 14.9% (male 281,554; female 395,956) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.7 years
  male: 36.7 years
  female: 38.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.46% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.17 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.09 years
  male: 76.15 years
  female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:
  Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman
  Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Languages:
  Norwegian (official)
  note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Norway

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local short form: Norge
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Oslo

Administrative divisions:
  19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
  Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
  Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
  Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:
  7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26
  October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814); note - on 14 January 1814 Denmark
  ceded Norway to Sweden; resisting Swedish domination, Norwegians
  adopted a new constitution four months later; on 14 August 1814
  Norway was proclaimed independent but in union with Sweden; on 7
  June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved

Constitution:
  17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system:
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
  traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
  when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
  July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19
  October 2001)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
  Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch:
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September
  2005)
  note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
  chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
  or Lagting
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%,
  Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party
  12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal
  Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor
  Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left
  Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal
  Party 2, Coastal Party 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd
  Svarstad HAUGLAND]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative
  Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party
  [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left
  Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
  chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
  Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Flag description:
  red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges
  of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview:
  The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
  capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
  government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
  the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
  The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
  hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
  its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and
  gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
  export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
  during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead
  with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
  worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two
  decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway
  has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government
  Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
  than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 2003
  against the background of a faltering European economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $149.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1.9%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 67.3% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  2.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 74%, industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $71.7 billion
  expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper
  products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  120.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.4% hydro: 99.3% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  115.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  7.162 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  10.76 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3.408 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  9.859 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.716 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Exports:
  $68.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:
  UK 18.1%, Germany 13.8%, France 11%, US 9.2%, Netherlands 8.2%,
  Sweden 8% (2002)

Imports:
  $37.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Sweden 17.7%, Germany 13.4%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 7.7%, US 5.7%,
  Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.2%, Italy 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $0 (Norway is a net external creditor)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency:
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
  NOK

Exchange rates:
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.98 (2002), 8.99 (2001), 8.8
  (2000), 7.8 (1999), 7.55 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.735 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,080,408 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
  advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
  prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
  systems instead of fixed-wire systems
  international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine
  cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .no

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.68 million (2002)

Transportation Norway

Railways: total: 4,178 km standard gauge: 4,178 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 91,454 km
  paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 21,949 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,577 km (along west coast)
  note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels

Pipelines:
  condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746
  km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km; water 96 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund,
  Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso,
  Trondheim

Merchant marine:
  total: 714 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,247,207 GRT/30,860,236 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 68, cargo 136, chemical tanker 125, combination
  bulk 5, combination ore/oil 32, container 19, liquefied gas 86,
  multi-function large load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
  127, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 44, short-sea passenger
  20, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 34
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Denmark 14, Germany 11, Greece 10, Hong
  Kong 7, Iceland 2, Japan 11, Lithuania 1, Monaco 42, Poland 1, Saudi
  Arabia 3, Singapore 10, Sweden 42, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 5 (2002
  est.)

Airports:
  102 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 26 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2002)

Military Norway

Military branches:
  Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and
  Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,099,314 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 910,628 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 27,249 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.113 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.13% (2002)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international:
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land
  and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and
  Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea
  and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
  within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Oman

Introduction Oman

Background:
  In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as
  sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened
  the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing
  political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate,
  independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations
  with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
  Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:
  21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 212,460 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 212,460 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
  southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:
  central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
  gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.08% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
  interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
  natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
  Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population: 2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 603,664; female 580,469)
  15-64 years: 55.4% (male 934,621; female 620,158)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 36,504; female 31,709) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.4 years
  male: 22.3 years
  female: 16.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.38% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  37.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.58 years
  male: 70.4 years
  female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Omani(s)
  adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:
  Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
  Bangladeshi), African

Religions:
  Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Government Oman

Country name:
  conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
  conventional short form: Oman
  local long form: Saltanat Uman
  former: Muscat and Oman
  local short form: Uman

Government type:
  monarchy

Capital:
  Muscat

Administrative divisions:
  6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates*
  (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
  Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note -
  the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but
  this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

Independence:
  1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:
  none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
  decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things,
  clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars
  ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with
  the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees
  basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the
  monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately
  175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the
  Majlis al-Shura

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said
  (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
  Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
  al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
  powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
  members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however,
  the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results;
  body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise
  has only advisory powers)
  elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
  note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
  non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani AL-KHUSSAIBY
  chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
  embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
  mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
  Muscat
  telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203
  FAX: [968] 699771

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with
  a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem
  (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords
  in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:
  Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due
  largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead
  with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of
  commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased
  budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and
  joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP
  growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell
  back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the
  government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local
  workers. Another government objective is the development of the
  nation's gas resources.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 55%
  services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  920,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $9.2 billion
  expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  crude oil production and refining, natural gas production,
  construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.274 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.625 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  5.703 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  846.4 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Exports:
  $10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%, UAE
  9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:
  UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $76.4 million (1995)

Currency:
  Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:
  OMR

Exchange rates:
  Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000),
  0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:
  201,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  59,822 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
  microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
  coaxial cable
  domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
  domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
  1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .om

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2002)

Transportation Oman

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 34,965 km
  paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 3,599 km; oil 3,187 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT
  ships by type: container 1, passenger 2
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  139 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 133 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 32 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Oman

Military branches:
  Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police

Military manpower - military age:
  14 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 788,429 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 29,485 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.424 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  12.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international: boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Pacific Ocean

Introduction Pacific Ocean

Background:
  The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans
  (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and
  Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the
  La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location:
  body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the
  Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 155.557 million sq km
  note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
  China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
  Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
  tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global
  surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline:
  135,663 km

Climate:
  planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit
  remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and
  westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal
  fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of
  Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
  continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less
  pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude
  in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a
  rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden
  winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the
  winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to
  the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and
  east Asia from May to December

Terrain:
  surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a
  clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and
  in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in
  the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
  Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
  reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
  eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
  western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
  Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel
  aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:
  surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity
  sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to
  tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to
  December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
  (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and
  Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
  cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial
  Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
  western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
  north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific
  can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,
  seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and
  South China Sea

Geography - note:
  the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon
  Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific
  Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
  dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
  southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and
  particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides
  low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing
  grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel
  for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish
  catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and
  gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy
  supplies of US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of
  recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in
  world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new
  drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles
  (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US),
  Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia),
  Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:
  Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to
  Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Pakistan

Introduction Pakistan

Background:
  The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of
  Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India
  was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these
  countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming
  the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of
  Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing,
  Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.

Geography Pakistan

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east
  and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:
  30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 803,940 sq km
  land: 778,720 sq km
  water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,774 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
  km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:
  1,046 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:
  flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
  Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:
  land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor
  quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 27.81% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 71.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and
  west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
  agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
  majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes
  between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population:
  150,694,740 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.3% (male 30,463,958; female 28,726,776)
  15-64 years: 56.5% (male 43,571,093; female 41,651,872)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,051,674; female 3,229,367) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 19.8 years male: 19.7 years female: 20 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 76.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 76.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 76.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 62.2 years
  male: 61.3 years
  female: 63.14 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  78,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Pakistani(s)
  adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:
  Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from
  India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions:
  Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages:
  Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu
  8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English
  (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government
  ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.7%
  male: 59.8%
  female: 30.6% (2003 est.)

Government Pakistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  conventional short form: Pakistan
  former: West Pakistan

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Islamabad

Administrative divisions:
  4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,
  Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,
  North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
  note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
  Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence:
  14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:
  10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30
  December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored on 31 December
  2002
  note: selected provisions of the Constitution pertaining to changes
  President MUSHARRAF made while the Constitution was suspended,
  remain contested by political opponents

Legal system:
  based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
  Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
  parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:
  note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of
  Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,
  General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and
  assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; exercising the
  powers of the head of the government, he appointed an eight-member
  National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme
  governing body; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously
  validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and
  legislative authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June
  2001, MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in,
  replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April
  2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years
  chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan JAMALI (since
  23 November 2002)
  elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
  term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
  presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
  2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
  four-year term (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: results are for the 10 October 2002 election for
  prime minister - Mir Zafarullah Khan JAMALI elected prime minister
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
  seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial
  assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National Assembly (342
  seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent
  minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
  PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
  BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
  votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
  PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
  PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3
  elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
  held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
  2002 (next to be held by October 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal
  Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National
  Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National
  Party or BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Baluch National Party/Awami or
  BNP/Awami [Moheem Kahn BALOCH]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar
  Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat
  Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN];
  Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ];
  Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan,
  Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah Ahmad NOORANI]; Millat Party or MP
  [Farooq LEGHARI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
  [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muhajir Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
  [Afaq AHMAD]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [leader NA];
  National Alliance or NA [Farooq Ahmad Khan LEGHARI]; National
  People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli
  Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or
  PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul
  QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic Party or PDP [Nawabadzada KHAN];
  Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO];
  Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J [Hamid Nasir
  CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N
  [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-l-Azam faction or
  PML/Q [Chaudhry Shujjat HUSSEIN]; Pakistan Muslim League, Zia-ul-HAQ
  or PML/Z [Ejaz ul-Haq]; Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil
  BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan
  People's Party/Sherpao or PPP/S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan
  People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO]; Pakistan
  People's Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Amin FAHIM]; Pakistan
  Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid
  NAQVI]; Tehrik-i-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]
  note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy),
  landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation:
  AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C (suspended), CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO,
  G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir QAZI
  chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, and Sunnyvale
  (California)
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6205

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
  embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
  telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
  FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
  consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:
  green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious
  minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are
  centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview:
  Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, suffers from
  internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a
  costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's
  economic prospects, although still marred by poor human development
  indicators, continued to improve in 2002 following unprecedented
  inflows of foreign assistance beginning in 2001. Foreign exchange
  reserves have grown to record levels, supported largely by fast
  growth in recorded worker remittances. Trade levels rebounded after
  a sharp decline in late 2001. The government has made significant
  inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, but progress is
  beginning to slow. Although it is in the second year of its $1.3
  billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Islamabad
  continues to require waivers for politically difficult reforms.
  Long-term prospects remain uncertain as development spending remains
  low, regional tensions remain high, and political tensions weaken
  Pakistan's commitment to lender-recommended economic reforms. GDP
  growth will continue to hinge on crop performance; dependence on
  foreign oil leaves the import bill vulnerable to fluctuating oil
  prices; and efforts to open and modernize the economy remain uneven.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $295.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (FY01/02 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (FY01/02 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 25% services: 51% (FY01/02 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.6% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41 (FY98/99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  40.4 million
  note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
  of child labor (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.8% plus substantial underemployment (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $12.6 billion
  expenditures: $14.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY02/03 est.)

Industries:
  textiles, and apparel, food processing, beverages, construction
  materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.4% (FY01/02 est.)

Electricity - production:
  66.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 3%

Electricity - consumption:
  62.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  62,870 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  365,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  297.1 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  695.6 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Exports:
  $9.8 billion f.o.b. (FY02/03 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather, sports
  goods, and carpets and rugs

Exports - partners:
  US 24.5%, UAE 8.5%, UK 7.2%, Germany 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $11.1 billion f.o.b. (FY02/03 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, chemicals, transportation
  equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron an steel, tea

Imports - partners:
  UAE 11.7%, Saudi Arabia 11.7%, Kuwait 6.7%, US 6.4%, China 6.2%,
  Japan 6%, Malaysia 4.5%, Germany 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $32.3 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Currency:
  Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code:
  PKR

Exchange rates:
  Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 59.72 (2002), 61.93 (2001), 53.65
  (2000), 49.12 (1999), 44.94 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.861 million (March 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  158,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving;
  service is adequate for government and business use, in part because
  major businesses have established their own private systems; since
  1988, the government has promoted investment in the national
  telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly
  increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and
  urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily
  available to the majority of the rural population
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
  cellular, and satellite networks
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway
  exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay
  to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios:
  13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  30 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.2 million (2000)

Transportation Pakistan

Railways:
  total: 8,163 km
  broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 254,410 km
  paved: 109,396 km (including 339 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 145,014 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine:
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,675 GRT/375,435 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 14, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  124 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 87 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 3 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Heliports: 13 (2002)

Military Pakistan

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 38,133,733 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 23,328,575 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1,767,502 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.964 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.6% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Pakistan

Disputes - international:
  thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Pakistan; isolating
  terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in Pakistan make cross-border
  activities difficult to control; armed stand-off with India over the
  status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues - India objects to
  Pakistan ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India
  believes are part of disputed Kashmir; disputes with India over
  Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Rann of Kutch,
  which prevents maritime boundary delimitation

Illicit drugs:
  opium poppy cultivation practically eliminated; key transit point
  for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western markets; Afghan
  narcotics continue to transit Federally Administered Tribal Areas,
  Balochistan Province, and Karachi; financial crimes related to drug
  trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Palau

Introduction Palau

Background:
  After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
  Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
  Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
  the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
  into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Geography Palau

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of
  the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 458 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 458 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,519 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM extended fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  wet season May to November; hot and humid

Terrain:
  varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
  Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
  reefs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:
  forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed
  minerals

Land use:
  arable land: 21.74%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 78.26% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the
  marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
  practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
  island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
  battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People Palau

Population:
  19,717 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 2,714; female 2,552)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 7,352; female 6,197)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 429; female 473) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.8 years
  male: 31.8 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.54% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.5 years
  male: 66.37 years
  female: 72.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Palauan(s)
  adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:
  Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%,
  Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and
  Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Religions:
  Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's
  Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and
  Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population
  observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)

Languages:
  English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral
  (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
  official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92%
  male: 93%
  female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Palau
  conventional short form: Palau
  local short form: Belau
  former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
  local long form: Beluu er a Belau

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:
  Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of
  Koror

Administrative divisions:
  16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror,
  Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar,
  Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral

Independence:
  1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution:
  1 January 1981

Legal system:
  based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,
  common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November
  2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. elected president;
  percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA
  46%; Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president; percent of vote -
  Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the
  Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
  basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA
  November 2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next
  to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 16

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
  Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: the Ambassador to the Philippines is accredited
  to Palau
  embassy: address NA, Koror
  mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
  telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
  FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:
  light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted
  slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview:
  The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture
  and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force,
  relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and
  tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The population enjoys a
  per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of
  Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been
  greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the
  rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the
  willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $174 million
  note: $174 million $174 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy
  (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  9,845 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate:
  2.3% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $57.7 million
  expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
  million (FY 98/99 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
  garment making

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production by source:
  0%

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Exports:
  $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners:
  US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Imports:
  $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Korea (2000)

Debt - external:
  $0 (FY 99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with the
  US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October
  1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years
  in return for furnishing military facilities

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Koror

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Palau

Military branches:
  NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free
  Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted
  access to the islands for 50 years

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Palmyra Atoll

Introduction Palmyra Atoll

Background:
  The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US
  included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
  archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
  include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
  Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
  preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
  mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
  Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
  January 2001.

Geography Palmyra Atoll

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
  5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 11.9 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 11.9 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  14.5 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain:
  very low

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and
  balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

People Palmyra Atoll

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US
  Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2003 est.)

Government Palmyra Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:
  incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered
  from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US
  Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded
  areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 NM
  territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Palmyra Atoll

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Palmyra Atoll

Highways:
  most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are
  unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  West Lagoon

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Palmyra Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:
  With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly
  signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal
  and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the
  structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the
  US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
  1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
  from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
  Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
  in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
  deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
  Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
  or on 31 December 1999.

Geography Panama

Location:
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 78,200 sq km
  water: 2,210 sq km
  land: 75,990 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May
  to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:
  interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
  plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources:
  copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.72% permanent crops: 2.08% other: 91.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge
  connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links
  North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People Panama

Population:
  2,960,784 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.6% (male 461,670; female 443,671)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 950,089; female 924,038)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 86,006; female 95,310) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 25.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.36% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.32 years
  male: 69.97 years
  female: 74.79 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  25,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,900 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Panamanian(s)
  adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed
  (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), English 14%
  note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 93.2%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Panama

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Panama
  conventional short form: Panama
  local short form: Panama
  local long form: Republica de Panama

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Panama

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory*
  (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera,
  Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas

Independence:
  3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28
  November 1821)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution:
  11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
  September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since
  1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser"
  Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since
  1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO
  (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser"
  Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 1999
  (next to be held NA May 2004)
  note: government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change,
  MORENA, PLN, PS
  election results: Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president;
  percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin
  TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (71 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRD 34, PA 18, PDC 5, PS 4, MOLIRENA 3, PLN 3, Democratic Change 2,
  PRC 1, MORENA 1
  note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
  plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
  cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
  formula
  elections: last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges
  appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of
  appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Civic
  Renewal Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA]; Democratic Change
  [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin
  TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Raul ARANGO Gasteazopo];
  National Renovation Movement or MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox];
  Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon MORALES];
  Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)
  [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS Galindo]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of
  Organized Workers or CONATO; National Union of Construction and
  Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council of Private Enterprise
  or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
  Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
  the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation:
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ALFARO Estripeaut
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
  chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
  embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
  Zona 5, Panama City 5
  mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
  telephone: [507] 207-7000
  FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag description:
  divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white
  (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain
  red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with
  a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Panama

Economy - overview:
  Panama's economy is based primarily on a well-developed services
  sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services include
  operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance,
  container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump in Colon
  Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the
  withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in
  2000-02. The government has been backing public works programs, tax
  reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of tourism
  in order to stimulate growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $18.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 17% services: 76% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  1.1 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
  labor (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  16% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.9 billion
  expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
  million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other
  construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.039 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% other: 1.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.681 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  118 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  43 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Exports:
  $5.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Exports - partners:
  US 47.8%, Sweden 5.8%, Costa Rica 4.8%, Honduras 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $6.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
  (1999)

Imports - partners:
  US 34.3%, Colombia 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.2%, Venezuela
  4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $197.1 million (1995)

Currency:
  balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  PAB; USD

Exchange rates:
  balboas per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999), 1
  (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Panama

Telephones - main lines in use:
  396,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic and international facilities well
  developed
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations -
  2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American
  Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  45,000 (2000)

Transportation Panama

Railways:
  total: 355 km
  broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 11,400 km
  paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,456 km (1999)

Waterways: 882 km note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal

Pipelines:
  crude oil 130 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
  Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area),
  Vacamonte

Merchant marine:
  total: 4,860 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,543,755 GRT/184,910,607
  DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 5, bulk 1,443, cargo 846, chemical
  tanker 376, combination bulk 72, combination ore/oil 17, container
  588, liquefied gas 207, livestock carrier 6, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 12, passenger 38, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
  tanker 537, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 287, roll on/roll
  off 107, short-sea passenger 41, specialized tanker 33, vehicle
  carrier 240
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 1, Argentina
  11, Australia 13, Austria 2, The Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Belize 6,
  Brazil 6, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 1, Canada 9, Chile 12,
  China 259, Colombia 14, Croatia 2, Cuba 20, Cyprus 3, Denmark 3,
  Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 3, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1,
  France 9, Germany 72, Greece 523, Haiti 1, Honduras 3, Hong Kong
  299, Iceland 1, India 18, Indonesia 48, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy
  9, Japan 1,642, Kenya 1, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1,
  Malaysia 18, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 8, Monaco 112,
  Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 98,
  Paraguay 1, Peru 15, Philippines 49, Poland 5, Portugal 7, Puerto
  Rico 2, Romania 7, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 5, Saudi Arabia 4, Seychelles 1, Singapore 112,
  South Africa 3, South Korea 342, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1,
  Sweden 2, Switzerland 81, Taiwan 334, Thailand 14, Trinidad and
  Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 4, Ukraine 1, UAE 54, UK 73, US 115,
  Venezuela 6 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  103 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 41 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 50 (2002)

Military Panama

Military branches:
  an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but
  there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes
  the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and
  National Air Service)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 797,456 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 544,967 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $128 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY99)

Military - note:
  on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
  abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
  creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
  Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
  the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
  temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
  "external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major cocaine transshipment point and primary money laundering
  center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is
  especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;
  negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
  transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major
  problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background:
  The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in
  the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south)
  in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which
  occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to
  administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A
  nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in
  1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography Papua New Guinea

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island
  of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean,
  east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 462,840 sq km
  land: 452,860 sq km
  water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline:
  5,152 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon
  (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0.13% permanent crops: 1.35% other: 98.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the
  country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud
  slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing
  commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
  projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
  swamps along southwest coast

People Papua New Guinea

Population:
  5,295,816 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 1,034,219; female 1,000,505)
  15-64 years: 57.8% (male 1,582,983; female 1,479,436)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 93,604; female 105,069) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 20.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  31.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 54.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 59.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.19 years
  male: 62.07 years
  female: 66.42 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  880 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
  adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London
  Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs
  34%

Languages:
  English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in
  Papua region
  note: 715 indigenous languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66%
  male: 72.3%
  female: 59.3% (2003 est.)

Government Papua New Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
  conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
  abbreviation: PNG
  former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port Moresby

Administrative divisions:
  20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands,
  East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay,
  Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern
  Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Independence:
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution:
  16 September 1975

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Albert KIPALAN (since 13
  November 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
  August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Andrew BAING (since 15 November
  2003)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
  general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
  governor general

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House
  of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from
  provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
  completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
  completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
  later than June 2007
  election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 15%, Pangu Pati
  14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%,
  independents 33%; seats by party - PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM
  9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note -
  association with political parties is very fluid (2002)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after
  consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges
  are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Bernard NAROKOBI]; National
  Alliance or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader; George MANOA, party
  president]; National Front Party [leader NA]; National Party or NP
  [leader NA]; Papua New Guinea Revival Party [John PUNDARI]; Papua
  New Guinea United Party or Pangu Pati [Pate WAMP, party leader;
  Chris HAIVETA, parliamentary leader]; People's Action Party or PAP
  [Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sir Mekere
  MORAUTA]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]; People's
  National Congress or PNC [Bill SKATE]; People's Progress Party or
  PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Unity Party or PUP [leader NA]; United
  Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO]
  note: 43 political parties registered to participate in the June
  2002 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (associate member),
  C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
  chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
  20036
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. Fitts embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle
  is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower
  triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the
  Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview:
  Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but
  exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost
  of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence
  livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including
  oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The
  economy has faltered over the past three years but will probably
  improve slightly in 2003. Former Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA had
  tried to restore integrity to state institutions, stabilize the
  kina, restore stability to the national budget, privatize public
  enterprises where appropriate, and ensure ongoing peace on
  Bougainville. The government has had considerable success in
  attracting international support, specifically gaining the backing
  of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development assistance
  loans. Significant challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE,
  including gaining further investor confidence, continuing efforts to
  privatize government assets, and maintaining the support of members
  of Parliament.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.86 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -3.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.1% industry: 35.8% services: 32.1% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 85%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $894 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $344
  million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
  production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil
  production; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  1.496 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.1% hydro: 45.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.391 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  67,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  345.2 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  385.5 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork

Exports: $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Exports - partners:
  Australia 23.7%, Japan 9.3%, China 5.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 49.3%, Singapore 18.8%, New Zealand 4.4%, Japan 4.2%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $400 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
  kina (PGK)

Currency code:
  PGK

Exchange rates:
  kina per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.39 (2001), 2.78 (2000), 2.57
  (1999), 2.07 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  61,152 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,053 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: services are adequate and being improved;
  facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
  aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
  domestic: mostly radiotelephone
  international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio
  communication service

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios:
  410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2002)

Televisions:
  59,841 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .pg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  135,000 (2001)

Transportation Papua New Guinea

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  10,940 km

Pipelines:
  oil 264 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 45,203 GRT/63,238 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Singapore 2, UK 7 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 1, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3

Airports:
  491 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 470 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 403 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Papua New Guinea

Military branches:
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground Force, Maritime
  Operations Element, and Air Operations Element)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,370,419 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 757,421 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $40.21 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international: Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Paracel Islands

Introduction Paracel Islands

Background:
  The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds
  and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina
  annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;
  maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has
  occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a
  South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands
  are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography Paracel Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South
  China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the
  northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: NA sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  518 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
  northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People Paracel Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)

Government Paracel Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:
  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation Paracel Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
  being expanded

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Paracel Islands

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues Paracel Islands

Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Paraguay

Introduction Paraguay

Background:
  In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay
  lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It
  stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War
  of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from
  Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was
  overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political
  infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential
  elections have been held since then.

Geography Paraguay

Location:
  Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
  23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 406,750 sq km
  water: 9,450 sq km
  land: 397,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
  portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain:
  grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
  region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
  and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
  highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 94.25% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly
  drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
  present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population
  concentrated in southern part of country

People Paraguay

Population:
  6,036,900 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 1,179,084; female 1,141,420)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 1,721,867; female 1,707,918)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 132,145; female 154,466) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.9 years
  male: 20.7 years
  female: 21.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.54% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 32.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.4 years
  male: 71.89 years
  female: 77.03 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.11% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  220 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 93% (2003 est.)

Government Paraguay

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
  conventional short form: Paraguay
  local short form: Paraguay
  local long form: Republica del Paraguay

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Asuncion

Administrative divisions:
  17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
  Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
  Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
  Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence:
  14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 14 May (1811)

Constitution:
  promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system:
  based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
  election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent
  of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
  Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
  SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
  or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
  de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
  held NA May 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
  (next to be held NA May 2008)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
  PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, MPQ 10, PPS 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo
  de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
  Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Nicanor
  DUARTE FRUTOS]; Movimiento Patria Querida or MPQ [Pedro Nicolas
  Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Colorados Eticos
  or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or
  PEN [Diego ABENTE Brun]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA
  [Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto
  FILIZZOLA Pallares]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT;
  Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church;
  Unitary Workers Central or CUT

International organization participation:
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM (observer),
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES
  consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
  chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description:
  three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an
  emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem
  is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)
  bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a
  green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within
  two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal
  of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
  words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
  REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy Paraguay

Economy - overview:
  Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector.
  The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer
  goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
  thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
  the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
  are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
  derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
  subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
  annually in 1995-97; but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and
  2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. On a per
  capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most
  observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to
  political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural
  reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient
  infrastructure.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $25.19 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -2.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 27% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  57.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate:
  18.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.3 billion
  expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (1999 est.)

Industries:
  sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  44.89 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% other: 0.1% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.637 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  39.11 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Exports:
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 25.1%, Argentina 23%, Chile 5.5%, Bermuda 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
  electrical machinery

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 32.7%, Argentina 22.7%, US 18.1%, Hong Kong 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  guarani (PYG)

Currency code:
  PYG

Exchange rates:
  guarani per US dollar - 5,720.44 (2002), 4,105.92 (2001), 3,486.35
  (2000), 3,119.07 (1999), 2,726.49 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
  290,475 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  510,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching
  center is Asuncion
  domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios:
  925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2001)

Televisions:
  990,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .py

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2000)

Transportation Paraguay

Railways: total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
  3,100 km

Ports and harbors:
  Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Merchant marine:
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,475 GRT/36,101 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
  on/roll off 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  879 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 868
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
  914 to 1,523 m: 323
  under 914 m: 518 (2002)

Military Paraguay

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,465,781 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,056,437 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 61,706 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $125 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Paraguay

Disputes - international:
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
  is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking,
  and harbors Islamist militants

Illicit drugs:
  major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
  consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine
  headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, Europe, and US;
  corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the
  Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Peru

Introduction Peru

Background:
  Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
  civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
  captured by the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian
  independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces
  defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru
  returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic
  problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto
  FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic
  turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing
  guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing
  reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late
  1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI
  won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but
  international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by
  Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw
  new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro
  TOLEDO as the new head of government.

Geography Peru

Location:
  Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
  Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,285,220 sq km
  water: 5,220 sq km
  land: 1.28 million sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,536 km
  border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
  Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:
  2,414 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to
  frigid in Andes

Terrain:
  western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
  (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources:
  copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
  phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.38% other: 96.77% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake,
  with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the
  ultimate source of the Amazon River

People Peru

Population:
  28,409,897 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 4,828,531; female 4,678,008)
  15-64 years: 61.5% (male 8,794,799; female 8,689,072)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 652,375; female 767,112) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.2 years
  female: 23.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 36.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 42.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.88 years
  male: 68.45 years
  female: 73.43 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  53,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,900 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups:
  Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
  15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.9%
  male: 95.2%
  female: 86.8% (2003 est.)

Government Peru

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Lima

Administrative divisions:
  24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas,
  Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco,
  Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
  Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin,
  Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
  note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
  constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
  is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
  administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
  authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
  their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
  authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
  been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
  the course of several years

Independence:
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:
  31 December 1993

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the
  constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28 July
  2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
  head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
  the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28
  July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July
  2001)
  note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
  does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
  president; note - Beatriz MERINO was asked to resign on 12 December
  2003 and was replaced by Carlos FERRERO Costa three days later
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
  with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
  election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
  president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
  Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
  Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
  APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
  party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
  17
  elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
  appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
  Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP [Alan GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing
  Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity (Unidad
  Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Posible or PP [Luis
  SOLARI]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion
  Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union
  for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
  Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
  Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
  Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, APEC, CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
  Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington
  (DC)
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John R. DAWSON
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
  APO AA 34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Flag description:
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
  with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
  features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
  quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
  framed by a green wreath

Economy Peru

Economy - overview:
  Thanks to foreign investment and the cooperation between the
  government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong in 1994-97
  and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's impact
  on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in
  Brazilian markets undercut growth. The following year was again lean
  year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial
  crisis working its way through the economy. Political instability
  resulting from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent
  departure from office limited growth in 2000. The downturn in the
  global economy further curtailed growth in 2001. President TOLEDO,
  who assumed the presidency in July 2001, has been working to
  reinvigorate the economy and reduce unemployment. Economic growth in
  2002 is estimated at 4.8%, led by construction in the retail and gas
  sectors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $138.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 27% services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  46.2 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  7.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services

Unemployment rate:
  9.4%; widespread underemployment (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $10.4 billion
  expenditures: $10.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
  processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
  fabrication

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  20.59 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.5% hydro: 84.7% other: 0.8% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  19.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  95,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  614.7 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  245.1 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish

Exports: $7.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Exports - partners:
  US 28.1%, China 10.5%, UK 7%, Switzerland 6.1%, Japan 5.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $7.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and
  steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  US 26.1%, Chile 7.9%, Spain 5.1%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 4.7%,
  Venezuela 4.7%, Argentina 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $29.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $895.1 million (1995)

Currency:
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Currency code:
  PEN

Exchange rates:
  nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.52 (2002), 3.51 (2001), 3.49 (2000),
  3.38 (1999), 2.93 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Peru

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.8 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  504,995 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Radios:
  6.65 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.06 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pe

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2000)

Internet users:
  3 million (2002)

Transportation Peru

Railways:
  total: 1,829 km
  standard gauge: 1,515 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 314 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 72,900 km
  paved: 9,331 km
  unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
  of Lago Titicaca

Pipelines:
  gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado,
  Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
  note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches
  of the Amazon and its tributaries

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,470 GRT/45,451 DWT
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
  233 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 49 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 184 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 100 (2002)

Military Peru

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes
  Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del
  Peru; FAP), National Police (includes General Police, Security
  Police, and Technical Police)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 7,510,882 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,045,619 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 281,717 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Peru

Disputes - international:
  Bolivia continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama
  corridor ceded to Chile in 1884

Illicit drugs:
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium
  producer; cultivation of coca in Peru increased by 8% to 36,600
  hectares between 2001 and the end of 2002; much of the cocaine base
  is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine,
  while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the
  international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished
  cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in
  the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Philippines

Introduction Philippines

Background:
  The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the
  Spanish-American War. They attained independence in 1946 after
  Japanese occupation in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand
  MARCOS ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him
  into exile. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the
  islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential
  transitions since the removal of MARCOS. In January 2001, the
  Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass
  resignations from his government and administered the oath of office
  to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional
  successor. The government continues to struggle with Muslim
  insurgencies in the south.

Geography Philippines

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
  South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 300,000 sq km
  water: 1,830 sq km
  land: 298,170 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  36,289 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from
  coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
  claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in
  breadth
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest
  monsoon (May to October)

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources:
  timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use:
  arable land: 18.45%
  permanent crops: 14.76%
  other: 66.79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to
  six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes;
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air
  and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal
  mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main
  water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes
  Sea, and Luzon Strait

People Philippines

Population:
  84,619,974 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.2% (male 15,625,480; female 15,028,498)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 25,206,467; female 25,485,482)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,427,238; female 1,846,809) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 21.8 years male: 21.3 years female: 22.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.92% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.3 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 27.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.29 years
  male: 66.44 years
  female: 72.28 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  720 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Filipino(s)
  adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups:
  Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages:
  two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English;
  eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or
  Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.9%
  male: 96%
  female: 95.8% (2003 est.)

Government Philippines

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
  conventional short form: Philippines
  local short form: Pilipinas
  local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Manila

Administrative divisions:
  73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte,
  Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*,
  Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes,
  Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan,
  Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*,
  Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*,
  Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*,
  Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City*, Davao del Norte,
  Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar,
  General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos
  Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La
  Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*,
  Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao,
  Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
  Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain,
  Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern
  Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,
  Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
  Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon,
  Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
  Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon,
  South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*,
  Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*,
  Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*,
  Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Independence:
  12 June 1898 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898
  is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the date of
  independence from the US

Constitution:
  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:
  based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
  2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
  January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
  Commission of Appointments
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998
  (next to be held 16 May 2004)
  election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph
  Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately
  40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote
  - 55%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria
  MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to
  President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that
  ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his
  government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death,
  permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the
  president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
  seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (214 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional
  members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution
  prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250
  members)
  elections: Senate - last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May
  2004); House of Representatives - elections last held 14 May 2001
  (next to be held 16 May 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Lakas 13, PDP-Laban/LDP 11; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 86, NPC 51,
  LDP 21, LP 20, independents 10, other 26

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
  years of age)

Political parties and leaders:
  Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
  LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president, Agapito AQUINO, secretary general];
  Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose
  DE VENECIA, president]; Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD,
  president; Franklin DRILON, chairman]; National People's Coalition
  or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN JUAN,
  president; Faustino DY, chairman]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL,
  chairman; Jejomar BINAY, president]; PMP [Horacio MORALES,
  president]; Aksyon Demokratiko Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma
  [Renato DE VILLA, chairman]; PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNU,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO consulate(s): San Diego consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
  embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
  mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
  telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001
  FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white
  equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the
  triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing
  three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small
  yellow five-pointed star

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview:
  In 1998, the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light
  industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of
  spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather
  conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but
  recovered to about 3.3% in 1999, 4.5% in 2000, and 4.5% in 2001. In
  2002, the Philippines recorded GDP growth of 4.4% but also incurred
  a record budget deficit. As a result, the Philippines is burdened
  with a public sector debt equal to more than 100% of GDP. Growth
  eased to 3.8% in 2003. The government has promised economic reforms
  including going forward with privatization, reforming the tax
  system, and promoting additional trade integration within its
  region. Considerable drive is required to update the educational
  system and the road network.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $379.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 31% services: 54% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 39.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  46.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  33.7 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, industry 15%, services 40% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.2% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $10.9 billion
  expenditures: $15 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food
  processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  45.21 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% other: 26.9% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  42.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  8,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  343,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  164 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  104.6 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Exports:
  $35.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
  coconut products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 26.2%, Japan 14.9%, China 7.4%, Taiwan 5.8%, Singapore 5.7%,
  Hong Kong 5.3%, Malaysia 5.3%, Netherlands 5%, Germany 4.6%, South
  Korea 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $33.5 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Japan 21.6%, US 18.6%, Singapore 7.8%, South Korea 7.5%, China
  5.2%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Taiwan 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $60.3 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Currency:
  Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code:
  PHP

Exchange rates:
  Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.67 (2002), 50.99 (2001), 44.19
  (2000), 39.09 (1999), 40.89 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6.98 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11.35 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine
  cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
  international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations -
  3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to
  Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2002)

Radios:
  11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  75 (2000)

Televisions:
  3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ph

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  33 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.5 million (2002)

Transportation Philippines

Railways:
  total: 897 km
  narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (405 km are not in operation)
  (2002)

Highways:
  total: 201,994 km
  paved: 42,419 km
  unpaved: 159,575 km (2000)

Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m

Pipelines:
  gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan,
  Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando,
  Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine:
  total: 393 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,718 GRT/6,699,666 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 3, Greece 8, Hong Kong
  13, Japan 47, Malaysia 19, Netherlands 14, Norway 8, Panama 3,
  Singapore 12, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, UK 7 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 111, cargo 105, chemical tanker 4, combination
  bulk 8, container 8, liquefied gas 8, livestock carrier 9, passenger
  5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 21,
  roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 27, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 18

Airports:
  257 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 13 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 175 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 99 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Philippines

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force,
  paramilitary units

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 21,923,324 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 15,428,043 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 846,994 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $995 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international:
  involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with China,
  Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants in November
  2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South
  China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a
  legally binding "code of conduct"; Sultanate of Sulu granted
  Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue its sovereignty
  claim over Malaysia's Sabah State but Malaysia rejects claim

Illicit drugs:
  exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the
  US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin
  and crystal methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Pitcairn Islands

Introduction Pitcairn Islands

Background:
  Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled
  in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
  Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in
  1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South
  Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the
  population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
  Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 47 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 47 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  51 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical, hot, humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy
  season (November to March)

Terrain:
  rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:
  miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
  note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
  discovered offshore

Land use:
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains
  because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:
  Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of
  Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies
  must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed
  offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population: 47 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA%

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:
  Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:
  English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English
  dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:
  NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
  conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Adamstown

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further
  refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:
  local island by-laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
  (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL (since NA
  December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT (since NA);
  serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
  election results: Steve CHRISTIAN elected mayor; percent of vote -
  NA%
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
  commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by
  popular vote for a three-year term; election last held NA December
  1999 (next to be held NA December 2002)
  head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Steve
  CHRISTIAN (since 7 December 1999)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 6 elected by popular vote, 1
  appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor, and
  1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms)
  elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2003)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
  Island Court (island magistrate presides over the court and is
  elected every three years)

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
  shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:
  The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,
  subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile
  soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
  vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
  and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
  sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
  the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  12 able-bodied men (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
  no business community in the usual sense; some public works;
  subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $729,884
  expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY
  94/95 est.)

Industries:
  postage stamps, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered
  generator

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Exports - partners:
  NA (2000)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
  foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  NA (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002), 2.3776 (2001),
  2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: only party line telephone service is available
  for this small, closely related community
  domestic: party line service only
  international: radiotelephone

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .pn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:
  Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of
  the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.
  During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and
  internal disorders weakened the nation, until an agreement in 1772
  between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland. Poland
  regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and
  the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state
  following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and
  progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the
  independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a
  political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and
  the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s
  enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most
  robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low GDP
  growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in
  the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single
  deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the
  Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade
  Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and is scheduled
  to accede to the European Union along with nine other states on 1
  May 2004.

Geography Poland

Location:
  Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 312,685 sq km
  water: 8,220 sq km
  land: 304,465 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,788 km
  border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
  km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
  444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Coastline:
  491 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
  frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
  thundershowers

Terrain:
  mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
  highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:
  coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
  arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.81% permanent crops: 1.23% other: 52.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry
  and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;
  air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide
  emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain
  has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and
  municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous
  wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial
  establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but
  at substantial cost to business and the government

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the
  lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population:
  38,622,660 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 3,458,844; female 3,284,995)
  15-64 years: 69.8% (male 13,407,012; female 13,547,728)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,879,445; female 3,044,636) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 36 years male: 34.1 years female: 38 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.96 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.91 years
  male: 69.77 years
  female: 78.28 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Pole(s)
  adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:
  Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belarusian 0.5% (1990
  est.)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
  Protestant, and other 5%

Languages:
  Polish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Poland
  conventional short form: Poland
  local short form: Polska
  local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Warsaw

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
  Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
  Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
  Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
  Zachodniopomorskie

Independence:
  11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:
  16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997;
  passed by national referendum 23 May 1997

Legal system:
  mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
  Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
  of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
  final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
  Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
  1995)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  and confirmed by the Sejm
  head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19
  October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October
  2001), Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
  the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
  the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
  election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
  percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
  OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of
  the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate
  or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
  provincial basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
  held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next
  to be held by September 2005)
  election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO
  12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW
  3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 25 April 2003) - SLD 193, PO
  57, Samoobrona 39, PiS 43, PSL 39, LPR 28, UP 16, SKL 8, PLD 6, PBL
  5, RKN 5, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2, independents 13; note -
  SLD and UP ran together on electoral lists in the 2001 elections,
  but constitute separate parliamentary clubs in the Sejm; several
  other deputies have left their parties and set up other
  parliamentary factions; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - SLD-UP 75, AWSP (an electoral alliance of some 36
  parties) 15, PSL 4, Samoobrona 2, LPR 2, independents 2
  note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
  indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
  the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens
  Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP
  [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Leszek MILLER];
  Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower
  Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw
  KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI];
  Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI];
  Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord
  or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL [Wojciech
  MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI];
  Samoobrona [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof
  PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Marek POL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej
  MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity
  Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE,
  CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw P1 mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2951 consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
  flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
  Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
  throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
  transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done. The
  privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a
  liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development
  of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles
  alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further
  development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by
  structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and
  lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive
  sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently
  initiated, have stalled due to a lack of political will on the part
  of the government. Structural reforms in health care, education, the
  pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger
  than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance
  depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector,
  the reduction of state employment, and an overhaul of the tax code
  to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers most of whom pay
  no tax. The government's determination to enter the EU has shaped
  most aspects of its economic policy and new legislation; in June
  2003, 77% of the voters approved membership, now scheduled for May
  2004. Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing the
  internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political
  uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the
  euro and the dollar while currencies of the other euro-zone
  aspirants have been appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the
  3 Baltic states.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $373.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 35% services: 61.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  17.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  18.1% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $49.6 billion
  expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Industries:
  machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.3% (2001)

Electricity - production:
  135 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  118.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  11.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  4.306 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  116.4 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  154.4 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Exports:
  $32.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live
  animals 8.5% (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 33%, Italy 5.7%, France 5%, UK 4.8%, Czech Republic 4.3%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $43.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5%
  (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 29.9%, Italy 8.1%, Russia 7.4%, France 7.2%, Netherlands
  5.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $64 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  EU structural adjustment funds

Currency:
  zloty (PLN)

Currency code:
  PLN

Exchange rates:
  zlotych per US dollar - 3.99 (2002), 4.09 (2001), 4.35 (2000), 3.97
  (1999), 3.48 (1998)
  note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Poland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8.07 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  13 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
  process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
  state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
  for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
  cellular telephone use
  domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
  networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  6.4 million (2001)

Transportation Poland

Railways:
  total: 23,420 km
  broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m,
  0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2002)

Highways:
  total: 364,656 km
  paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)

Waterways:
  3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)

Pipelines:
  gas 12,901 km; oil 737 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka,
  Warsaw, Wroclaw

Merchant marine:
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 199,186 GRT/275,476 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off
  1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  150 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 88 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 62 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 43 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 15

Heliports: 3 (2002)

Military Poland

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 10,354,978 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 8,077,706 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 343,500 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:
  small boundary changes made with Slovakia in 2003

Illicit drugs:
  major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market;
  minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs
  to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:
  Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
  centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
  destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
  Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
  A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
  decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
  left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
  following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
  colonies. Portugal entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
  Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 92,391 sq km
  land: 91,951 sq km
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
  water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
  south

Terrain:
  mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
  the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:
  fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble,
  arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.57% permanent crops: 7.74% other: 71.69% (1999 est.)

Irrigated land:
  6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
  emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
  Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
  sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:
  10,102,022 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 874,198; female 825,742)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 3,326,957; female 3,461,425)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 651,697; female 962,003) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.6 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 39.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.17% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.35 years
  male: 72.86 years
  female: 80.07 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  27,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
  who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
  100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
  conventional short form: Portugal
  local long form: Republica Portuguesa
  local short form: Portugal

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Lisbon

Administrative divisions:
  18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
  regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
  Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
  Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
  Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:
  1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)

National holiday:
  Portugal Day, 10 June (1580)

Constitution:
  25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November
  1992, and 3 September 1997

Legal system:
  civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
  constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
  note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
  body to the president
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since
  6 April 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
  2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
  minister by the president
  election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
  - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
  (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP
  8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS
  96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
  life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
  The Greens or PEV [no leader]; Popular Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS];
  Portuguese Communist Party/The Greens or PCP/PEV [Carlos CARVALHAS];
  Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Eduardo Ferro RODRIGUES]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO]; United
  Democratic Coalition or CDU [Carlos CARVALHAS]; The Left Bloc [no
  leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
  consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
  (Rhode Island)
  consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
  Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
  chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John N. PALMER embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
  (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
  dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:
  Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
  economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
  decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
  firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
  financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
  the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the
  euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
  Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of the past
  decade, but fell back in 2001-03. GDP per capita stands at 70% of
  that of the leading EU economies. A poor educational system, in
  particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth.
  Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers
  in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct
  investment. The coalition government faces tough choices in its
  attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness and to keep
  the budget deficit within the 3% EU ceiling.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $195.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 28.7%
  services: 67.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.1 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 60%, industry 30%, agriculture 10% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $45 billion
  expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking;
  oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  44.32 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% other: 4.1% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  41.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3.479 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.743 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: $25.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
  products, hides

Exports - partners:
  Spain 20.3%, Germany 18.4%, France 12.6%, UK 10.5%, US 5.8%, Italy
  4.8%, Belgium 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $39 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
  agricultural products

Imports - partners:
  Spain 28.1%, Germany 15%, France 10.2%, Italy 6.5%, UK 5.2%,
  Netherlands 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $13.1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5.3 million (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,074,194 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: undergoing rapid development in recent years,
  Portugal's telephone system, by the end of 1998, achieved a
  state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
  a main line telephone density of 53%
  domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
  radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
  international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
  tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.4 million (2002)

Transportation Portugal

Railways:
  total: 2,850 km
  broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 68,732 km
  paved: 59,110 km (including 1441 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)

Waterways:
  820 km
  note: relatively unimportant to national economy, used by
  shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton or less cargo capacity

Pipelines:
  gas 482 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon,
  Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal,
  Viana do Castelo

Merchant marine:
  total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 993,325 GRT/1,533,255 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 62, chemical tanker 18, container 7,
  liquefied gas 8, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 4,
  petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5,
  short-sea passenger 3, vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark
  6, Germany 20, Greece 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1,
  Monaco 2, Norway 5, Panama 5, Spain 22, Switzerland 8, UK 1, Virgin
  Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 25 (2002)

Military Portugal

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (PON) (includes Marines), Air Force, Republican Guard
  (includes Fiscal Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,520,852 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,017,678 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 67,816 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.286 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international:
  Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to territories around
  the town of Olivenza, Spain

Illicit drugs:
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian
  heroin entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish
  from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Puerto Rico

Introduction Puerto Rico

Background:
  Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was
  claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
  voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule
  that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African
  slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
  of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
  citizenship in 1917 and popularly elected governors have served
  since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for
  internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and
  1998 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 9,104 sq km
  water: 145 sq km
  land: 8,959 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  501 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
  precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
  areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 3.72% permanent crops: 5.07% other: 91.21% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:
  important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to
  the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural
  harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central
  mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;
  fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population:
  3,885,877 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.9% (male 454,908; female 434,555)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,212,764; female 1,322,356)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 200,669; female 260,625) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.3 years
  male: 31.6 years
  female: 34.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.58% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 73.27 years
  female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:
  white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,
  Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:
  Spanish, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.8%
  male: 93.7%
  female: 94% (2001)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:
  commonwealth associated with the US

Government type:
  commonwealth

Capital:
  San Juan

Administrative divisions:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
  municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
  Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
  Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
  Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
  Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
  Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
  Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
  Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
  Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
  Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
  German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
  Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
  Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday:
  US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
  25 July (1952)

Constitution:
  ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
  effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
  justice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
  but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent
  of vote - 48.6%
  note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice
  president
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held
  2 November 2004)
  head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  legislature

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats;
  members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1
  note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
  to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
  House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
  he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
  held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
  ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner
  elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
  November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
  (next to be held 2 November 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
  two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
  all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
  Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
  (pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA]; Popular Democratic Party or
  PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON]; Puerto Rican Independence
  Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of
  Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the
  Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
  Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU,
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO
  (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears
  a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially
  influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the
  colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
  region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as
  the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by
  duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have
  invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage
  laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
  other livestock products as the main source of income in the
  agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
  source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million
  tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-02, largely due to the
  slowdown in the US economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $43.01 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 45%
  services: 54% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00)

Industries:
  pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  20.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  19.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
  US 88.2%, UK 1.5%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2001)

Imports:
  $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 53.5%, Ireland 16.3%, Japan 4.5% (2001)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.322 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  169,265 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with that of the US
  by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
  capability
  domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable
  to US

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  18 (plus three stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
  Service) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  76 (2000)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2002)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 14,400 km paved: 14,400 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama,
  Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/20,904 DWT
  ships by type: container 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  31 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
  Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Qatar

Introduction Qatar

Background:
  Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed
  itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling
  into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas
  revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy
  was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by
  the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by
  his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless
  coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border
  disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas
  revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the
  leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Geography Qatar

Location:
  Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 11,437 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 11,437 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 1.27% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
  deposits

People Qatar

Population:
  817,052 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
  15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.2 years
  male: 36.4 years
  female: 21.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.87% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.43 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  17.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.36 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.9 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.14 years
  male: 70.65 years
  female: 75.76 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:
  Muslim 95%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.5%
  male: 81.4%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Qatar
  conventional short form: Qatar
  local short form: Qatar
  note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
  between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
  local long form: Dawlat Qatar

Government type:
  traditional monarchy

Capital:
  Doha

Administrative divisions:
  10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al
  Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan
  al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:
  3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution:
  provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir
  HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
  constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
  voters approved the new constitution

Legal system:
  discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
  codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
  personal matters

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
  when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
  Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad bin
  Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by
  the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
  positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed
  forces
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
  brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
  Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
  (since 20 January 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
  note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
  Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
  at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
  for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
  appointed)
  note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
  were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
  terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides
  for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public
  would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would
  appoint the remaining members

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer),
  OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
  consulate(s) general: Houston
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
  chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
  embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha
  mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
  telephone: [974] 488 4101
  FAX: [974] 488 4298

Flag description:
  maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
  hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview:
  Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
  earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given
  Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West
  European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion
  barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
  years. Production and export of natural gas are becoming
  increasingly important to the economy. Qatar's proved reserves of
  natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the
  world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature
  the development of offshore natural gas reserves. Since 2000, Qatar
  has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil
  prices and increased natural gas exports, and Qatar's economy is
  expected to receive an added boost as it begins to increase liquid
  natural gas exports.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $15.91 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 67.6%
  services: 32% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2002)

Labor force:
  280,122 (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.7% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $5 billion
  expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (FY 02/03 est.)

Industries:
  crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals,
  steel reinforcing bars, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  9.264 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.616 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  14.51 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  17.93 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Exports:
  $10.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:
  Japan 40.1%, South Korea 16.6%, Singapore 8.2%, US 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 17.8%, Japan 10.1%, US 8.5%, UK 8.3%, Germany 8%, Italy
  6.7%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $15.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:
  QAR

Exchange rates:
  Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000),
  3.64 (1999), 3.64 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  142,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  43,476 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
  domestic: NA
  international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio
  relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  230,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .qa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  75,000 (2001)

Transportation Qatar

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 90 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 902 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 87 km; oil 722 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 638,815 GRT/995,096 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2,
  container 7, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Kuwait 1, UAE 3 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)
  914 to 1,523 m: 1

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Qatar

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 320,835 note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 7,192 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Reunion

Introduction Reunion

Background:
  The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the
  17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by
  influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the
  island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost
  the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade
  route.

Geography Reunion

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:
  World

Area:
  total: 2,517 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 2,507 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  207 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry
  from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.2% permanent crops: 2% other: 84.8% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la
  Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de
  la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis,
  which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean

People Reunion

Population:
  755,171 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.3% (male 121,119; female 115,501)
  15-64 years: 62.8% (male 233,607; female 240,502)
  65 years and over: 5.9% (male 18,036; female 26,406) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 25.2 years
  female: 27.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.47% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.17 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 8.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.43 years
  male: 70.03 years
  female: 77 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups:
  French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages:
  French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 87%
  female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Reunion
  conventional short form: Reunion
  local short form: Ile de la Reunion
  local long form: none
  former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
  POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
  Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
  Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
  UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 19, UDF 9, RPR
  8, various right-wing candidates 4, various left-wing candidates 5
  note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
  elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
  PCR 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the
  Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
  GERARD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, InOC, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Reunion

Economy - overview:
  The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
  services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
  than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
  The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
  industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
  the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
  poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
  tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
  off than other segments of the population, often approaching
  European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
  unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
  The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
  seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
  Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
  France.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.174 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 19%
  services: 73% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  309,900 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  36% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.26 billion
  expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998)

Industries:
  sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.08 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.5% hydro: 44.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.005 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn

Exports:
  $214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%,
  (1993)

Exports - partners:
  France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
  transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
  (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Reunion

Telephones - main lines in use:
  268,500 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  197,000 (September 2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
  domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
  international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France,
  Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  173,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  127,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .re

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2000)

Transportation Reunion

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 2,724 km
  paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)
  unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Reunion

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including
  Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 198,341 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 101,116 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 6,795 (2003 est.)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Reunion

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Romania

Introduction Romania

Background:
  Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a
  Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king.
  The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power
  in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
  oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
  and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
  government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
  fractious coalition of centrist parties. Currently, the Social
  Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government, which
  governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania. Bucharest must address rampant corruption,
  while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms, before
  Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union.

Geography Romania

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
  Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 237,500 sq km
  land: 230,340 sq km
  water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,508 km
  border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
  169 km

Coastline:
  225 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny
  summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:
  central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia
  on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
  Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
  ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 40.57% permanent crops: 2.4% other: 57.03% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure
  and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in
  south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
  wetlands

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note:
  controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
  Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population:
  22,271,839 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,932,204; female 1,838,240)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 7,634,481; female 7,739,232)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 1,290,343; female 1,837,339) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.4 years
  male: 34 years
  female: 37.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.21% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 20.31 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.62 years
  male: 66.88 years
  female: 74.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  350 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Romanian(s)
  adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups:
  Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German
  0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant
  6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2%
  (2002)

Languages:
  Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Government Romania

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local short form: Romania local long form: none

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bucharest

Administrative divisions:
  41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
  (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
  Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
  Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
  Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
  Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
  Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence:
  9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence
  recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed
  26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

National holiday:
  Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution:
  8 December 1991

Legal system:
  former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is
  now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two
  candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA
  November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president
  head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu
  Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
  (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
  proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
  basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in
  the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000
  (next to be held in the fall of 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD)
  37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PSD
  65, PRM 36, PNL 13, UDMR 12, PD 9, independents 5; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 36.6%, PRM
  19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PSD 171, PRM
  69, PD 29, PNL 27, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18, independents 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on
  the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or PD [Traian BASESCU]; Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party
  or PNL [Theodor STOLOJAN]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian
  Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
  [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in
  Romania or PDSR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation:
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
  (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. GUEST embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042 FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
  band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
  resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy Romania

Economy - overview:
  Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely
  obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the
  country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
  three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
  Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
  construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
  4%. An IMF Standby Agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied
  by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and
  the curbing of inflation. Nonetheless, recent macroeconomic gains
  have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, while
  corruption and red tape hinder foreign investment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $169.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 35% services: 50% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 44.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  22.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.9 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  8.3% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $11.7 billion
  expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,
  timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
  processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 9.9%

Electricity - consumption:
  46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  400 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.055 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  111.1 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep

Exports: $13.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
  equipment, minerals and fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 24.4%, Germany 15.5%, France 7.7%, UK 5.4%, US 5%, Turkey
  4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $16.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%,
  textile and products 19% (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Italy 20.2%, Germany 18.1%, France 6.6%, Russia 5.6%, Austria 4.9%,
  Hungary 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $13.7 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
  leu (ROL)

Currency code:
  ROL

Exchange rates:
  lei per US dollar - 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7
  (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.58 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.777 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  645,500 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
  domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
  mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
  one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
  have no service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital,
  international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note -
  Romania is an active participant in several international
  telecommunication network projects (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ro

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  38 (2000)

Internet users:
  1 million (2002)

Transportation Romania

Railways:
  total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)
  broad gage: 60 km 1.524-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 198,603 km
  paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,724 km (1984)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Merchant marine:
  total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 494,670 GRT/650,863 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 39, container 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 4

Airports:
  65 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 26
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 39
  under 914 m: 25 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 12

Heliports:
  1 (2002)

Military Romania

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Paramilitary Forces,
  Civil Defense, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,912,284 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,974,240 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 157,840 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international:
  has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake)
  Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based
  on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years; joint
  boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Bulgaria based on
  shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920; Hungary has yet to
  amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to
  ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who protest the law

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
  Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
  Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Russia

Introduction Russia

Background:
  Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
  to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
  to the overthrow in 1917 of the 300-year old Romanov Dynasty. The
  Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed
  the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened
  Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions
  of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
  decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
  introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
  attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
  released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
  independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
  efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
  replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
  Communist period. A determined guerrilla conflict still plagues
  Russia in Chechnya.

Geography Russia

Location:
  Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
  Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
  Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 17,075,200 sq km
  water: 79,400 sq km
  land: 16,995,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 19,990 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
  (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
  1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
  Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
  km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
  km

Coastline:
  37,653 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much
  of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the
  polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid
  in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along
  Arctic coast

Terrain:
  broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest
  and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border
  regions

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources:
  wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural
  gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
  note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
  exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 7.46% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
  development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
  earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
  summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
  Russia

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric
  plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,
  and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
  deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper
  application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes
  intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from
  toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of
  obsolete pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
  located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
  size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
  too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount Elbrus is Europe's
  tallest peak

People Russia

Population:
  144,526,278 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16% (male 11,815,360; female 11,335,715)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 49,399,322; female 52,367,194)
  65 years and over: 13.6% (male 6,394,411; female 13,214,276) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 37.6 years male: 34.7 years female: 40.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.3% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 21.53 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.66 years
  male: 62.46 years
  female: 73.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.33 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  700,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Russian(s)
  adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:
  Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir
  0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% (1989)

Religions:
  Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages:
  Russian, other

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Russia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Russian Federation
  conventional short form: Russia
  local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
  former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
  local short form: Rossiya

Government type:
  federation

Capital:
  Moscow

Administrative divisions:
  49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics* (respublik,
  singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov,
  singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays*** (krayev, singular - kray),
  2 federal cities (singular - gorod)****, and 1 autonomous
  oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast'); Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy
  Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy
  (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya,
  Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya,
  Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya,
  Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**, Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*,
  Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy (Tura)**, Ingushetiya
  (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya, Kabardino-Balkariya
  (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya (Elista)*, Kaluzhskaya,
  Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya
  (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*, Kemerovskaya,
  Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*, Khanty-Mansiyskiy
  (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy
  (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***, Krasnoyarskiy***,
  Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya, Magadanskaya,
  Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*, Moskovskaya, Moskva
  (Moscow)****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy (Nar'yan-Mar)**,
  Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya, Omskaya,
  Orenburgskaya, Orlovskaya (Orel), Penzenskaya, Permskaya,
  Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***,
  Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutiya)*,
  Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg
  (Saint Petersburg)****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya
  [North Ossetia] (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***,
  Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*,
  Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya,
  Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy
  Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya,
  Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**,
  Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note - when using a place name with
  an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy,' the word Oblast' or
  Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting
  president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Mikhail Mikhaylovich KASYANOV (since 7
  May 2000); Deputy Premiers Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31
  May 1999), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 18 May 2000), Aleksey
  Vasilyevich GORDEYEV (since 20 May 2000), Boris Sergeyevich ALESHIN
  (since 24 April 2003), Galina Nikolayevna KARELOVA (since 24 April
  2003), Vladimir Anatolyevich YAKOVLEV (since 16 June 2003)
  cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
  the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other
  individuals; all are appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
  staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
  decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
  Security Council also reports directly to the president
  election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN elected president;
  percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 52.9%, Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV 29.2%, Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY 5.8%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 26 March 2000 (next to be held March 2004); note
  - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
  exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
  the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
  until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
  three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
  of the Duma

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the
  Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,
  members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in
  each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,
  republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of
  Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the
  State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; 225 seats elected by
  proportional representation from party lists winning at least 5% of
  the vote, and 225 seats from single-member constituencies; members
  are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
  clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
  the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, KPRF 12.7%, LDPR
  11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, KPRF 53,
  LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, Union of
  Rightist Forces 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election
  required 3
  elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
  NA December 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration;
  judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation
  Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of the Russian Federation or KPRF [Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
  [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Sergey
  GLAZYEV and Dmitriy ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV];
  Union of Rightist Forces or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor
  Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich
  NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko
  Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC,
  CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, G- 8, GEF,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNDP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET,
  UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy Russia

Economy - overview:
  A decade after the implosion of the Soviet Union in December 1991,
  Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy and
  achieve strong economic growth. In contrast to its trading partners
  in Central Europe - which were able within 3 to 5 years to overcome
  the initial production declines that accompanied the launch of
  market reforms - Russia saw its economy contract for five years, as
  the executive and legislature dithered over the implementation of
  many of the basic foundations of a market economy. Russia achieved a
  slight recovery in 1997, but the government's stubborn budget
  deficits and the country's poor business climate made it vulnerable
  when the global financial crisis swept through in 1998. The crisis
  culminated in the August depreciation of the ruble, a debt default
  by the government, and a sharp deterioration in living standards for
  most of the population. The economy subsequently has rebounded,
  growing by an average of more than 6% annually in 1999-2002 on the
  back of higher oil prices and the 60% depreciation of the ruble in
  1998. These GDP numbers, along with a renewed government effort to
  advance lagging structural reforms, have raised business and
  investor confidence over Russia's prospects in its second decade of
  transition. Yet serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals,
  and timber account for more than 80% of exports, leaving the country
  vulnerable to swings in world prices. Russia's industrial base is
  increasingly dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the
  country is to maintain vigorous economic growth. Other problems
  include a weak banking system, a poor business climate that
  discourages both domestic and foreign investors, corruption, local
  and regional government intervention in the courts, and widespread
  lack of trust in institutions. In 2003 President PUTIN further
  tightened his control over the "oligarchs," especially in the realm
  of political expression.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.409 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.8% industry: 34.6% services: 59.6% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25% (37622 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.9% highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.9 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  71.8 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.9% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $70 billion
  expenditures: $62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,
  oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from
  rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
  shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
  equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
  equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
  medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
  foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  846.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.3% hydro: 20.5% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 14.8%

Electricity - consumption:
  773 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  21.16 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  7.286 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.595 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  51.22 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  580.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  408.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  205.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  47.86 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Exports:
  $104.6 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
  products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
  military manufactures

Exports - partners:
  Germany 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.7%, China 6.3%, US 6.1%,
  Ukraine 5.5%, Belarus 5.4%, Switzerland 5% (2002)

Imports:
  $60.7 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,
  semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:
  Germany 14.3%, Belarus 8.9%, Ukraine 7.1%, US 6.4%, China 5.2%,
  Italy 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $153.5 billion (yearend 2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
  non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million

Currency:
  Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code:
  RUR

Exchange rates:
  Russian rubles per US dollar - 31.27 (2002), 29.17 (2001), 28.13
  (2000), 24.62 (1999), 9.71 (1998)
  note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1
  January 1998 rubles

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  30 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  19 million (January 2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the telephone system has undergone significant
  changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed
  to offer communication services; access to digital lines has
  improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail
  services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
  telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
  however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied
  domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
  Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
  telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
  infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
  available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
  still outdated, inadequate, and low density
  international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea
  fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more
  than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations
  provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and
  Orbita systems

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Radios:
  61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7,306 (1998)

Televisions:
  60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that
  was allocated to the Soviet Union, its legal status and ownership
  are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and several Russian
  commercial entities

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  300 (June 2000)

Internet users:
  18 million (2002)

Transportation Russia

Railways:
  total: 87,157 km
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
  note:: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrrier lines serve
  industries (2002)

Highways:
  total: 532,393 km
  paved: 358,833 km
  unpaved: 173,560 km (2000)

Waterways:
  95,900 km (total routes in general use)
  note: routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet
  - 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids - 60,400 km;
  man-made navigable routes - 16,900 km (January 1994)

Pipelines:
  gas 135,771 km; oil 70,833 km; refined products 11,536 km; water 23
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', De-Kastri,
  Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk,
  Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka,
  Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov,
  Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk,
  Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine:
  total: 933 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,495,122 GRT/5,490,103 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 22, cargo 553, chemical tanker
  12, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 36, container 30,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 38, passenger/cargo
  3, petroleum tanker 167, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 20,
  short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 4,
  Greece 3, Honduras 1, Latvia 4, Lithuania 3, Moldova 3, Netherlands
  1, South Korea 1, Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 10, UK 5, US 1
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2,743 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 471
  over 3,047 m: 56
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 178
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
  914 to 1,523 m: 69
  under 914 m: 92 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2,272
  over 3,047 m: 28
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 118
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 204
  914 to 1,523 m: 324
  under 914 m: 1,598 (2002)

Military Russia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic Rocket
  Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as independent
  combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches
  :

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 36 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 24 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 1.243 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international:
  China continues to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the
  disputed alluvial islands at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri
  rivers and a small island on the Argun River as part of the 2001
  Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation; the
  islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group
  identified by the Russians as the "Southern Kurils" and by Japan as
  the "Northern Territories" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
  administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; boundary with Georgia has
  been largely delimited but not demarcated with several small,
  strategic segments remaining in dispute and OSCE observers
  monitoring volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti
  region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed treaties
  have been signed with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea
  but no resolution on dividing the water column among any of the
  littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in
  the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's
  territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues
  to reject signing and ratifying the joint 1996 technical border
  agreement with Estonia; the Russian Parliament refuses to consider
  ratification of the boundary treaties with Estonia and Latvia, but
  in May 2003, ratified land and maritime boundary treaty with
  Lithuania, which ratified the 1997 treaty in 1999, legalizing limits
  of former Soviet republic borders; discussions are still ongoing
  among Russia, Lithuania and the EU concerning a simplified transit
  document for residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to transit
  through Lithuania to Russia; land delimitation with Ukraine is
  ratified, but maritime regime of the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait is
  unresolved; delimitation with Kazakhstan is scheduled for completion
  in 2003; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Maritime Boundary
  Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
  producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
  government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
  transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
  cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
  Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
  of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
  key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Rwanda

Introduction Rwanda

Background:
  In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority
  ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the
  next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some
  150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of
  these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic
  Front, and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several
  political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,
  culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis
  and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and
  ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu
  refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring
  Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most of the
  refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial international
  assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local
  elections in March 1999 - the country continues to struggle to boost
  investment and agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A
  series of massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist
  insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four
  years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts.

Geography Rwanda

Location:
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 26,338 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km
  land: 24,948 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 893 km
  border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
  January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain:
  mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
  altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
  highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources:
  gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,
  hydropower, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 32.43%
  permanent crops: 10.13%
  other: 57.44% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
  northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;
  overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
  population predominantly rural

People Rwanda

Population:
  7,810,056
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,667,128; female 1,651,422)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 2,128,495; female 2,148,694)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,576; female 128,741) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.1 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.84% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  21.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 102.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 97.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 107.66 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.33 years
  male: 38.51 years
  female: 40.18 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  8.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  500,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  49,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Rwandan(s)
  adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups:
  Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,
  indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages:
  Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
  (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
  commercial centers

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
  male: 76.3%
  total population: 70.4%

People - note:
  Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government Rwanda

Country name:
  conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
  conventional short form: Rwanda
  local short form: Rwanda
  former: Ruanda
  local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

Government type:
  republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:
  Kigali

Administrative divisions:
  12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in
  Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba,
  Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali
  Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence:
  1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
  on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as
  Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the
  1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda
  Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of
  understanding

Legal system:
  based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22
  April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
  popular vote; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
  Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats;
  members elected by direct vote)
  elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
  election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR
  40, PSD 7, PL 6

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA];
  Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [J. Damascene NTAWUKURIRYAYO];
  Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA]; Democratic
  Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
  Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO]; Party
  for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and
  Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul
  KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
  chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 57 2128

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and
  green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue
  band

Economy Rwanda

Economy - overview:
  Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
  engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely
  populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources
  and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee
  and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,
  severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded
  the country's ability to attract private and external investment.
  However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and
  rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty
  levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been
  curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage
  prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts
  to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as
  flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate
  transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem,
  food production often does not keep pace with population growth,
  requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive
  substantial amounts of aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank
  Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late
  2000. But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between
  the government and international donors and lending agencies.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.92 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 20% services: 35% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.9 (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $199.3 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
  furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  96.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  140 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  50 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  28.32 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Exports:
  $68 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:
  Indonesia 30.8%, Germany 14.6%, Hong Kong 9%, South Africa 5.5%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $253 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
  cement and construction material

Imports - partners:
  Kenya 21.8%, Germany 8.4%, Belgium 7.9%, Israel 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $372.9 million (1999)

Currency:
  Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code:
  RWF

Exchange rates:
  Rwandan francs per US dollar - 475.37 (2002), 442.99 (2001), 389.7
  (2000), 333.94 (1999), 312.31 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  600,000 note - 90% in Kigali (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  81,000 (2001)
  note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
  prefecture capitals (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and
  government
  domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
  prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
  telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
  radiotelephone
  international: international connections employ microwave radio
  relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more
  distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian
  Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of
  repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program),
  shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .rw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Rwanda

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 996 km unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Ports and harbors:
  Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports:
  9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Rwanda

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,932,637 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 982,909 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $59.57 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Rwanda

Disputes - international:
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
  political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
  continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries
  of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to
  gain control over populated areas and natural resources - government
  heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence continues
  despite UN peacekeeping efforts

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background:
  Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint
  Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It
  acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815
  until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call
  declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension
  Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough
  Island has a meteorological station.

Geography Saint Helena

Location:
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
  America and Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 410 sq km
  note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
  of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
  Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 410 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  60 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds;
  Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds
  (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:
  Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
  note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 12.9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.1% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the
  world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People Saint Helena

Population:
  7,367 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 704; female 685)
  15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,732; female 2,545)
  65 years and over: 9.5% (male 309; female 392) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.2 years
  male: 34.4 years
  female: 33.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.67% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 24.66 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.38 years
  male: 74.49 years
  female: 80.42 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saint Helenian(s)
  adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups:
  African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions:
  Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 20 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1987 est.)

Government Saint Helena

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Jamestown

Administrative divisions:
  1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint
  Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  1 January 1989

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  NA years of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
  the monarch
  head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
  (since NA October 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
  officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3
  ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ICFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;
  the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy Saint Helena

Economy - overview:
  The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,
  which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of
  annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from
  fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because
  there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek
  employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
  3,500
  note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%,
  services 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $11.2 million
  expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY92)

Industries:
  construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  4.65 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da
  Cunha)

Exports:
  $704,000 f.o.b. (1995)

Exports - commodities:
  fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,
  handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  US 23.7%, Japan 20.5%, Netherlands 16%, Tanzania 15.4%, Spain 6.4%,
  UK 5.1%, Indonesia 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $14.434 million c.i.f. (1995)

Imports - commodities:
  food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building
  materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:
  UK 47.6%, Tanzania 14.6%, Italy 12.1%, South Africa 10.9%, US 5.3%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency:
  Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code:
  SHP

Exchange rates:
  Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
  0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: can communicate worldwide
  domestic: automatic network
  international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascensionm,
  which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South
  Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0
  note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
  and distributed by cable (2002)

Televisions:
  2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Communications - note:
  Gough Island has a meteorological station

Transportation Saint Helena

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
  Cunha 20 km)
  paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km)
  unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km) (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Saint Helena

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Saint Helena

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background:
  First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an
  associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of
  Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and
  Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a
  referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds
  majority needed.

Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location:
  Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way
  from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 261 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  135 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal
  temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:
  volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 80.55% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two
  volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The
  Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint
  Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its
  almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that
  of its sister island

People Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population:
  38,763 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29% (male 5,754; female 5,499)
  15-64 years: 62.4% (male 12,098; female 12,105)
  65 years and over: 8.5% (male 1,365; female 1,942) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.1 years
  male: 26.3 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.57 years
  male: 68.76 years
  female: 74.56 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups:
  predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions:
  Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1980 est.)

Government Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
  former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
  Basseterre

Administrative divisions:
  14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
  Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
  Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary
  Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
  Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,
  Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence:
  19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution:
  19 September 1983

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
  (since 1 January 1996)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
  usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
  with the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
  1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
  popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1
  elections: last held 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
  the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Political parties and leaders:
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation
  Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM
  [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.
  Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS,
  OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
  WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US
  Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band
  bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in
  yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview:
  Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until
  the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural
  sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing,
  and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As
  tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign
  exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the
  September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances.
  The opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott hotel in February 2003 is
  expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 70.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  18,172 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  4.5% (1997)

Budget:
  revenues: $89.7 million
  expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Industries:
  sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,
  beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  100.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  93.26 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Exports:
  $47 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  US 66.5%, UK 7.6%, Canada 6.8%, Portugal 6% (2002)

Imports:
  $152 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:
  US 41.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 16.2%, Canada 9.8%, UK 6.9%, Japan 4%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $171 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8 million (2001)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:
  17,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  205 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good interisland and international connections
  domestic: inter island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin
  (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF
  radiotelephone
  international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to
  Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to
  Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands
  Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  28,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Railways:
  total: 50 km
  narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
  plantations during harvest season (2002)

Highways:
  total: 320 km
  paved: 136 km
  unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Basseterre, Charlestown

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international:
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island,
  which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a
  large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; some money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saint Lucia

Introduction Saint Lucia

Background:
  The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested
  between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th
  centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to
  the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence
  in 1979.

Geography Saint Lucia

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 616 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 606 sq km

Area - comparative:
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  158 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from
  January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain:
  volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:
  forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,
  geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 4.92% permanent crops: 22.95% other: 72.13% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped
  peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights
  of the Caribbean

People Saint Lucia

Population:
  162,157 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 25,883; female 24,569)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 50,711; female 52,508)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,147; female 5,339) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.1 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 24.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.25% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 15.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 69.52 years
  female: 76.9 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 67%
  male: 65%
  female: 69% (1980 est.)

Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:
  Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Castries

Administrative divisions:
  11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery,
  Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Independence:
  22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution:
  22 February 1979

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September
  1997)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
  May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members
  appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice
  of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with
  religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly
  (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member
  constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
  55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
  held NA December 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla,
  Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
  Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party
  or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth
  ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];
  United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador
  in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description:
  blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the
  upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:
  The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the
  increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
  diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
  nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
  especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
  manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
  area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
  industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $866 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 20%
  services: 73% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  43,800

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.7%, services 53.6%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  16.5% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $141.2 million
  expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
  $25.1 million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
  cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  -8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  120.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  111.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Exports:
  $68.3 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
  UK 48.6%, US 27.8%, Barbados 7.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $319.4 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
  equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 41.7%, US 21.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $214 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $51.8 million (1995)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  37,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,600 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: system is automatically switched
  international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados;
  international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat
  from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)

Televisions:
  32,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,000 (2000)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches:
  Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and
  Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  $NA

Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island,
  which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a
  large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and
  Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background:
  First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands
  represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North
  American possessions.

Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location:
  Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south
  of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates:
  46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 242 sq km
  note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
  Miquelon groups
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 242 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  120 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain:
  mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note: vegetation scanty

People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population:
  6,976 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25% (male 891; female 851)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,306; female 2,210)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 310; female 408) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.9 years
  male: 32.7 years
  female: 33.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.62 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.11 years
  male: 75.82 years
  female: 80.51 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
  Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 99%

Languages:
  French (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1982 est.)

Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre
  and Miquelon
  conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
  local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:
  self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions:
  none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at
  the second order

Independence:
  none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French
  control since 1763)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as
  housing and taxation

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX (since 9 October 2002)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
  - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
  French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
  president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
  council
  head of government: President of the General Council Marc
  PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from
  Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
  note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
  second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch:
  Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP)
  [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la
  Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
  a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue
  background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side,
  a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
  ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
  corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
  sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
  pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
  yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
  heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
  Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used
  for official occasions

Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview:
  The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by
  fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of
  Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of
  disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
  number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration
  panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km
  to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although
  it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are
  heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living
  standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost
  economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way
  for development of the energy sector.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $74 million - supplemented by annual
  payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (1991-96 average)

Labor force:
  3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% (1997)

Budget:
  revenues: $70 million
  expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Industries:
  fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  42.03 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  39.08 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports:
  $12 million f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
  crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners:
  US 33.3%, Zambia 30.3%, Ecuador 16.2%, France 5.1%, Canada 4%,
  Spain 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $55 million f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
  materials

Imports - partners:
  Zambia 61.5%, France 21.8%, Canada 13% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in
  the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Saint Pierre

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:
  Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century,
  Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted
  in 1969 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 389 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  84 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May
  to November)

Terrain:
  volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, cropland

Land use:
  arable land: 10.26%
  permanent crops: 17.95%
  other: 71.79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a
  constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population:
  116,812 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.2% (male 16,755; female 16,163)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 39,308; female 37,149)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,215; female 4,222) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 25.1 years
  female: 25.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -7.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 17.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 71.3 years
  female: 74.92 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.95 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
  adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups:
  black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Religions:
  Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day
  Adventist, other Protestant

Languages:
  English, French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 96%
  male: 96%
  female: 96% (1970 est.)

Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
  Commonwealth

Capital:
  Kingstown

Administrative divisions:
  6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
  George, Saint Patrick

Independence:
  27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution:
  27 October 1979

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE
  (since 2 September 2002)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
  March 2001)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives
  and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular
  vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  ULP 12, NDP 3
  elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
  the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or
  NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken
  BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's
  Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph
  GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or
  SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS,
  OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description:
  three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and
  green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V
  pattern

Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview:
  Bananas and other agricultural products remain the staple of this
  lower-middle income country's economy. Although tourism and other
  services have been growing moderately in recent years, the
  government has been ineffective at introducing new industries.
  Unemployment remains high, and economic growth hinges upon seasonal
  variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms
  wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and
  tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following
  11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking
  sector, but its restrictive secrecy laws have come under
  international review. As of June 2001, it remained on the Financial
  Action Task Force's list of noncooperative jurisdictions. Saint
  Vincent is also the largest producer of marijuana in the Eastern
  Caribbean and is increasingly being used as a transshipment point
  for illegal narcotics from South America.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 26%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  22% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $94.6 million
  expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  92.48 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.3% hydro: 30.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  86 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Exports: $53.7 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Exports - partners:
  France 25.2%, Greece 19.1%, Spain 16.4%, UK 9.5%, US 7.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $185.6 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,
  minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:
  France 32.7%, US 11.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.4%, Singapore 10.1%,
  Spain 7.9%, Greece 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $167.2 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Currency:
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7
  (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
  radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
  Grenadines
  international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to
  Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia;
  access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  77,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,500 (2001)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Kingstown

Merchant marine:
  total: 769 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,365,887 GRT/9,665,937 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 133, cargo 376, chemical tanker 21, combination
  bulk 7, container 58, liquefied gas 8, livestock carrier 4,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 5, petroleum tanker
  43, refrigerated cargo 46, roll on/roll off 45, short-sea passenger
  10, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 1, Anguilla 1, Argentina 1, Australia 2, The
  Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 2, Belgium 4, Bulgaria 14, Canada
  1, Cayman Islands 1, China 135, Colombia 1, Croatia 12, Cyprus 6,
  Denmark 16, Egypt 7, Estonia 6, France 27, Germany 12, Greece 156,
  Guyana 7, Hong Kong 23, Iceland 1, India 11, Indonesia 3, Israel 2,
  Italy 19, Japan 1, Kenya 4, Latvia 5, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5,
  Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1,
  Monaco 6, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway
  33, Pakistan 5, Panama 2, Poland 2, Portugal 2, Puerto Rico 2,
  Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 4,
  Slovenia 7, South Korea 4, Spain 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 10, Syria
  2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey
  15, Ukraine 8, UAE 45, UK 16, US 25, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:
  Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes
  Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international:
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island,
  which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a
  large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Samoa

Introduction Samoa

Background:
  New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at
  the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the
  islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when
  the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
  independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
  from its name in 1997.

Geography Samoa

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 2,944 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 2,934 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  403 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to
  October)

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in
  interior

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources:
  hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 19.43%
  permanent crops: 23.67%
  other: 56.9% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People Samoa

Population:
  178,173 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.4% (male 26,613; female 25,715)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 72,135; female 42,903)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,980; female 5,827) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.7 years
  male: 26.3 years
  female: 20.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.27% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 34.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.11 years
  male: 67.35 years
  female: 73 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3

Nationality:
  noun: Samoan(s)
  adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups:
  Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian
  blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions:
  Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the
  London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic,
  Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages:
  Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Samoa

Country name:
  conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
  conventional short form: Samoa
  former: Western Samoa

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital:
  Apia

Administrative divisions:
  11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
  Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
  Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence:
  1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962
  is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN
  trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated

Constitution:
  1 January 1962

Legal system:
  based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of
  legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from
  1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
  (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
  1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former
  Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
  TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister after TOFILAU died; the
  post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
  state with the prime minister's advice
  elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
  chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
  a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
  state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by
  voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
  districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who
  cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only
  chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
  not later than March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection
  Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All
  People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan National
  Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition);
  Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan
  Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United
  Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Feturi ELISAIA
  FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to
  Samoa
  embassy: Vailima
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
  telephone: [685] 21631/22696
  FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description:
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing
  five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross
  constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview:
  The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
  development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agriculture
  and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
  Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
  of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
  manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
  decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
  is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
  tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has
  called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of
  investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the
  environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market
  as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves
  are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and
  inflation is low.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 23%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%; note - substantial underemployment

Budget:
  revenues: $105 million
  expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001/2002)

Industries:
  food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  105.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  97.74 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Exports:
  $15.5 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
  garments, beer

Exports - partners:
  Australia 66.1%, US 10%, Japan 3.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $130.1 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 23.3%, Fiji 20.2%, Australia 15.7%, Japan 13.1%, Taiwan
  6.4%, US 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $197 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $42.9 million (1995)

Currency:
  tala (SAT)

Currency code:
  SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

Exchange rates:
  tala per US dollar - 3.37 (2002), 3.48 (2001), 3.29 (2000), 3.01
  (1999), 2.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  June 1 - May 31

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8,183 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,545 (February 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2002)

Televisions:
  8,634 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .ws

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,000 (2002)

Transportation Samoa

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Samoa

Military branches:
  no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Military - note:
  Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
  informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
  any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none; note - some EEZ demarcations, including the one with American Samoa, are undefined

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@San Marino

Introduction San Marino

Background:
  The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco)
  also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to
  tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in
  301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy.
  Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with
  those of its larger neighbor.

Geography San Marino

Location:
  Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 61.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 61.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:
  rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Nuclear
  Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:
  landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See
  and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population:
  28,119 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.3% (male 2,364; female 2,220)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 9,149; female 9,731)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 2,009; female 2,646) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.6 years
  male: 39.2 years
  female: 40 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.38% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  11.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 6.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.43 years
  male: 77.9 years
  female: 85.26 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.31 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups:
  Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  Italian

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97%
  female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
  conventional short form: San Marino
  local short form: San Marino
  local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

Government type:
  independent republic

Capital:
  San Marino

Administrative divisions:
  9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo
  Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte
  Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Independence:
  3 September 301

National holiday:
  Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Constitution:
  8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions
  of a constitution

Legal system:
  based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Giovanni
  LONFERNINI and Captain Regent Valeria CIAVATTA (for the period 1
  October 2003-31 March 2004)
  elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
  and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
  September 2003 (next to be held NA March 2004); secretary of state
  for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
  Council for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 2002
  (next to be held NA June 2007)
  note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
  selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
  of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
  Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
  has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
  assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
  secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
  prerogatives of a prime minister
  election results: Giovanni LONFERNINI and Valeria CIAVATTA elected
  captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fiorenzo STOLFI
  elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
  percent of legislative vote - 40%
  cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
  for a five-year term
  head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
  Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 17 December 2002)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale
  (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
  PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
  15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Judicial branch:
  Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM
  [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of
  Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic
  Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of
  Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or
  PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CE, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO,
  WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
  honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
  honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul
  General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the
  national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms
  has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a
  wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS
  (Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview:
  The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3
  million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking,
  wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural
  products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and
  standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous
  regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2001)

Labor force:
  18,500 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 57%, industry 42%, agriculture 1% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.6% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  NA

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.18% other: 0% nuclear: 0% hydro: 58.82%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA (2000)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh
  note: electric power supplied by Italy

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh
  note: electricity supplied by Italy

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese,
  hides

Exports:
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities:
  wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:
  18,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,010 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate connections
  domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
  Italian system
  international: connected to Italian international network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions:
  9,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation San Marino

Railways:
  0 km; note - there is a 1.5-km cable railway connecting the city of
  San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Highways: total: 220 km paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military San Marino

Military branches:
  Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar), Gendarmerie;
  note - the Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial duties and
  limited police assistance

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background:
  Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the
  islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the
  19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of
  which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was
  achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the
  late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the
  political environment has been one of continued instability with
  frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003.
  The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have
  a significant impact on the country's economy.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location:
  Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the
  Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,001 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1,001 sq km

Area - comparative:
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:
  volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 41% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a
  chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population:
  175,883 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.7% (male 42,480; female 41,411)
  15-64 years: 48.3% (male 41,043; female 43,986)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 3,197; female 3,766) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.1 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.18% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 46.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 48.07 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.28 years
  male: 64.79 years
  female: 67.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Sao Tomean(s)
  adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:
  mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros
  (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from
  Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais
  born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:
  Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day
  Adventist)

Languages:
  Portuguese (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.3%
  male: 85%
  female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
  conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
  local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
  local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence:
  12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:
  approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September
  2001)
  election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
  Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006);
  prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
  president
  head of government: Prime Minister Maria das NEVES (since 7 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
  Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
  by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
  Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change
  Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or
  ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
  Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da
  COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];
  Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does
  have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary
  Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor,
  New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the
  Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a
  nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and
  green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the
  center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the
  hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:
  This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on
  cocoa since independence 28 years ago. Cocoa production has
  substantially declined in recent years because of drought and
  mismanagement, but strengthening prices brighten prospects for 2003.
  Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer
  goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has been
  unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on
  concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200
  million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted
  Poor Countries (HIPC) program. Sao Tome's success in implementing
  structural reforms has been rewarded by international donors, who
  pledged increased assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists
  for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken
  steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has
  attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is
  optimistic that substantial petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in
  its territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea;
  production could begin as early as 2004.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $200 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 10%
  services: 65% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
  note: shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $58 million
  expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54
  million (1993 est.)

Industries:
  light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  17 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.2% hydro: 58.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  15.81 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Exports:
  $5.5 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 30.1%, Poland 11.8%, Canada 9.7%, Germany 7.5%,
  Philippines 7.5%, Spain 7.5%, Belgium 6.5%, France 4.3%, Portugal
  4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $24.8 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  Portugal 51.4%, Germany 10.1%, UK 7.6%, Belgium 6.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $253.8 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency:
  dobra (STD)

Currency code:
  STD

Exchange rates:
  dobras per US dollar - NA (2002), 8,842.11 (2001), 7,978.17 (2000),
  7,118.96 (1999), 6,883.24 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,600 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,942 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate facilities
  domestic: minimal system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2002)

Televisions:
  23,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .st

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  9,000 (2002)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Merchant marine:
  total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,595 GRT/99,873 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, livestock
  carrier 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll
  off 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 1, Kenya 1, Portugal 1, Syria 1, Turkey
  1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Security Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 36,905 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 19,443 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $400,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background:
  In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and
  set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. In the
  1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following
  Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti
  royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab
  troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the
  following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an
  economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all
  major governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of
  Yemen

Geographic coordinates:
  25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 1,960,582 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1,960,582 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,431 km
  border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
  676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:
  2,640 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:
  mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1.72% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 98.22% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great
  leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and
  Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 24,293,844 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 5,245,413; female 5,028,595)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,700,121; female 5,622,099)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 393,173; female 304,443) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 20.9 years
  female: 16.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.27% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  37.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.37 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 47.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.73 years
  male: 66.99 years
  female: 70.55 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saudi(s)
  adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:
  Muslim 100%

Languages:
  Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.8%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
  local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:
  monarchy

Capital:
  Riyadh

Administrative divisions:
  13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud
  ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash
  Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,
  Tabuk

Independence:
  23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)

National holiday:
  Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:
  governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that
  articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was
  introduced in 1993

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced;
  commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  none

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
  Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime
  Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the
  monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1
  January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
  head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
  Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime
  Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the
  monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1
  January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
  includes many royal family members

Legislative branch:
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman
  appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
  none allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
  OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al
  Saud
  chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. JORDAN embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:
  green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as
  There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a
  white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is
  the traditional color of Islam

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:
  This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over
  major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of
  petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as the
  largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The
  petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of
  GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the
  private sector. Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important
  role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service
  sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing
  the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization
  of the telecommunications company. The government is supporting
  private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and
  increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population.
  Priorities for government spending in the short term include
  additional funds for the water and sewage systems and for education.
  Water shortages and rapid population growth constrain the
  government's efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural
  products.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $268.9 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5.2%
  industry: 51.2%
  services: 43.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 7 million note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  25% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $46 billion
  expenditures: $56.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2003 est.)

Industries:
  crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals,
  cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  122.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  113.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  8.711 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  261.7 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  6.339 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk

Exports:
  $71 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:
  US 18.6%, Japan 15.6%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 5.1%, China
  4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $39.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles,
  textiles

Imports - partners:
  US 11.2%, Japan 8.8%, Germany 7.6%, UK 4.9%, France 4.9%, Italy
  4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $25.9 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;
  since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance
  to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in
  Afghanistan

Currency:
  Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code:
  SAR

Exchange rates:
  Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.75 (2002), 3.75 (2001), 3.75 (2000),
  3.75 (1999), 3.75 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.9 million (2002 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.9 million (2002 est.)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
  fiber-optic cable systems
  international: microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait,
  Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan;
  submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth
  stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1
  Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  117 (1997)

Televisions:
  5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2003)

Internet users:
  1.453 million (2002)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Railways:
  total: 1,392 km
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
  sidings) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 151,470 km
  paved: 45,592 km
  unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 212 km; gas 837 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,187 km; oil
  5,062 km; refined products 69 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji,
  Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Merchant marine:
  total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,461,964 GRT/2,301,258 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock
  carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4,
  roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, UAE 1,
  UK 3 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  209 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 31
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 138
  under 914 m: 13 (2002)
  over 3047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 79

Heliports:
  5 (2002)

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches:
  Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National
  Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,123,784 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,431,281 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 253,685 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  13% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:
  nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of
  boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have been negotiating a
  long-contested maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties
  have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with
  the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate

Illicit drugs:
  death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin,
  cocaine, and hashish

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Senegal

Introduction Senegal

Background:
  Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to
  form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the
  envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out,
  and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern
  separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces
  since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in
  international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:
  14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 196,190 sq km
  land: 192,000 sq km
  water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,640 km
  border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
  338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:
  531 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
  southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,
  dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:
  generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 11.58% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 88.23% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  710 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost
  an enclave of Senegal

People Senegal

Population:
  10,580,307 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,330,395; female 2,289,706)
  15-64 years: 53.3% (male 2,707,195; female 2,929,998)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 156,514; female 166,499) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.8 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 18.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.56% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 57.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 61.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 56.37 years
  male: 54.83 years
  female: 57.95 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  27,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups:
  Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,
  Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:
  Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman
  Catholic)

Languages:
  French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.2%
  male: 50%
  female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
  conventional short form: Senegal
  local short form: Senegal
  local long form: Republique du Senegal

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Dakar

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick,
  Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
  note: there may be another region called Matam

Independence:
  4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was achieved upon
  dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:
  a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the
  government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Idrissa SECK (since 4 November
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
  in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
  DIOUF (PS) 41.51%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March
  2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10
  note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
  had 140 seats

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or
  Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial system was
  reformed in 1992

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as
  PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of
  Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP
  [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also
  known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor
  Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for
  Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
  Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
  or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
  DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
  Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
  coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
  Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOVIC, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
  consulate(s) general: New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
  chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet L. ELAM-THOMAS
  embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
  mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
  telephone: [221] 823-4296
  FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
  with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview:
  In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic
  reform program with the support of the international donor
  community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
  currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
  French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
  steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
  1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
  program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
  1995-2002. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%,
  but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001 and 3.0% in 2002. Investment
  rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997. As a
  member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU),
  Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a
  unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet
  connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information
  technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of
  GDP. In 2003, GDP will probably again grow at about 5%. On the
  negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic
  unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug
  addiction.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $15.64 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 27% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%

Unemployment rate:
  48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.373 billion
  expenditures: $1.373 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer
  production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.518 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.412 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Exports:
  $1.15 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:
  India 20.7%, France 13%, Mali 8.9%, Greece 7.7%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.46 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foods and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:
  France 25.6%, Nigeria 8.7%, Thailand 7.2%, US 5.4%, Germany 5.4%,
  Italy 4.5%, Spain 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  234,916 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  373,965 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good system
  domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
  cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
  international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  361,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Senegal

Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 14,576 km
  paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
  unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Waterways: 897 km note: 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river

Pipelines:
  gas 564 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Airports:
  20 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Senegal

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
  (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,404,838 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,256,973 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 116,688 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $68.6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international:
  separatist war in Casamance region results in refugees and
  cross-border raids, arms smuggling, other illegal activities, and
  political instability in Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving
  to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Serbia and Montenegro

Introduction Serbia and Montenegro

Background:
  The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its
  name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany
  in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought
  themselves as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO
  took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist,
  his new government successfully steered its own path between the
  Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half
  decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel
  along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav
  Republic of Macedonia all declared their independence in 1991;
  Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia
  and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY)
  in 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various
  military intervention efforts to unite Serbs in neighboring
  republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were
  ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive expulsions by FRY forces
  and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo
  provoked an international response, including the NATO bombing of
  Serbia and the stationing of NATO, Russian, and other peacekeepers
  in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000, brought about the
  ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president.
  The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer
  to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in
  The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. In 2001, the
  country's suspension was lifted, and it was once more accepted into
  UN organizations under the name of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been
  governed by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)
  since June 1999, under the authority of UN Security Council
  Resolution 1244. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin components of
  Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These
  talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured
  the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia
  and Montenegro. An agreement was also reached to hold a referendum
  in each republic in three years on full independence.

Geography Serbia and Montenegro

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Albania
  and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Geographic coordinates:
  44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 102,350 sq km
  water: 214 sq km
  land: 102,136 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,246 km
  border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
  Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
  Hungary 151 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 221 km,
  Romania 476 km

Coastline:
  199 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid
  summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion,
  continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic
  climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
  cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Terrain:
  extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,
  limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and
  hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands
  off the coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:
  oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, gold, pyrite,
  chrome, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 36.34% permanent crops: 3.44% other: 60.22% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  570 sq km

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in
  tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade
  and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes
  dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Geography - note:
  controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey
  and the Near East; strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People Serbia and Montenegro

Population: 10,655,774 note: a census was taken in Serbia 1-15 April 2002 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.3% (male 1,062,625; female 990,071)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 3,422,543; female 3,548,058)
  65 years and over: 15.3% (male 696,716; female 935,761) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.2 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 37.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.07% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 18.57 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.97 years
  male: 71.03 years
  female: 77.16 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
  adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Ethnic groups:
  Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%, Hungarian 3.3%, other
  12.6% (1991)

Religions:
  Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other
  11%

Languages:
  Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 88.9% (1991)

Government Serbia and Montenegro

Country name:
  conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro
  conventional short form: none
  local short form: none
  local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Belgrade; note - Podgorica is the judicial capital

Administrative divisions:
  2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally
  autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna
  pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence:
  27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY formed as
  self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of
  Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday:
  National Day, 27 April

Constitution:
  4 February 2003

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dragisa PESIC (since 24 July
  2001); Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub LABUS (since 25 January 2001)
  cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
  elections: president elected by the Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
  Parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin -
  filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two
  years, after which the president will call for public elections
  elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  DOS 37, DLECG 19, DSS 17, ZP 14, SPS 12, SRS 8, SDP 5, SSJ 5, other 9

Judicial branch:
  Federal Court or Savezni Sud; Constitutional Court; judges for both
  courts are elected by the Federal Assembly for nine-year terms
  note: after the promulgation of the new Constitution, the Federal
  Court will have constitutional and administrative functions; it will
  have an equal number of judges from each republic

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Opposition of Serbia or DOS (a coalition of many small
  parties including DSS) [leader NA]; Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians
  or SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Dr.
  Ibrahim RUGOVA, president]; Democratic List for European Montenegro
  or DLECG [Milo DJUKANOVIC, Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Democratic Party or DS
  [collective interim leadership led by Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Democratic
  Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of
  Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Party of Serb
  Unity or SSJ [Borislav PELEVIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS
  [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist
  Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Zoran ANDJELKOVIC, general
  secretary]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Rasim LJAJIC]; Together
  for Changes or ZP [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ];
  Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA]; Democratic
  Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Group of 17 Independent
  Economists or G-17 [leader NA]; National Movement for the Liberation
  of Kosovo or LKCK [Sabit GASHI]; Otpor Student Resistance Movement
  [leader NA]; Political Council for Presevo, Meveda and Bujanovac or
  PCPMB [leader NA]; The People's Movement for Kosovo or LPK [Emrush
  XHEMAJLI]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, BIS, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
  chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  consulate(s) general: Chicago
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY
  embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade
  mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
  telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344
  FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red

Economy Serbia and Montenegro

Economy - overview:
  MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of
  economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure
  and industry during the war in Kosovo have left the economy only
  half the size it was in 1990. Since the ousting of former Federal
  Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic
  Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government has implemented
  stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive market reform
  program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000,
  Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community
  by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for
  Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European
  Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised
  $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement rescheduling
  the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts was concluded
  in November 2001; it will write off 66% of the debt; a similar debt
  relief agreement on its $2.8 billion London Club commercial debt is
  still pending. The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its
  economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC
  era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro
  instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs
  tariffs, and manages its own budget. Kosovo, while technically still
  part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia and
  Montenegro) according to United Nations Security Council Resolution
  1244, is moving toward local autonomy under United Nations Interim
  Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and is dependent on the
  international community for financial and technical assistance. The
  euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies, and UNMIK
  collects taxes and manages the budget. The complexity of Serbia and
  Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in privatization,
  and stagnation in the European economy are holding back the economy.
  Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal
  discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe
  unemployment remains a key political economic problem.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $23.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 36% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  19% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  32% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.9 billion
  expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles; tanks and
  weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery); metallurgy
  (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony, bismuth,
  cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore,
  limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs,
  appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and
  pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  31.71 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.9% hydro: 37.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  32.37 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  446 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.33 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  38.75 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  24.07 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials

Exports - partners:
  Italy 32%, Germany 19.5%, Greece 7%, Austria 6.1%, France 4.6%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants,
  manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials

Imports - partners:
  Germany 19.4%, Italy 18%, Austria 8.5%, Slovenia 5.6%, Greece 4.4%,
  France 4.3%, Bulgaria 4.2%, Romania 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several
  years)

Currency:
  new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro the euro is legal
  tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal
  (2002)

Currency code:
  YUM

Exchange rates:
  new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official rate: 65 (2002), 10.0
  (December 1998); black market rate: 14.5 (December 1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Serbia and Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.017 million (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  87,000 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)

Televisions:
  2.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .yu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2001)

Transportation Serbia and Montenegro

Railways: total: 4,059 km standard gauge: 4,059 km 1.435-m gauge (1,364 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 49,805 km
  paved: 31,029 km (including 560 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 18,776 km (2000)

Waterways:
  587 km
  note: the Danube River, central Europe's connection to the Black
  Sea, runs through Serbia; since early 2000, a pontoon bridge,
  replacing a destroyed conventional bridge, has obstructed river
  traffic at Novi Sad; the obstruction is bypassed by a canal system,
  but the inadequate lock size limits the size of vessels which may
  pass; the pontoon bridge can be opened for large ships but has
  slowed river traffic (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat, Zelenika

Airports:
  45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Heliports: 4 (2002)

Military Serbia and Montenegro

Military branches:
  Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval
  forces, air and air defense forces)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,579,620 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,077,660 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 81,547 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $654 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Serbia and Montenegro

Disputes - international:
  the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of
  ethnic Albanians outside its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia
  and Montenegro while continuing to seek regional cooperation;
  several ethnic Albanian groups in Kosovo voice union with Albania;
  has delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and
  Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute;
  in late 2002, Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia adopted an interim
  agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula, allowing the
  withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), but discussions
  could be complicated by the inability of Serbia and Montenegro to
  come to an agreement on the economic aspects of the new federal union

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western
  Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:
  A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands
  ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came
  in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
  constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
  presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001.
  President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected.

Geography Seychelles

Location:
  Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of
  Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 455 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 455 sq km

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  491 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
  (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon
  (March to May)

Terrain:
  Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others
  are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:
  fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 13.33%
  other: 84.45% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
  droughts possible

Environment - current issues:
  water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:
  80,469 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.3% (male 11,116; female 10,844)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 26,068; female 27,425)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,654; female 3,362) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.9 years
  male: 25.8 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.46% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.25 years
  male: 65.78 years
  female: 76.88 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
  adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:
  mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%, other
  4.1%

Languages:
  English (official), French (official), Creole

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58%
  male: 56%
  female: 60% (1971 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
  conventional short form: Seychelles

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Victoria

Administrative divisions:
  23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
  Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
  Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
  Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
  Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
  Louis, Takamaka

Independence:
  29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:
  18 June 1993

Legal system:
  based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  2006)
  election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of
  vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
  44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
  presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
  elections
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June
  1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
  elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
  parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
  DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
  note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
  percentage that each party won of the total vote

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
  Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
  Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel
  RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France
  Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
  FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
  Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description:
  five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
  green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:
  Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean
  archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
  near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
  which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
  70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
  the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
  hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
  moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
  development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
  sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
  1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the
  government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the
  containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of
  public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish
  tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and
  the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic
  prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half
  the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency
  the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek
  cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 24.4%
  services: 73.2% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $249 million
  expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut
  fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  160 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  148.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Exports:
  $235 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
  (reexports)

Exports - partners:
  UK 28.6%, France 20%, Italy 8.7%, US 8.4%, Spain 6.7%, Japan 6.7%,
  Netherlands 6.6%, Thailand 6.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $380 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 15.6%, France 12.8%, Spain 9.9%, Italy 9.7%, South
  Africa 8.4%, Singapore 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $170 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $16.4 million (1995)

Currency:
  Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:
  SCR

Exchange rates:
  Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.48 (2002), 5.86 (2001), 5.71
  (2000), 5.34 (1999), 5.26 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,635 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  16,316 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: effective system
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
  archipelago
  international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent
  island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  9,000 (2002)

Transportation Seychelles

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Victoria

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 37,281 GRT/55,702 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  14 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Military Seychelles

Military branches:
  Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential Protection Unit
  (includes Presidential Guard), Police Force (includes Police Mobile
  Unit, a special weapons and tactics unit capable of assisting the
  Army in maintaining internal stability)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 23,444 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $12.8 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:
  Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary
  United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and
  the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third
  of the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboring
  countries. After several setbacks, the end to the 11-year conflict
  in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With the support of the
  UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and
  international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF
  and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed.
  National elections were held in May 2002 and the government
  continues to slowly reestablish its authority.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
  and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 71,740 sq km
  land: 71,620 sq km
  water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
  dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
  coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
  plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 6.76% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 92.46% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  290 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
  February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
  rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting
  of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
  agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
  civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
  making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:
  5,732,681 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,259,421; female 1,310,516)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,420,900; female 1,557,597)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 89,078; female 95,169) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.94% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  20.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
  returning (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 146.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 128.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 164.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 42.84 years
  male: 40.33 years
  female: 45.42 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
  adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:
  20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),
  Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were
  settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees
  from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,
  Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:
  Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages:
  English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende
  (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in
  the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of
  freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a
  lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but
  understood by 95%)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,
  Temne, or Arabic
  total population: 31.4%
  male: 45.4%
  female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Freetown

Administrative divisions:
  3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:
  27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:
  1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:
  based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
  reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
  1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
  approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
  to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -
  president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
  election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
  vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12
  filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
  22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA, interim chairman];
  Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP [Alfred Musa CONTEH,
  interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [Jeridine
  WILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center Party or DCP [Adu
  Aiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [George E. L. PALMER];
  Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting chairman]; National
  Alliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH, chairman];
  National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National
  People's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National Republican Party or
  NRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH,
  interim chairman]; National Unity Party or NUP [John BENJAMINE,
  interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington
  MORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Alliance or PDA
  [Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman]; People's
  Democratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National Convention
  or PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party or PPP
  [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or
  RUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or
  SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP
  [Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or
  UNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader];
  Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Trade Unions and Student Unions

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
  chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light
  blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:
  Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous
  inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral,
  agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and
  social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
  disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a
  11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population
  engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of
  the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the
  domestic market. Plans continue to reopen bauxite and rutile mines
  shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency
  consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends
  upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of
  substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe
  trade imbalance and to supplement government revenues.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.826 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $96 million
  expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,
  cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  250.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  232.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports:
  $35 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 41.9%, Germany 28.1%, UK 3.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $190 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,
  chemicals (1995)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 25%, UK 10.9%, Netherlands 7.5%, US 5.7%, Cote d'Ivoire
  4.9%, Italy 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $103 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
  leone (SLL)

Currency code:
  SLL

Exchange rates:
  leones per US dollar - 2,099.03 (2002), 1,986.15 (2001), 2,092.12
  (2000), 1,804.19 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  30,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
  domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
  Freetown to Bo and Kenema
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
  1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1999)

Televisions:
  53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2001)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Railways:
  total: 84 km
  narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existing
  railroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine at
  Marampa is closed (2001)

Highways: total: 11,330 km paved: 895 km unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)

Waterways:
  800 km (of which 600 km is navigable year round)

Ports and harbors:
  Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2

Airports:
  10 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)
  914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:
  Army (RSLAF)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,228,664 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $10.26 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:
  large UN peacekeeping presence ended civil war but rebel gang
  fighting, ethnic rivalries, illegal diamond trading, corruption, and
  refugees spill over into neighboring states beset with their own
  civil disorder, refugees, and violence

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:
  Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It
  joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
  later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
  world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
  links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita
  GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 692.7 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  land: 682.7 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  193 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
  defined in treaties and practice
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
  Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon
  from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
  evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
  lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
  area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
  fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 98.36% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
  4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)
  15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.5 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 34.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.42 years
  male: 77.46 years
  female: 83.6 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  140 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Singaporean(s)
  adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Religions:
  Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
  Taoist, Confucianist

Languages:
  Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
  (official), English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.2%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 89.7% (2003 est.)

Government Singapore

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
  conventional short form: Singapore

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Singapore

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
  3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
  Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
  September 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
  1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong
  (since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
  following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
  the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
  minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president
  election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
  unopposed

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
  nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
  to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
  elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
  constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
  advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
  president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
  governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong];
  opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA];
  National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA]; Singapore Democratic
  Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP);
  Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore
  Justice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National Malay
  Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Party
  or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
  side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
  portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
  five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
  Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
  enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
  prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. The
  economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and
  manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global recession
  and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to
  establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the
  external business cycle than the current export-led model but is
  unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
  Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NEGL%
  industry: 33%
  services: 67% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.19 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%

Unemployment rate:
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $27.9 billion
  expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4
  billion (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
  petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
  food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate:
  -9.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish

Exports: $127 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
  chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
  Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%,
  Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $113 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%,
  Taiwan 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
  SGD

Exchange rates:
  Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72
  (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.95 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.74 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: major consideration given to serving business
  interests; excellent international service
  domestic: excellent domestic facilities
  international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular
  Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat
  (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2000)

Televisions:
  1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.31 million (2002)

Transportation Singapore

Railways:
  total: 38.6 km
  narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

Highways:
  total: 3,066 km
  paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 139 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Singapore

Merchant marine:
  total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021 GRT/32,765,063 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combination
  bulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38,
  livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2,
  petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4,
  short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany
  17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4,
  Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46,
  Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Singapore

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
  disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
  Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime boundaries,
  and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist
  - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three
  years

Illicit drugs:
  as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
  vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
  transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
  laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:
  In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form
  Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia
  became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet
  influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became
  free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1
  January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
  Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
  48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 48,845 sq km
  water: 45 sq km
  land: 48,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,524 km
  border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
  km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
  rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
  the south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
  highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:
  brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
  manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use: arable land: 30.74% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 66.62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health
  risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the
  Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes
  and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:
  5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35 years
  male: 33.3 years
  female: 36.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.43 years
  male: 70.44 years
  female: 78.64 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Slovak(s)
  adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:
  Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures
  underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),
  Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German
  0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,
  other 17.5%

Languages:
  Slovak (official), Hungarian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Slovakia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Slovak Republic
  conventional short form: Slovakia
  local short form: Slovensko
  local long form: Slovenska Republika

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Bratislava

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
  Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
  Slovakia)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:
  ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed
  in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended
  February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the
  obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe
  (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
  October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June
  2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president
  note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
  election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first
  direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%;
  Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
  Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
  15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
  party - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15),
  opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12
  deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)
  elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
  September 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
  Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
  nominees approved by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic
  Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO];
  Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS
  [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party
  of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist
  Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or
  SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
  Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
  Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM
  (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
  superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
  side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview:
  Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a
  centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
  government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic
  stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
  complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
  and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
  expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
  Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
  Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
  especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the
  containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care
  system.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 34.1%
  services: 61.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Unemployment rate:
  17.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Industries:
  metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,
  coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;
  paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;
  textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 53.6%

Electricity - consumption:
  24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  7.504 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Exports:
  $12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8%
  (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 30.1%, Czech Republic 16.4%, Austria 10.7%, Italy 7.2%,
  Poland 5.7%, Hungary 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $15.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured
  goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 24.8%, Czech Republic 16%, Russia 13.5%, Austria 7%, Italy
  6.4%, France 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $9.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment
  funds (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:
  SKK

Exchange rates:
  koruny per US dollar - 45.33 (2002), 48.35 (2001), 46.04 (2000),
  41.36 (1999), 35.23 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,934,558 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  736,662 (April 1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is
  increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting
  time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality
  domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
  digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
  especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
  added
  international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and
  two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in
  several international telecommunications projects that will increase
  the availability of external services

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  700,000 (2000)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways:
  total: 3,668 km
  broad gauge: 106 km 1.520-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)
  standard gauge: 3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified)

Highways:
  total: 42,717 km
  paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Waterways:
  172 km (all on the Danube)

Pipelines:
  gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,574 GRT/16,330 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  37 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Slovakia

Military branches:
  Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces, Home Guards
  (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway Armed
  Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post, and
  Telecommunications)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,484,950 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 44,287 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:
  small boundary changes made with Poland in 2003; Hungary has yet to
  amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to
  ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, who protest the law

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western
  Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:
  The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria
  until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming
  a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II,
  Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though
  Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with
  the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded
  in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war.
  Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable
  democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern
  state. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to join
  NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other
  states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and EU
  membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66% in
  favor of joining NATO.

Geography Slovenia

Location:
  Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
  Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
  46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 20,273 sq km
  water: 122 sq km
  land: 20,151 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,334 km
  border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
  Hungary 102 km

Coastline:
  46.6 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild
  to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the
  east

Terrain:
  a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region
  adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with
  numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:
  lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower,
  forests

Land use: arable land: 11.48% permanent crops: 2.68% other: 85.84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
  of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:
  1,935,677 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.3% (male 152,341; female 144,189)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 687,939; female 666,194)
  65 years and over: 14.7% (male 105,837; female 179,177) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 40.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.51 years
  male: 71.65 years
  female: 79.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Slovene(s)
  adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:
  Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%,
  Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist
  4.3%, other 22.9%

Languages:
  Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Slovenia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
  conventional short form: Slovenia
  local short form: Slovenija
  local long form: Republika Slovenija

Government type:
  parliamentary democratic republic

Capital:
  Ljubljana

Administrative divisions:
  182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
  municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
  Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
  Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
  Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
  Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
  Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
  Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
  Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
  Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
  Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
  Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
  Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
  Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
  Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
  Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
  Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
  Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
  Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
  Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
  Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
  Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
  Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
  Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
  Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
  Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
  Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
  Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
  Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
  Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
  Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
  Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
  Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
  Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
  Zuzemberk, Zrece
  note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
  - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Anton ROP elected
  prime minister; National Assembly vote - 63 to 24
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
  in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 December 2002
  (next National Assembly elections to be held NA October 2004)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are
  directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note -
  the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats
  varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD
  12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSi 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats
  by party - LDS 34, SDS 13, ZLSD 11, SLS 10, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4,
  DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each
  note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with
  limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review
  any National Assembly decisions; in the election of November 1997,
  40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and
  socioeconomic interests
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be
  held NA October 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
  (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
  nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton
  ROUS]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or NSi
  [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
  Slovene People's Party or SLS [Franc BUT]; Slovene Youth Party or
  SMS [Dominic CERNJAK]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS
  [Janez JANSA]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
  (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
  NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
  consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
  chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with
  the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's
  highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center;
  beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and
  above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted
  triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of
  Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early
  15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the
  flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:
  Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP
  per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning
  economies of Central Europe. Privatization of the economy proceeded
  at an accelerated pace in 2002-3, and the budget deficit dropped
  from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. Despite the economic
  slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth.
  Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow for
  greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to
  lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also
  needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between
  government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern
  in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the
  European Union.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $37.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.2%
  industry: 36.3%
  services: 60.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  857,400

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  11% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $8.11 billion
  expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Industries:
  ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting,
  electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
  equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.4% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.2% hydro: 27.3% other: 0.7% (2001) nuclear: 36.8%

Electricity - consumption:
  13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports:
  $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,
  food

Exports - partners:
  Germany 23.9%, Italy 12.7%, Austria 9.5%, Croatia 8%, France 7.4%,
  Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $11.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,
  fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:
  Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Austria 11.3%, France 10.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $7.9 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  tolar (SIT)

Currency code:
  SIT

Exchange rates:
  tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000),
  181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  722,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: 100% digital (2000)
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (2001)

Televisions:
  710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .si

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2001)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 20,177 km
  paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA

Pipelines:
  gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports:
  16 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military Slovenia

Military branches:
  Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 520,037 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 13,704 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:
  parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land
  and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of
  Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to
  Croatia

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound
  for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:
  The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the
  1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on
  these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence
  two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and
  endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
  New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 28,450 sq km
  water: 910 sq km
  land: 27,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use: arable land: 1.5% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 97.86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with
  frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs
  are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,
  the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:
  509,190 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.2 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.83% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.1 years
  male: 69.64 years
  female: 74.68 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%,
  Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions:
  Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian)
  12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%,
  indigenous beliefs 4%

Languages:
  Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English
  is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
  note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Solomon Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital:
  Honiara

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru),
  Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona,
  Temotu, Western

Independence:
  7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:
  7 July 1978

Legal system:
  English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
  years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
  of Parliament
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
  December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
  2001)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
  single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
  20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
  18
  elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
  December 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party
  or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh
  Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or
  SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP
  [Joses TUHANUKU]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
  coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colin BECK
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed
  July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the
  Solomon Islands

Flag description:
  divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower
  hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five
  white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower
  triangle is green

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:
  The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and
  forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured
  goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich
  in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and
  gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business
  enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious
  economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of
  crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation)
  have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and
  attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the
  nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance
  staff many of whom have left the country.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 42%
  industry: 11%
  services: 47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  26,842

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $38 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries:
  fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  32 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  29.76 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Exports:
  $47 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  Japan 21.2%, China 18.8%, South Korea 16.3%, Philippines 8.9%,
  Thailand 7.6%, Singapore 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $82 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 31.3%, Singapore 19.7%, New Zealand 5.1%, Fiji 4.6%,
  Papua New Guinea 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $137 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)

Currency:
  Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code:
  SBD

Exchange rates:
  Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), NA (2001), 5.09
  (2000), 4.84 (1999), 4.82 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  658 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  8,400 (2002)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  32 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Military Solomon Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance
  and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Somalia

Introduction Somalia

Background:
  The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
  factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for twelve years. In
  May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
  Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
  Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
  by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
  aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
  infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
  military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
  northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
  of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
  aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
  a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil
  strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it
  also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993,
  a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able
  to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
  having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
  restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
  created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expires in August 2003 and
  a new interim government was being created at peace talks held in
  Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control
  of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali
  links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

Geography Somalia

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,
  east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 637,657 sq km
  water: 10,320 sq km
  land: 627,337 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:
  3,025 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate:
  principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon,
  moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October
  - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south,
  irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between
  monsoons

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources:
  uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,
  bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use: arable land: 1.66% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.3% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in
  summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health
  problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to
  Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People Somalia

Population:
  8,025,190
  note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
  1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
  complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
  in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,802,154; female 1,792,749)
  15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,120,934; female 2,093,699)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 93,682; female 121,972) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  46.42 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  17.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 120.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 110.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 129.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 47.34 years
  male: 45.67 years
  female: 49.05 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Somali(s)
  adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:
  Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim

Languages:
  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 37.8%
  male: 49.7%
  female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type:
  no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary
  national government

Capital:
  Mogadishu

Administrative divisions:
  18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
  Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
  Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
  Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence:
  1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became
  independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,
  which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
  trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday:
  Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June
  (1960) in Somaliland

Constitution:
  25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
  note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has
  a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within
  three years

Legal system:
  no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
  localities

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000);
  note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in
  southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a
  three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a
  transitional government but has little power and was due to leave
  office in August 2003; the political situation, particularly in the
  south, with interclan fighting and random banditry, remains fluid
  election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of
  an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace
  Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali
  clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly
  head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20
  October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker
  status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted
  HASSAN's predecessor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly
  note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National
  Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta,
  Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu

Judicial branch:
  following the breakdown of national government, most regions have
  reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal
  of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
  May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in
  Washington and at the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

Flag description:
  light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue
  field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note:
  although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing
  bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
  the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan
  and faction strongholds

Economy Somalia

Economy - overview:
  Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political
  divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as
  "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared
  autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with
  the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part
  because much activity is local and relatively easily protected.
  Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally
  accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings,
  but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift
  Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and
  semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood,
  make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish,
  charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar,
  sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports.
  Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of
  agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap
  metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has
  managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide
  wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest
  international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a
  formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted
  throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500
  million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a
  variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels
  continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. The
  ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have
  interfered with any broad-based economic development and
  international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial
  obligations to the IMF continued to grow.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $4.27 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 10%
  services: 25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  over 100% (businesses print their own money)

Labor force:
  3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services
  29%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
  petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  245.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.832 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

Exports:
  $126 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners:
  UAE 45.6%, Yemen 24.3%, Oman 9.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $343 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, qat

Imports - partners:
  Djibouti 29.8%, Kenya 13.6%, Brazil 10.5%, Thailand 4.7%, UK 4.4%,
  UAE 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $60 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
  Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code:
  SOS

Exchange rates:
  Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620
  (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996
  est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
  note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
  country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
  currency, the Somaliland shilling

Fiscal year:
  NA

Communications Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  15,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost
  completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
  private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
  charge the lowest international rates on the continent
  domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
  Mogadishu and in several other population centers
  international: international connections are available from
  Mogadishu by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in
  Somaliland (2001)

Radios:
  470,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4
  note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions:
  135,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .so

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users:
  200 (2000)

Transportation Somalia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  crude oil 15 km

Ports and harbors:
  Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  60 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Somalia

Military branches:
  A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;
  numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the
  Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own
  security and police forces

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,942,244 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $17.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Somalia

Disputes - international:
  "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked
  Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states;
  "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists to
  establish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seeking
  support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an
  administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and
  maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the
  unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@South Africa

Introduction South Africa

Background:
  After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many
  of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own
  republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred
  wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native
  inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were
  defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South
  Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate
  development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid
  politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Geography South Africa

Location:
  Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,219,912 sq km
  land: 1,219,912 sq km
  note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
  Edward Island)
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,862 km
  border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
  km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:
  2,798 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool
  nights

Terrain:
  vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal
  plain

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:
  gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
  phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,
  salt, natural gas

Land use:
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 0.77%
  other: 87.1% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:
  lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water
  conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing
  supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban
  discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;
  desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely
  surrounds Swaziland

People South Africa

Population:
  42,768,678
  note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a
  population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8%
  underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for
  this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess
  mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
  higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
  rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex
  than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30% (male 6,460,273; female 6,377,090)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 13,807,922; female 13,970,088)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 864,441; female 1,288,864) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.5 years
  male: 24 years
  female: 25 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  18.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 60.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 64.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.56 years
  male: 46.57 years
  female: 46.54 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  20.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  360,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:
  black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Religions:
  Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of
  blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of
  Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Languages:
  11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi,
  Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 87%
  female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Government South Africa

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
  conventional short form: South Africa
  former: Union of South Africa
  abbreviation: RSA

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and
  Bloemfontein the judicial center

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
  Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape

Independence:
  31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in
  1961 following an October 1960 referendum

National holiday:
  Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:
  10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the
  Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
  President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
  February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for
  sometime between May and July 2004)
  head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
  Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
  note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400
  seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
  proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the
  National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each
  of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special
  powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of
  cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -
  following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February
  1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National
  Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and
  party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities
  have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
  elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
  last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
  66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NNP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%,
  other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NNP 28, UDM 14,
  ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NNP 17, FF 4, IFP 5,
  DP 3

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
  Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE,
  president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,
  president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the
  Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NNP; note - NNP
  split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr.
  Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu
  BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NNP [Marthinus VAN
  SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA,
  president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,
  general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade
  NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
  Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note
  - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU,
  SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
  chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUME
  embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
  telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
  FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
  consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description:
  two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by
  a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of
  which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black
  isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow
  yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green
  band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Economy South Africa

Economy - overview:
  South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant
  supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,
  communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that
  ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure
  supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers
  throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to
  lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic
  problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack
  of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. High crime
  and HIV/AIDS infection rates also deter investment. South African
  economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on
  targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job
  growth and household income.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $427.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.4% industry: 28.9% services: 66.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  59.3 (1993-94)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  17 million economically active

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  37% (includes workers no longer looking for employment) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $22.6 billion
  expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  billion (FY 02/03)

Industries:
  mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),
  automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and
  steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  195.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 5.5%

Electricity - consumption:
  181.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  6.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  6.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  7.84 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  14.16 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Exports:
  $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and
  equipment (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
  UK 12.8%, US 12.7%, Germany 9%, Japan 8.8%, Italy 5.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $26.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific
  instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 15.4%, US 9.4%, UK 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan 5.8%,
  France 5%, China 4.9%, Iran 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $24.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $487.5 million (2000)

Currency:
  rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  ZAR

Exchange rates:
  rand per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11
  (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:
  more than 5 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7.06 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the system is the best developed and most
  modern in Africa
  domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
  cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
  radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
  centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
  Elizabeth, and Pretoria
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  17 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  6 million (2000)

Internet country code:
  .za

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  150 (2001)

Internet users:
  3.068 million (2002)

Transportation South Africa

Railways:
  total: 22,298 km
  narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314
  km 0.610-m gauge
  note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2002)

Highways:
  total: 362,099 km
  paved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA

Pipelines:
  condensate 100 km; gas 741 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth,
  Richards Bay, Saldanha

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,235 GRT/35,904 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2

Airports:
  727 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 584 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 298 under 914 m: 252 (2002)

Military South Africa

Military branches:
  South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air
  Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 11,865,280 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 471,578 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.746 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (FY02)

Military - note:
  with the end of Apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,
  former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
  were integrated into the South African National Defense Force
  (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues South Africa

Disputes - international: managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly
  cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for
  illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through
  various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana;
  attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of
  organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Southern Ocean

Introduction Southern Ocean

Background:
  A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the
  spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean -
  from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
  Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of
  Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with
  the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth
  largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,
  Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

Geography Southern Ocean

Location:
  body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
  65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique
  distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally
  encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies
  between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and
  encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 20.327 million sq km
  note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
  Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
  other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline:
  17,968 km

Climate:
  sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees
  Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and
  frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between
  ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to
  the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere
  on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south
  latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the
  Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees
  Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds
  from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain:
  the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its
  extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic
  continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge
  lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133
  meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6
  million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square
  kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the
  Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
  perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
  transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
  times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich
  Trench
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the
  continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,
  sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -
  none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards:
  huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller
  bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter
  thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large
  annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by
  glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and
  large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;
  most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues:
  increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic
  ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity
  (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;
  illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,
  especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
  Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
  affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
  mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
  note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
  comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements:
  the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements
  regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these
  agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling
  Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south
  [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
  west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
  sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources (regulates fishing)
  note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
  exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
  (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
  Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
  cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
  north

Geography - note:
  the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and
  Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best
  natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it
  is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar
  Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the
  south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current
  extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees
  south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South
  Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview:
  Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metric
  tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish.
  International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce
  illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01
  season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and
  antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248
  tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and
  Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
  note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
  Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
  periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
  icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
  research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
  commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
  degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
  observers (see Article 7)

Transportation - note:
  Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international:
  Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but
  Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert
  claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the
  Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
  extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
  Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) to include undersea ridges;
  the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime
  claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US
  and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims have
  been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@South Georgia and the South Sandwich

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background:
  The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands
  and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a
  brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on
  South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station.
  Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to
  his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some
  20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
  successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
  Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
  is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
  the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
  populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
  marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
  exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location:
  Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
  of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates:
  54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 3,903 sq km
  note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
  Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
  of some nine islands
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 3,903 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  NA km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year
  interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as
  snow

Terrain:
  most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and
  mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,
  glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of
  volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
  sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that
  generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also
  subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which
  provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st
  century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
  2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
  British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
  Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003
  est.)

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional short form: none

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;
  administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is
  concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen
  ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South
  Georgia, is a scientific base

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:
  adopted 3 October 1985

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate
  from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms
  centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a
  shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur
  seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears
  above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM
  PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview:
  Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential
  source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands
  receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of
  fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.
  Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations:
  0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (2003)

Internet country code:
  .gs

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Grytviken

Airports:
  none (2002)

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international:
  briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina
  in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by
  force

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Spain

Introduction Spain

Background:
  Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
  ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
  failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
  the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
  and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
  but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
  second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
  the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
  Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
  terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean
  Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of
  France

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 504,782 sq km
  water: 5,240 sq km
  note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
  and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
  coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
  de Velez de la Gomera
  land: 499,542 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,917.8 km
  border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
  Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
  4,964 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy
  along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and
  cool along coast

Terrain:
  large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
  Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources:
  coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar,
  gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower,
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 28.6%
  permanent crops: 9.56%
  other: 61.84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents
  from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and
  quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Geography - note:
  strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Spain

Population:
  40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.4 years female: 40.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.16% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.23 years
  male: 75.87 years
  female: 82.8 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,300 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups:
  composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages:
  Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
  note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
  languages are official regionally

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government Spain

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
  conventional short form: Spain
  local short form: Espana

Government type:
  parliamentary monarchy

Capital:
  Madrid

Administrative divisions:
  19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
  comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic
  Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La
  Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian,
  Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra,
  Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
  note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of
  Morocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de
  la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994

Independence:
  the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent
  kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th
  Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian
  redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,
  culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed
  the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered
  the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday:
  Hispanic Day, 12 October

Constitution:
  6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system:
  civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
  Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
  head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR
  Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of
  Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second
  Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since
  4 September 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
  note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
  consultative organ of the government
  election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president;
  percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party
  (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of
  Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000
  (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the
  monarch on the proposal of the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
  Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
  directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
  regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
  Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE
  34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127,
  PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent
  of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%,
  CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8,
  PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5
  elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA
  March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to
  be held NA March 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:
  Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Canarian
  Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO];
  Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary
  general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or
  CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or
  UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG
  [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL
  [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Spanish
  Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO];
  United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and
  other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
  unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
  Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
  USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais
  (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker
  Prestige oil spill)

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubio
  chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS
  embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
  telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
  FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
  consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red
  with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;
  the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of
  Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on
  either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview:
  Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
  capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European
  economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain
  admission to the first group of countries launching the European
  single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR
  administration has continued to advocate liberalization,
  privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced
  some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling
  under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. The
  government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws
  and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability
  of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness
  in a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reduced
  cooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was
  satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy.
  Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an
  integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges
  to Spain over the next few years.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 31%
  services: 65% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  17.1 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  11.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $105 billion
  expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8
  billion (2000 est.)

Industries:
  textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
  metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
  machine tools, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% other: 4.1% (2001) nuclear: 27.2%

Electricity - consumption:
  210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  10.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  254.9 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%, US
  4.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
  foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)

Imports - partners:
  France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $90 billion (1993 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Currency:
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
  (1999)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use:
  17.336 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8.394 million (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
  teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
  domestic: NA
  international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
  tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions:
  16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .es

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  56 (2000)

Internet users:
  7.89 million (2002)

Transportation Spain

Railways:
  total: 14,189 km
  broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km
  0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 663,795 km
  paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)

Waterways:
  1,045 km (of minor economic importance)

Pipelines:
  gas 7,290 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,110 km; unknown
  (oil/water) 397 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana,
  Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga,
  Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands),
  Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Merchant marine:
  total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 13,
  liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
  22, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger
  6, vehicle carrier 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1,
  Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  152 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 93 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 59 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 43 (2002)

Heliports: 7 (2002)

Military Spain

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police,
  Coastal Civil Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 10,524,715 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 255,826 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $8.6 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.15% (2002)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international:
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
  "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
  UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Morocco protests Spain's
  control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de
  Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas
  Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's
  unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in
  2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee
  interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily
  off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish
  fishing grounds; Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to
  territories around the town of Olivenza, Spain

Illicit drugs:
  key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North
  African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Spratly Islands

Introduction Spratly Islands

Background:
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or
  reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially
  by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by
  China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia
  and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by China (about
  450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and
  Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China
  Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the
  southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: less than 5 sq km
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
  scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
  China Sea
  water: 0 sq km
  land: less than 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  926 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and
  shoals

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the
  central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,
  shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
  claimant states (July 2003 est.)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity
  to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the
  potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely
  unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential
  reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note:
  Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of
  which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the
  Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:
  all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and
  Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;
  in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that
  encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not
  publicly claimed the island; claimants in November 2002 signed the
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a
  mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding
  "code of conduct"

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background:
  The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,
  probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in
  about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed
  at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa
  1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th
  century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and
  established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th
  century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded
  to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was
  united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent
  in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between
  the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in
  the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that
  continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government
  and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam began a ceasefire in December
  2001, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location:
  Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:
  7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 65,610 sq km
  water: 870 sq km
  land: 64,740 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,340 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
  monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
  interior

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
  hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 13.43%
  permanent crops: 15.78%
  other: 70.79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by
  poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining
  activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being
  polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air
  pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population:
  19,742,439 (2003 est.)
  note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
  armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
  Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000,
  approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south
  India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than
  200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,543,336; female 2,431,223)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 6,518,145; female 6,890,424)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 641,708; female 717,603) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.83% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.12 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 16.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.62 years
  male: 70.09 years
  female: 75.29 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  4,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  250 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Sri Lankan(s)
  adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:
  Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%

Religions:
  Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Languages:
  Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
  language) 18%, other 8%
  note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.3%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  conventional short form: Sri Lanka
  former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
  8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,
  Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province
  may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence:
  4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:
  adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system:
  a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,
  Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since
  12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December
  2001) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
  (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9
  December 2001) is the prime minister; the president is considered
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
  president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA)
  51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote
  on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by
  district to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
  UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, TNA 3.89%, PLOTE
  0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114,
  PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, TNA 15, PLOTE 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers
  Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.
  GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
  [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
  [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
  or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP
  [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
  People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
  People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader
  NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom
  Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim
  Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF
  [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO
  [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ];
  Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United
  National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's
  Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim
  parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or
  LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a
  separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
  National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS
  embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
  telephone: [94] (1) 448007
  FAX: [94] (1) 437345

Flag description:
  yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal
  vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is
  a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and
  there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears
  as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:
  In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import
  substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and
  export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
  processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
  telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation
  crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
  textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
  annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
  deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
  economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
  saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
  combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
  global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
  3.2% in 2002. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the
  Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a year.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 26% services: 54% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  6.6 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.8 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
  commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.1% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  6.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.915 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Exports: $4.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US 39.1%, UK 12.9%, Belgium 4.7%, Germany 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and
  equipment

Imports - partners:
  India 11%, Hong Kong 7.6%, Singapore 7.1%, China 6.3%, Taiwan 5.9%,
  South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3%, Iran 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $9.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $577 million (1998)

Currency:
  Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code:
  LKR

Exchange rates:
  Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 95.66 (2002), 89.38 (2001), 77.01
  (2000), 70.64 (1999), 64.45 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:
  494,509 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  228,604 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly
  in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national
  telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good
  international service (1999)
  domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
  microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
  and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
  is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
  at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
  international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  21 (1997)

Televisions:
  1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  121,500 (2001)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Railways:
  total: 1,508 km
  broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 96,695 km
  paved: 91,860 km
  unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)

Waterways:
  430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines:
  crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Ports and harbors:
  Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 62,157 GRT/84,898 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, container 1, petroleum tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  15 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,383,661 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,172,921 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 186,691 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $719 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.2% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background:
  Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
  dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
  Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this
  period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic,
  political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern
  Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects
  have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
  displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an
  Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern
  opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels
  and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace
  talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several
  accords, including a cease-fire agreement.

Geography Sudan

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,505,810 sq km
  water: 129,810 sq km
  land: 2.376 million sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 7,687 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
  km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:
  853 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by
  region (April to November)

Terrain:
  generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
  northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
  highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
  tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.03% permanent crops: 0.08% other: 92.89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
  periodic drought

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population:
  38,114,160 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44% (male 8,562,412; female 8,195,201)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 10,260,581; female 10,246,045)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 468,898; female 381,023) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.7 years
  male: 17.5 years
  female: 17.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.71% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.59 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 65.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 66.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 57.73 years
  male: 56.59 years
  female: 58.93 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  450,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  23,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups:
  black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%
  (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,
  Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
  note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61.1%
  male: 71.8%
  female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
  conventional short form: Sudan
  local short form: As-Sudan
  local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
  former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type:
  authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;
  government is run by an alliance of the military and the National
  Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF),
  which espouses an Islamist platform

Capital:
  Khartoum

Administrative divisions:
  26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al
  Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah,
  An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al Jabal,
  Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur, Gharb
  Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr an
  Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al
  Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Independence:
  1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:
  12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim
  constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June
  1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
  suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,
  the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in
  the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the
  northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
  religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad
  TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR
  (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  note: Lt. Gen. al-BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and
  retained it through several transitional governments in the early
  and mid-1990s before being popularly elected for the first time in
  March 1996
  election results: Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected
  president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%,
  Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a
  combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular
  opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of
  guarantees for a free and fair election
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
  National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
  or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad
  TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR
  (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90
  elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National
  Congress; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA
  December 2004)
  note: on 12 December 1999, BASHIR dismissed the National Assembly
  during an internal power struggle between the president and the
  speaker of the National Assembly Hassan al-TURABI
  election results: NCP 355, others 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law
  revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept
  the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence
  against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress
  Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC
  [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National
  Congress Party [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR]; National Democratic Alliance
  [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's Liberation
  Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affairs, Ad Interim
  Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
  chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  US Embassy in Khartoum is located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue;
  mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829; telephone -
  [249] (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - [249] (11) 774137

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
  green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview:
  Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic
  policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
  formidable economic problems, notably the low level of per capita
  output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
  macroeconomic reforms. In 1999 Sudan began exporting crude oil and
  in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
  along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
  Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
  export processing zones helped maintain GDP growth at 5.1% in 2002.
  Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
  employing 80% of the work force and contributing 43% of GDP, but
  most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic
  domestic instability, lagging reforms, adverse weather, and weak
  world agricultural prices - but, above all, the low starting point -
  ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the
  poverty line for years.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $52.9 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 43%
  industry: 17%
  services: 40% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  18.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.6 billion
  expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
  distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,
  automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.389 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.222 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  209,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  631.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  99.11 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
  sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
  potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Exports:
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,
  gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:
  China 55.7%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,
  medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:
  China 19.7%, Saudi Arabia 7.4%, Germany 5.5%, India 5.5%, UK 5.4%,
  Indonesia 4.7%, Australia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $15.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $187 million (1997)

Currency:
  Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code:
  SDD

Exchange rates:
  Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001), 257.12
  (2000), 252.55 (1999), 200.8 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  400,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  20,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
  standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
  1996 and have expanded substantially
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
  communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
  system with 14 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (1997)

Televisions:
  2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  56,000 (2002)

Transportation Sudan

Railways:
  total: 5,978 km
  narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge
  plantation line (2002)

Highways:
  total: 11,900 km
  paved: 4,320 km
  unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  5,310 km

Pipelines:
  gas 156 km; oil 2,297 km; refined products 810 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,854 GRT/39,084 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1, roll on/roll off 2
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 51
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 24

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military Sudan

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 9,032,834 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,558,462 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 429,334 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $581 million (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.5% (1999)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international:
  the north-south civil war has drawn Sudan's neighbors into the
  fighting, sheltering refugees, and infiltration by rebel groups -
  Kenya and Uganda have acted as mediators; Sudan accuses Eritrea of
  supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous
  boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by fighting in Sudan;
  Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
  creating the "Ilemi triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain claims to
  administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the
  1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn
  their military presence; Egypt is economically developing the
  "Hala'ib triangle"

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background:
  Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years
  later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that
  soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a
  succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
  international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
  1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a
  democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Geography Suriname

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 163,270 sq km
  land: 161,470 sq km
  water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
  highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:
  timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
  amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 0.37%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  note: there are 95,000 hectares of arable land, 7,000 hectares of
  permanent crops, and 15,000 hectares of permanent pastures (1998
  est.)
  other: 99.57%

Irrigated land:
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly
  tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for
  the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;
  relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population:
  435,449 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 68,536; female 65,165)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 141,048; female 134,699)
  65 years and over: 6% (male 11,686; female 14,315) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.5 years
  male: 25.1 years
  female: 26 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.37% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 28.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.23 years
  male: 66.79 years
  female: 71.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  330 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Surinamer(s)
  adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:
  Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors
  emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
  century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
  "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
  the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
  10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:
  Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2%
  (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:
  Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
  (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
  Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
  among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93%
  male: 95%
  female: 91% (1995 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  conventional short form: Suriname
  local short form: Suriname
  former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
  local long form: Republiek Suriname

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Paramaribo

Administrative divisions:
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
  Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
  Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:
  25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:
  ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system:
  based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
  2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
  August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
  the members of the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
  receives a constitutional majority in the National Assembly after
  two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from
  the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms;
  election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president by the
  National Assembly; percent of legislative vote - Runaldo Ronald
  VENETIAAN 72.5%; Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 19.6%; total votes cast -
  Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP)
  10 votes
  note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
  call for elections a year early

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NF 33, MC 10, DNP 2000 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1
  note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
  call for elections a year early
  elections: last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the
  Alternative Forum or AF and Party for Brotherhood and Unity in
  Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991) [Winston JESSURUN];
  Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000 (coalition of two
  parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the 21st Century) [Jules
  WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative or OPDA
  [Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium Combination or MC (a coalition of
  three parties, Democratic Alternative, Party for National Unity and
  Solidarity, and National Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader
  NA]; Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party
  of National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja
  Luhur [Paul SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
  Union or PALU [Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of
  four parties Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform
  Party or VHP, Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur)
  [Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a
  combination of three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP,
  Party of the Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname
  Progressive People's Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
  BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement [Leendert ADAMS];
  Tucayana Amazonica [Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for
  Liberation and Democracy [Kofi AFONGPONG]

International organization participation:
  ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB,
  IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS,
  OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel A. JOHNSON embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472900 FAX: [597] 420800

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
  (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
  large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview:
  The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts
  for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's
  economic prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed
  commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
  introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
  competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
  austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
  However, in 2002, President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
  for civil servants, which threatens his earlier gains in stabilizing
  the economy. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
  flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
  financing. The short-term economic outlook depends on the
  government's ability to control inflation and on the development of
  projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.469 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  17% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  100,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $393 million
  expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
  million (1997 est.)

Industries:
  bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food
  processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.959 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.2% hydro: 74.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  37 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Exports:
  $445 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:
  US 25.3%, Norway 20.4%, France 8.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.4%,
  Iceland 6%, Canada 5.9%, Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Imports:
  $300 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 22.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, China 11.9%, Trinidad and Tobago
  11.2%, France 7.5%, Netherlands Antilles 7.2%, Japan 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
  assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
  (1998)

Currency:
  Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Currency code:
  SRG

Exchange rates:
  Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2,346.75 (2002), 2,178.5
  (2001), 1,322.47 (2000), 859.44 (1999), 401 (1998)
  note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
  rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
  subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the
  government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around
  the official rate

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:
  64,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,090 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: international facilities are good
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
  63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  14,500 (2002)

Transportation Suriname

Railways:
  total: 166 km (single-track)
  standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: Suriname railroads are not in operation (2001)
  narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 4,492 km
  paved: 1,168 km
  unpaved: 3,324 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,200 km
  note: most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with
  drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Pipelines:
  oil 51 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, container 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  46 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2002)

Military Suriname

Military branches:
  National Army (including small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil
  Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 123,159 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 72,039 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (FY97 est.)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:
  area disputed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
  Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); area disputed by Guyana
  between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari [Kutari]
  rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne); territorial sea boundary
  with Guyana is in dispute

Illicit drugs:
  growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
  Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:
  First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
  served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
  centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
  later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:
  Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
  Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 62,049 sq km
  note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 62,049 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,587 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but
  not recognized by Russia
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Climate:
  arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
  winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
  Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:
  wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
  clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
  coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:
  coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
  cloudberry) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
  coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
  northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
  islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population: 2,811 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.02% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:
  Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:
  Russian, Norwegian

Literacy:
  NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
  Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
  Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
  Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
  was awarded to Norway

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Longyearbyen

Independence:
  none (territory of Norway)

National holiday:
  NA

Legal system:
  NA

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
  head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998)
  and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
  governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
  Justice

International organization participation:
  none

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:
  Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty
  of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
  mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
  Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
  companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
  Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
  coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
  island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
  local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar
  bear, fox, and walrus.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $11.5 million
  expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% other: 0% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  $NA

Imports:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency:
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
  NOK

Exchange rates:
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001),
  8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: probably adequate
  domestic: local telephone service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for
  communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Svalbard

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Svalbard

Military - note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:
  Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
  British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968.
  Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the
  monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
  political reform and greater democracy.

Geography Swaziland

Location:
  Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 17,363 sq km
  water: 160 sq km
  land: 17,203 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:
  mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
  highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:
  asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
  and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 9.77% permanent crops: 0.7% other: 89.53% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  drought

Environment - current issues:
  limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
  depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
  degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:
  1,161,219
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.4% (male 242,762; female 238,141)
  15-64 years: 55.1% (male 317,526; female 321,709)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 18,040; female 23,041) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.83% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  21.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 67.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 70.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.47 years
  male: 41.02 years
  female: 37.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  33.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swazi(s)
  adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:
  African 97%, European 3%

Religions:
  Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
  40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
  Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:
  English (official, government business conducted in English),
  siSwati (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.6%
  male: 82.6%
  female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
  conventional short form: Swaziland

Government type:
  monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital:
  Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
  4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:
  6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:
  none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973;
  a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not
  formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for
  a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review
  Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted

Legal system:
  based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and
  Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
  head of government: Prime Minister Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
  the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the
  Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
  appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55
  elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
  held NA October 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
  nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
  council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
  candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
  narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:
  High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
  by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
  political parties are banned by the constitution - the following
  are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement
  or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC
  [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or
  PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or
  SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,
  OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
  telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
  chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
  the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
  black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
  with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:
  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
  more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
  diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
  important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
  importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
  remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
  border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
  Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to
  which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Customs duties
  from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from
  South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income.
  The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign
  investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes
  floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of
  the population needed emergency food aid in 2002 because of drought,
  and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by
  HIV/AIDS.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $5.542 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 44% services: 39% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  34% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $448 million
  expenditures: $506.9 million, including capital expenditures of $147
  million (FY 01/02)

Industries:
  mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile
  and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.7% (FY 95/96)

Electricity - production:
  348.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  962.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Exports: $820 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5%, UK (1999)

Imports:
  $938 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
  petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)

Debt - external:
  $320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $104 million (2001)

Currency:
  lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:
  SZL

Exchange rates:
  emalangeni per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000),
  6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  45,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
  domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
  low-capacity, microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
  170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Televisions:
  23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .sz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2002)

Internet users:
  7,000 (2002)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways: total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 3,247 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (1998)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  18 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:
  Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 284,530 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 165,005 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.75% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:
  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
  participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
  was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
  formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
  elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising
  maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets.
  Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic
  integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995,
  and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 449,964 sq km
  water: 39,030 sq km
  land: 410,934 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,205 km border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:
  3,218 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
  territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of
  straits to high seas)

Climate:
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
  cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
  -2.41 m
  highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:
  zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.8% permanent crops: 0% other: 93.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
  Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
  acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
  the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North
  Seas

People Sweden

Population:
  8,878,085 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 804,296; female 763,213)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 2,933,183; female 2,835,835)
  65 years and over: 17.3% (male 654,575; female 886,983) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.1 years
  male: 39 years
  female: 41.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.97 years
  male: 77.31 years
  female: 82.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swede(s)
  adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities;
  foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,
  Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:
  Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,
  Buddhist

Languages:
  Swedish
  note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1979 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Sweden

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
  conventional short form: Sweden
  local short form: Sverige
  local long form: Konungariket Sverige

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Stockholm

Administrative divisions:
  21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
  Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
  Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
  Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
  Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:
  6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution:
  1 January 1975

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);
  Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of
  the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
  1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election
  last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
  election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
  out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
  Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
  Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
  Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
  33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the
  prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf
  SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
  Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly
  Communist) [Ulla HOFFMAN (acting)]; Liberal People's Party [Lars
  LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT];
  Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr. embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:
  blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;
  the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
  style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:
  Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden
  has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of
  high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern
  distribution system, excellent internal and external communications,
  and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore
  constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward
  foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
  industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
  of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
  2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
  resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
  by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
  revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank
  (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation
  target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14,
  2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
  concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $230.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 29%
  services: 69% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $119 billion
  expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
  parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
  motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  152.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 4% hydro: 50.8% other: 2.3% (2001) nuclear: 43%

Electricity - consumption:
  134.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  18.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  11.14 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Exports:
  $80.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron
  and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 11.6%, Germany 10.1%, Norway 9%, UK 8.2%, Denmark 5.9%, Finland
  5.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 5.1%, Belgium 4.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $68.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
  Germany 18.5%, Denmark 8.8%, UK 8.6%, Norway 8.2%, Netherlands
  6.7%, France 5.4%, Finland 5.2%, US 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency:
  Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:
  SEK

Exchange rates:
  Swedish kronor per US dollar - 9.74 (2002), 10.33 (2001), 9.16
  (2000), 8.26 (1999), 7.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6.017 million (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3.835 million (October 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  facilities; automatic system
  domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
  traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
  additional telephone channels
  international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
  and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth
  station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
  and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .se

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  29 (2000)

Internet users:
  6.02 million (2002)

Transportation Sweden

Railways: total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 212,402 km
  paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 45,879 km (2000)

Waterways: 2,052 km note: navigable to small steamers and barges

Pipelines:
  gas 798 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar,
  Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine:
  total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,329,925 GRT/1,609,986 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2,
  Norway 7 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 35, chemical tanker 31, combination
  ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 35, short-sea
  passenger 8, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 21

Airports:
  245 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 145 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 25 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Sweden

Military branches:
  Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and Naval Helicopter
  Service), Air Force

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,060,044 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,800,376 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 52,692 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.395 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:
  Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by
  the major European powers, and Switzerland was not involved in
  either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration
  of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role
  in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened
  Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not
  officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active
  in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong
  commitment to neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:
  Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 41,290 sq km
  water: 1,520 sq km
  land: 39,770 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,852 km
  border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
  Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
  winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central
  plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
  highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10.57% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid
  rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural
  fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
  southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
  the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:
  7,318,638 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 623,428; female 591,709)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,519,302; female 2,439,560)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 470,257; female 674,382) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.21% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.99 years
  male: 77.11 years
  female: 83.02 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
  adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Languages:
  German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian
  (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male:
  female:

Government Switzerland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
  conventional short form: Switzerland
  local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
  (Italian)
  local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
  Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Bern

Administrative divisions:
  26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular
  - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
  Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
  Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
  Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
  Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:
  1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:
  18 December 1998

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
  obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003);
  Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January
  2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
  (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
  Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
  terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002
  (next to be held NA December 2003)
  election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of
  Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),
  Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
  consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
  des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats
  - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or
  Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
  Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
  vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton
  determines when the next election will be held); National Council -
  last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007)
  election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council
  - percent of vote by party - SVP 27.7%, SPS 24.2%, FDP 16%, CVP
  12.9%, Greens 7.7%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party
  - SVP 55, SPS 52, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small
  parties 16

Judicial branch:
  Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
  Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische
  Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or
  PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
  Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN,
  president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti
  Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I
  Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER and
  Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free Democratic Party
  (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti
  Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale
  Svizzero or PLR) [Christiane LANGENBERGER, president]; Social
  Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS,
  Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS,
  Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER,
  president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP,
  Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or
  UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president];
  and other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
  consulate(s): Boston
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
  chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:
  red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that
  does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:
  Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with
  low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP
  larger than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in
  recent years have brought their economic practices largely into
  conformity with the EU's to enhance their international
  competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors,
  because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up
  the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic
  conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to
  0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $233.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 34%
  services: 64% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $30 billion
  expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (2001)

Electricity - production:
  68.68 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% other: 2% (2001) nuclear: 37.1%

Electricity - consumption:
  53.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  34.54 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  24.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports:
  $100.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
  Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 8.9%, UK 7.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $94.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
  textiles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 27.4%, France 11.4%, Italy 9.7%, US 8.5%, Russia 5.8%, UK
  5.4%, Austria 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency:
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
  CHF

Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.56 (2002), 1.69 (2001), 1.69 (2000),
  1.5 (1999), 1.45 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.82 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.967 million (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
  and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ch

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:
  3.85 million (2002)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways:
  total: 4,511 km
  standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 982 km 1.000-m gauge (975 km electrified); 46 km
  0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 71,011 km
  paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  65 km
  note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and
  Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines:
  gas 1,831 km; oil 212 km; refined products 7 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Basel

Merchant marine:
  total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 597,049 GRT/1,051,380 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: UK 6, US 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 2,
  passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
  66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 41 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 14 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1524 to 2437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Switzerland

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,834,638 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 42,761 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  because of more stringent government regulations, used
  significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for
  and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:
  Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
  Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In
  the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel.
  Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly
  in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have
  held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.

Geography Syria

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
  Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 185,180 sq km
  note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
  water: 1,130 sq km
  land: 184,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,253 km
  border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
  375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:
  193 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 41 NM
  territorial sea: 35 NM

Climate:
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,
  rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with
  snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
  mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
  highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron
  ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 25.96% permanent crops: 4.08% other: 69.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
  pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate
  potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
  Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

People Syria

Population:
  17,585,540 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
  about 20,000 Israeli settlers (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.6% (male 3,494,473; female 3,290,699)
  15-64 years: 58.2% (male 5,238,026; female 4,991,588)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,744; female 296,010) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.6 years
  female: 19.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.45% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 31.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.39 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 70.67 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Syrian(s)
  adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
  Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
  Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:
  Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely
  understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.9%
  male: 89.7%
  female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
  conventional short form: Syria
  local short form: Suriyah
  former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Government type:
  republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital:
  Damascus

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
  Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
  Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:
  17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:
  13 March 1973

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
  courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
  Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
  Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS
  (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr.
  Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
  President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
  NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
  and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
  Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
  to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
  election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
  - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
  33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
  constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
  alliance) receives one-half of the seats
  elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year
  terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation;
  State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist
  Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar
  al-ASAD, secretary general], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
  [Ahmad al ASAD], Syrian Communist Party [leader NA], Unionist
  Socialist Party [leader NA], Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani
  QANNUT], and Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Sami SUFAN])
  [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or
  ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL];
  Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in
  exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective
  political influence

International organization participation:
  AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (acting) Imad MUSTAFA chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with
  two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in
  the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain
  white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic
  inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also
  similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in
  the white band

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:
  Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on average,
  more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate, causing a
  persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent legislation allows
  private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector
  will take years and further government cooperation to develop.
  External factors such as the international war on terrorism, the
  Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war between the US-led
  coalition and Iraq probably will drive real annual GDP growth levels
  back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic constraint
  is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth,
  industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $63.48 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 23% services: 50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  15%-25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, industry, services NA (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6 billion
  expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6
  billion (2002 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate
  rock mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  23.26 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.6% hydro: 42.4% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  522,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  265,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.4 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  240.7 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Exports: $6.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil 70%, petroleum products 7%, fruits and vegetables 5%,
  cotton fiber 4%, clothing 3%, meat and live animals 2% (2000 est.)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 19.1%, Italy 17.5%, Turkey 7.8%, France 7.5%, Lebanon 5.2%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%,
  metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10%
  (2000 est.)

Imports - partners:
  Italy 8.3%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, South Korea 4.8%, France
  4.6%, US 4.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $22 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $199 million (1997 est.)

Currency:
  Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:
  SYP

Exchange rates:
  Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.23 (2002), 11.23
  (2001), 11.23 (2000), 11.23 (1999), 11.23 (1998), (Free market
  rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999), 52 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
  improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable;
  coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
  and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2002)

Transportation Syria

Railways:
  total: 2,743 km
  standard gauge: 2,425 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
  total: 43,381 km
  paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)

Waterways:
  870 km (minimal economic importance)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine:
  total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 450,135 GRT/645,296 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 109, container 2, livestock carrier 3,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
  92 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 68 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 55 (2002)

Heliports: 7 (2002)

Military Syria

Military branches:
  Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes
  Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,715,386 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 210,941 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international:
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in
  Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since
  October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects
  regulating upper Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any
  perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Illicit drugs:
  a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
  Western markets

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background:
  In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. It
  reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the
  Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists
  fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947
  constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades,
  the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the
  native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan
  underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist
  to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the
  island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."
  The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship
  between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual
  unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location:
  Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea,
  South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off
  the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:
  23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 35,980 sq km
  note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
  water: 3,720 sq km
  land: 32,260 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,566.3 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to
  August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:
  eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling
  plains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:
  small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:
  arable land: 24%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 75%

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
  sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
  endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
  international status
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
  Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:
  strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon
  Strait

People Taiwan

Population:
  22,603,001 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,366,560; female 2,175,886)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 8,095,741; female 7,871,954)
  65 years and over: 9.3% (male 1,074,112; female 1,018,747) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 33.2 years male: 32.9 years female: 33.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.65% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.87 years
  male: 74.12 years
  female: 79.88 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese

Ethnic groups:
  Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions:
  mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%,
  other 2.5%

Languages:
  Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86%
  male: 93%
  female: 79% (1980)
  note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to
  94% (1998)

Government Taiwan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local short form: T'ai-wan local long form: none former: Formosa

Government type:
  multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president
  and unicameral legislature

Capital:
  Taipei

Administrative divisions:
  the central administrative divisions include the provinces of
  Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including
  Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the
  Pescadores islands); Taiwan is further subdivided into 16 counties
  (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and
  plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and
  plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*,
  Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
  P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*,
  T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the
  provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
  note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

National holiday:
  Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October
  (1911)

Constitution:
  1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and
  Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
  election results: CHEN Shui-bian elected president; percent of vote
  - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu) (PFP)
  36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%,
  LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13%
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March
  2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the
  president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the premier
  head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) YU
  Shyi-kun (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
  the Executive Yuan) LIN Hsin-yi (since 1 February 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular
  vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes
  received by participating political parties, eight elected from
  overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of
  islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight
  elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members
  serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat
  nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by
  proportional representation within three months of a Legislative
  Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or
  change national borders)
  elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be
  held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a
  nonstanding body and is called into session
  election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
  39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%;
  seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and
  other parties 11

Judicial branch:
  Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of
  the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be
  appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHEN Shui-bian, chairman];
  Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People
  First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman]; Taiwan
  Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Chu-wen, chairman]; other minor
  parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental
  groups
  note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
  mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
  and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
  legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
  identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
  currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
  outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
  people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
  independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
  with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
  include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
  UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
  World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
  Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation:
  APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:
  red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview:
  Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing
  guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.
  In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and
  industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the
  primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is
  substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest.
  Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. While
  Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China has
  become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken the
  US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its
  conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths,
  Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the
  Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn,
  combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration
  and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in
  2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment
  also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in
  the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence,
  and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant
  long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for
  the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove
  Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $406 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 31% services: 67% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.4% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  10 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 58%, industry 35%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $36 billion
  expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and
  steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  151.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 22.6%

Electricity - consumption:
  140.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  1,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  2 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  38.23 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Exports:
  $130 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and electrical equipment 54%, metals, textiles, plastics,
  chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners:
  Hong Kong 23.9%, US 20.8%, Japan 9.3%, China 7.7% (2002)

Imports:
  $113 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
  instruments (2002)

Imports - partners:
  Japan 24.3%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $24.7 billion (2002)

Currency:
  new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code:
  TWD

Exchange rates:
  34.88 (2002), 34.74 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000
  for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  12.49 million (September 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  16 million (September 2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every
  business and private need
  domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa),
  Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia,
  Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios:
  16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations:
  29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code:
  .tw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  11.6 million (2001)

Transportation Taiwan

Railways:
  total: 1,108 km
  narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
  note: there also are 1,255 km of 1.067-m gauge routes belonging to
  the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used
  to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2002)

Highways:
  total: 35,931 km
  paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)

Waterways:
  NA

Pipelines:
  condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
  total: 142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,973,958 GRT/6,306,361 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, combination
  bulk 3, container 45, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9,
  roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
  39 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports:
  3 (2002)

Military Taiwan

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
  Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
  Forces Command

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,583,604 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,019,268 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 189,967 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.574 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international:
  involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
  Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claimants in
  November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell
  short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; Paracel Islands
  occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims
  Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as
  does China

Illicit drugs:
  regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
  problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background:
  Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a
  five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the
  USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and
  implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total
  control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise
  and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international
  community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought
  increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs
  and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early
  stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined
  NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location:
  Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 143,100 sq km
  water: 400 sq km
  land: 142,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,651 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to
  polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:
  Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley
  in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
  highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead,
  zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 5.41% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 93.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in
  the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai
  Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain
  in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population:
  6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 19 years
  female: 19.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.37 years
  male: 61.39 years
  female: 67.5 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Tajikistani(s)
  adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:
  Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of
  emigration), other 6.6%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages:
  Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
  conventional short form: Tajikistan
  local short form: Tojikiston
  former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dushanbe

Administrative divisions:
  2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous
  province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
  Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati
  Sughd (Khujand)
  note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:
  9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:
  6 November 1994

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;
  head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the Supreme Assembly
  election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
  vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
  minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
  constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
  set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly
  of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33
  seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
  deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
  election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%,
  other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
  of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for
  the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; Islamic
  Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman]; People's Democratic
  Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic
  Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Sherali
  KENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000 or more
  members: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatuko
  SAIDOV]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOV
  chancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe) FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62

Flag description:
  three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and
  green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is
  located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview:
  Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet
  republics. Only 8% to 10% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the
  most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in
  amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry
  consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and
  small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food
  processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already
  weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
  industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
  people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
  experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
  privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
  further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
  however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
  reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
  debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
  in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
  period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
  Tajikistan.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  40% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $502 million
  expenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86
  million (2002 est.)

Industries:
  aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable
  oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan 9.9%,
  Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and
  equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan 10%,
  Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $60.7 million from US (2001)

Currency:
  somoni

Currency code:
  TJS

Exchange rates:
  Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37 (2001), 2.08
  (2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998)
  note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
  with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,500 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many
  towns are not reached by the national network
  domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
  international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other
  CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international
  gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway
  switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2
  Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios:
  1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (2001)

Televisions:
  820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2002)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2002)

Transportation Tajikistan

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 53
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force, Presidential National Guard,
  Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international:
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for
  Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede
  1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China
  relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands;
  negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute;
  talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border;
  disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with
  Kyrgyzstan

Illicit drugs:
  major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and,
  to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan
  seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and
  stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background:
  Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form
  the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in
  1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since
  the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition
  have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling
  party won despite international observers' claims of voting
  irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and
  Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 945,087 sq km
  note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
  water: 59,050 sq km
  land: 886,037 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,861 km
  border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
  km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:
  1,424 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:
  plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,
  gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 4.24% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 94.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of
  coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected
  marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and
  trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the
  largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
  second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
  world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population:
  35,922,454
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.3% (male 7,988,898; female 7,938,979)
  15-64 years: 53.1% (male 9,429,959; female 9,634,102)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 405,803; female 524,713) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  17.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 103.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 93.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 113.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 44.56 years
  male: 43.33 years
  female: 45.83 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  7.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.5 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  140,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Tanzanian(s)
  adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:
  mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of
  more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and
  Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions:
  mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;
  Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:
  Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in
  Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
  administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
  Zanzibar), many local languages
  note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
  living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
  is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
  of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
  lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
  most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),
  English, or Arabic
  total population: 78.2%
  male: 85.9%
  female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
  conventional short form: Tanzania
  former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to
  Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National
  Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions:
  25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
  Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba
  North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
  Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
  Urban/West

Independence:
  26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from
  UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
  December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
  1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
  United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:
  Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:
  25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts
  limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November
  1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
  matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
  office on 29 October 2000
  cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
  appointed by the president from among the members of the National
  Assembly
  election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
  percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
  LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
  2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by
  popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five
  to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve
  five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to
  the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws
  that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of
  Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar
  House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal
  suffrage to serve five-year terms)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
  Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16
  elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
  2005)

Judicial branch:
  Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of
  Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
  (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
  president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
  Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
  higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
  Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
  (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
  or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
  [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
  Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Flag description:
  divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower
  hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
  lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview:
  Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy
  depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP,
  provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.
  Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops
  to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the
  processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The
  World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors
  have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic
  infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002
  featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial
  increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas exploration
  and development played an important role in this growth. Recent
  banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and
  investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies
  should support continued real GDP growth of 5% in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.1% industry: 15.4% services: 36.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  13.495 million

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $1.01 billion
  expenditures: $1.38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
  agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine),
  diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood
  products, fertilizer, salt

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.906 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.752 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  50 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  11.33 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
  chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava
  (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
  $863 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:
  India 15.2%, Japan 12.4%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.8%, Belgium 6.5%,
  Kenya 5.9%, Germany 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.67 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial
  raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 12.7%, China 7.9%, Kenya 6.6%, India 6.3%, UK 6%,
  Japan 4.5%, US 4%, Australia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $6.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $963 million (1997)

Currency:
  Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code:
  TZS

Exchange rates:
  Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2002), 876.41 (2001),
  800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  127,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  30,000 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being
  modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal)
  system under construction
  domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
  relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
  made digital
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (1999)

Televisions:
  103,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  300,000 (2002)

Transportation Tanzania

Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal
  avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes

Pipelines:
  gas 5 km; oil 866 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza,
  Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Merchant marine:
  total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,781 GRT/33,805 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll
  on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  123 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Tanzania

Military branches:
  Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and Air
  Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including Police
  Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 8,477,193 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $19.68 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international: disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Illicit drugs:
  growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian
  heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,
  European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for
  Southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background:
  A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.
  Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian
  country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
  bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
  alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
  following the conflict.

Geography Thailand

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of
  Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 514,000 sq km
  water: 2,230 sq km
  land: 511,770 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,863 km
  border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
  Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:
  3,219 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
  September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
  southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:
  central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:
  tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,
  gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 32.88% permanent crops: 7% other: 60.12% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the
  water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population:
  64,265,276
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 7,955,597; female 7,604,652)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 21,819,445; female 22,362,085)
  65 years and over: 7% (male 2,081,768; female 2,441,729) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.1 years
  male: 29.4 years
  female: 30.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.95% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.24 years
  male: 69.07 years
  female: 73.53 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  670,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  55,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Thai (singular and plural)
  adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:
  Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:
  Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other
  0.6% (1991)

Languages:
  Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
  regional dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97.5%
  female: 94.6% (2003 est.)

Government Thailand

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  former: Siam

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Bangkok

Administrative divisions:
  76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang
  Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,
  Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng
  Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon
  (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha
  Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,
  Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
  Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
  Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
  Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
  Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
  Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
  Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
  Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
  Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:
  1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:
  Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution:
  new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Legal system:
  based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
  note: there is also a Privy Council
  head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
  February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT
  Yongchaiyut, KON Thappharansi, SUWIT Khunkitti, CHATURON Chaisaeng,
  VISHANU Krua-ngam, and PROMMIN Lertsuridej (since 18 February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
  designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
  following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
  leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
  is appointed prime minister by the king

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or
  Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen
  Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
  22 July 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); House of
  Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held NA
  January 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANTADTAN Banyat];
  National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi];
  Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha];
  Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMISET, UNU, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP Krairiksh consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),
  white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview:
  Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreign
  investment. Exports feature computers and electrical appliances.
  After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 -
  averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on
  Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial
  sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long
  pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56
  to the dollar in January 1998, and the economy contracted by 10.2%
  that same year. Thailand then entered a recovery stage, expanding by
  4.2% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports. An
  ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt
  restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, slowed
  growth to 1.4% in 2001. Increased consumption and investment
  spending pushed GDP growth up to 5.2% in 2002 despite a sluggish
  global economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 40% services: 49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  33.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $19 billion
  expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,
  tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric
  appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits,
  furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and
  third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  97.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% other: 2.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  90.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  200 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  350 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  551.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  368.2 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Exports:
  $67.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice (2000)

Exports - partners:
  US 19.6%, Japan 14.5%, Singapore 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, China 5.2%,
  Malaysia 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $58.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer
  goods, fuels (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Japan 23%, US 9.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Singapore 4.5%,
  Taiwan 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $62.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $131.5 million (1998 est.)

Currency:
  baht (THB)

Currency code:
  THB

Exchange rates:
  baht per US dollar - 42.96 (2002), 44.43 (2001), 40.11 (2000),
  37.81 (1999), 41.36 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3.1 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service to general public adequate, but
  investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
  service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and
  microwave radio relay network
  domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
  satellite system being developed
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
  13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .th

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.2 million (2001)

Transportation Thailand

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4,000 km
  note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with
  drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve
  shallow-draft native craft

Pipelines:
  gas 3,066 km; refined products 265 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla

Merchant marine:
  total: 317 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,744,103 GRT/2,657,666 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Norway 24,
  Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 33, cargo 136, chemical tanker 5, combination
  bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 21,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
  74, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger
  2, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 1

Airports:
  111 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Military Thailand

Military branches:
  Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine
  Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes the
  Border Patrol Police [including Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit],
  Thahan Phran, Special Action Forces, Police Aviation Division, Thai
  Marine Police, and the Volunteer Defense Corps)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 17,904,298 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 520,472 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international:
  completion of boundary demarcation with Cambodia hampered by
  accusations of moving and destroying boundary markers,
  encroachments, initiating border incidents, and sealing off Preah
  Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;
  demarcation complete except for a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth
  of the Kolok River in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos
  complete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of
  Thai squatters; despite continuing border committee talks,
  significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment
  and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal
  cross-border activities

Illicit drugs:
  a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit
  point for heroin en route to the international drug market from
  Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
  cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
  countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
  efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
  amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
  indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Togo

Introduction Togo

Background:
  French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
  installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving
  head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
  in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by
  President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
  has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,
  Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human
  rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and
  multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Geography Togo

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
  Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 56,785 sq km
  water: 2,400 sq km
  land: 54,385 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
  gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;
  low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 41.37% permanent crops: 1.84% other: 56.79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
  winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
  geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population:
  5,429,299
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 16.9 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  2.37% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 76.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 53.43 years
  male: 51.47 years
  female: 55.45 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  150,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups:
  native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
  Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the
  two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled
  Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 60.9%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Togo

Country name:
  conventional long form: Togolese Republic
  conventional short form: Togo
  local short form: none
  former: French Togoland
  local long form: Republique Togolaise

Government type:
  republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Lome

Administrative divisions:
  5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux,
  Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Independence:
  27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution:
  multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
  Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system:
  French-based court system

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April
  1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of
  vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi
  AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)
  note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
  the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating
  with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in
  the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of
  Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview:
  This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
  commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
  for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
  imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
  earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
  the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
  fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
  developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
  supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
  reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
  line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
  following through on privatization, increased openness in government
  financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
  continued support from foreign donors.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $7.594 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 21% services: 37% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  32% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $232 million
  expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Industries:
  phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
  textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  101.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  614.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Exports:
  $449 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  Ghana 17.7%, Benin 13.3%, Burkina Faso 8.2%, Philippines 4.9%,
  Niger 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $561 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  France 21.3%, China 17%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.8%,
  Italy 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99
  (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,995 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
  radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
  cellular system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
  system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  73,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2001)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2002)

Transportation Togo

Railways: total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  50 km (Mono river)

Ports and harbors:
  Kpeme, Lome

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Togo

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,270,146 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $23.72 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international:
  in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
  commission presently resurveying the boundary

Illicit drugs:
  transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
  laundering not a significant problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tokelau

Introduction Tokelau

Background:
  Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island
  groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in
  1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location:
  Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 10 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  101 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:
  low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues:
  very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to
  emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:
  consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number
  of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three
  meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,418 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: 68 years
  female: 70 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tokelauan(s)
  adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian

Religions:
  Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
  note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
  Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
  the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages:
  Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy:
  NA

Government Tokelau

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau

Dependency status:
  self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are
  drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of
  self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New
  Zealand

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in
  1970

Legal system:
  New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
  and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since
  NA March 1993)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
  head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
  a one-year term
  head of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002)
  cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders
  - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll's
  Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note -
  the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power
  on the General Fono

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
  jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description:
  the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview:
  Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of
  resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
  agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
  from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
  services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
  principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
  stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
  families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $430,830
  expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
  $37,300 (1987 est.)

Industries:
  small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited
  craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Exports:
  $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities:
  stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  NZ (2000)

Imports:
  $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners:
  NZ (2000)

Debt - external:
  $0

Economic aid - recipient:
  from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency:
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001),
  2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
  international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated
  telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations,
  established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Tokelau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2002)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background:
  The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
  Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
  1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
  independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
  Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location:
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
  of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 748 sq km
  water: 30 sq km
  land: 718 sq km

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  419 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May),
  cool season (May to December)

Terrain:
  most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
  formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources:
  fish, fertile soil

Land use:
  arable land: 23.61%
  permanent crops: 43.06%
  other: 33.33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on
  Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for
  agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish
  and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens
  native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population:
  108,141 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.88 years
  male: 66.43 years
  female: 71.44 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tongan(s)
  adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions:
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:
  Tongan, English

Literacy:
  definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
  conventional short form: Tonga
  former: Friendly Islands

Government type:
  hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions:
  3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence:
  4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution:
  4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system:
  based on English law

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
  note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
  the Cabinet, and two governors
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
  cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
  head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
  (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU
  (since NA January 2001)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
  reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
  selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
  vote; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats -
  pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
  justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA,
  president]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is
  accredited to Tonga

Flag description:
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview:
  Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in
  agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are
  the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total
  exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food,
  mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of
  hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains
  dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities
  overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing
  the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement
  of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and
  education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and
  well-developed social services.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  33,908 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13.3% (1996 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $39.9 million
  expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
  million (FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.6% (FY 98/99)

Electricity - production:
  27.27 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  25.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Exports:
  $8.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners:
  Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $70 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%, China
  6.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $57.5 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency:
  pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code:
  TOP

Exchange rates:
  pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6
  (1999), 1.49 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  302 (1996)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
  (1996)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2001)

Televisions:
  2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .to

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,000 (2000)

Transportation Tonga

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Merchant marine:
  total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1,
  liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1,
  vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1,
  Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall
  Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao
  Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1,
  Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Tonga

Military branches:
  Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command
  components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines,
  Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a
  training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background:
  The islands came under British control in the 19th century;
  independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most
  prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural
  gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is
  targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 5,128 sq km
  land: 5,128 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  362 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin
  contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain:
  mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and
  raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's
  largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population:
  1,104,209 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.2% (male 125,470; female 119,270)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 402,137; female 370,600)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 38,928; female 47,804) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.9 years
  male: 29.5 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.68% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -10.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.59 years
  male: 67.07 years
  female: 72.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
  adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups:
  black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from
  northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other
  1.2%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%,
  Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Languages:
  English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
  conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions:
  8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni,
  Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
  George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Independence:
  31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution:
  1 August 1976

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
  elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
  of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
  five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
  leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
  election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
  of electoral college vote - 43%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members
  appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the
  House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
  to be held by October 2007)
  note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members
  serving four-year terms
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
  55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice
  and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the
  president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the
  advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of
  Justice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy
  Council in London

Political parties and leaders:
  National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES];
  People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's National
  Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN [Ramesh
  MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE (as of February
  2003)
  chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description:
  red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist
  side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview:
  Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent
  investment site for international businesses. A leading performer
  the past four years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism
  is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in
  many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low
  inflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solid
  growth in the oil sector, offset in part by domestic political
  uncertainty.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $11.07 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 43.2% services: 55.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  21% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  564,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.54 billion
  expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3
  million (1998)

Industries:
  petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage,
  cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  5.315 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  4.943 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  125,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  716 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  15.19 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  11.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  3.65 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  610.6 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Exports:
  $4.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,
  fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
  US 56.9%, Jamaica 7.3%, France 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
  $3.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live
  animals

Imports - partners:
  US 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.5%, UK 5%, Japan 4.5%, Brazil 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $24 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
  Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code:
  TTD

Exchange rates:
  Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.24 (2002), 6.23
  (2001), 6.3 (2000), 6.3 (1999), 6.3 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use:
  252,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,411 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent international service; good local
  service
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1997)

Televisions:
  425,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2002)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Railways:
  minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common
  carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001)

Highways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain,
  Scarborough, Tembladora

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,032 GRT/5,106 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches:
  Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground Force, Coast
  Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 327,823 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 233,488 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $90 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (1999)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tromelin Island

Introduction Tromelin Island

Background:
  First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the
  jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea
  turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological
  station.

Geography Tromelin Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3.7 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones;
  wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

People Tromelin Island

Population: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Government Tromelin Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tromelin Island
  local short form: Ile Tromelin
  local long form: none

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
  Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Tromelin Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Tromelin Island

Communications - note: important meteorological station

Transportation Tromelin Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Tromelin Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Tromelin Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Mauritius

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background:
  Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
  BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
  country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
  establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
  recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
  its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
  pressure for a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria
  and Libya

Geographic coordinates:
  34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 163,610 sq km
  water: 8,250 sq km
  land: 155,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers;
  desert in south

Terrain:
  mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges
  into the Sahara

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
  highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:
  arable land: 18.67%
  permanent crops: 12.87%
  other: 68.46% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health
  risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water
  resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are
  discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
  between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population:
  9,924,742 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27% (male 1,388,839; female 1,297,313)
  15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,306,782; female 3,299,883)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 309,103; female 322,822) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.2 years
  male: 25.7 years
  female: 26.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.09% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 29.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.4 years
  male: 72.77 years
  female: 76.15 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.04% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tunisian(s)
  adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:
  Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French
  (commerce)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.2%
  male: 84%
  female: 64.4% (2003 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
  conventional short form: Tunisia
  local short form: Tunis
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Tunis

Administrative divisions:
  24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin
  'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba
  (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili
  (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),
  Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax
  (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse
  (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan
  (Zaghwan)

Independence:
  20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution:
  1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November
  1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
  November 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
  third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN
  ALI nearly 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party
  - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms
  enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the
  number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now

Judicial branch:
  Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; Constitutional Democratic Rally
  Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President
  Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social
  Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Democratic Socialists or MDS
  [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj AMOR];
  Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
  outlawed

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), ECA, FAO,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH,
  MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH
  FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
  chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING
  embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
  Goulette, Tunisia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [216] 71 782-566
  FAX: [216] 71 789-719

Flag description:
  red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly
  encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview:
  Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining,
  energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of
  economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the
  past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax
  structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 5.4%
  in 1997-2001 but slowed to 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural
  drought, slow investment, and lackluster tourism. Increased rainfall
  portends higher growth levels for 2003, but continued regional
  tension from the war in Iraq will most likely continue to suppress
  tourism earnings. Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove barriers to
  trade with the European Union over the next decade. Broader
  privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to
  increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency,
  and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges for the
  future.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $67.13 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 32% services: 56% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: 6% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 2.69 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15.4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
  billion (2002 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism,
  textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  10.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  9.748 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  417 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  77.16 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Exports:
  $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural
  products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners:
  France 31.3%, Italy 21.6%, Germany 11.5%, Spain 4.8%, Libya 4.7%,
  Belgium 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
  France 25.6%, Italy 19.5%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $13.6 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $222.7 million (2000)

Currency:
  Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code:
  TND

Exchange rates:
  Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.42 (2002), 1.44 (2001), 1.37
  (2000), 1.19 (1999), 1.14 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  654,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  50,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be
  upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet
  access available
  domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
  cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave
  radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two
  international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  920,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Tunisia

Railways:
  total: 2,152 km
  standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
  dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2002)
  narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

Highways:
  total: 18,997 km
  paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,687 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Merchant marine:
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 139,990 GRT/148,394 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1,
  petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  (2002 est.)

Airports:
  30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Military Tunisia

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,866,984 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,629,241 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 106,513 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Turkey

Introduction Turkey

Background:
  Present-day Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish remnants of
  the Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter, the country instituted secular
  laws to replace traditional religious fiats. In 1945 Turkey joined
  the UN, and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. Turkey intervened
  militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to protect Turkish Cypriots and prevent
  a Greek takeover of the island; the northern 37 percent of the
  island remains under Turkish Cypriot control. Relations between the
  two countries remain strained, but have begun to improve over the
  past few years. In 1984, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a
  Marxist-Leninist, separatist group, initiated an insurgency in
  southeast Turkey, often using terrorist tactics to try to attain its
  goal of an independent Kurdistan. The group - whose leader, Abdullah
  OCALAN, was captured in Kenya in February 1999 - has observed a
  unilateral cease-fire since September 1999, although there have been
  occasional clashes between Turkish military units and some of the
  4,000-5,000 armed PKK militants, most of whom currently are encamped
  in northern Iraq. The PKK changed its name to the Kurdistan Freedom
  and Democracy Congress (KADEK) in April 2002.

Geography Turkey

Location:
  southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey
  west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering
  the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the
  Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 780,580 sq km
  water: 9,820 sq km
  land: 770,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,648 km
  border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
  Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline:
  7,200 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime
  boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
  territorial sea: 6 NM in the Aegean Sea; 12 NM in Black Sea and in
  Mediterranean Sea

Climate:
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in
  interior

Terrain:
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several
  mountain ranges

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources:
  antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur, iron
  ore, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 34.53% permanent crops: 3.36% other: 62.11% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an
  arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea
  of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
  Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
  eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population:
  68,109,469 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 9,422,242; female 9,082,840)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 22,978,251; female 22,243,477)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 2,013,926; female 2,368,733) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 26.8 years male: 26.7 years female: 27 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.16% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 44.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 47.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 69.41 years
  female: 74.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.03 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001
  est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups:
  Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Religions:
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages:
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 94.3%
  female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Government Turkey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye

Government type:
  republican parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Ankara

Administrative divisions:
  81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri,
  Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir,
  Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur,
  Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce,
  Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun,
  Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir,
  Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis,
  Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya,
  Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye,
  Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas,
  Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat,
  Zonguldak

Independence:
  29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution:
  7 November 1982

Legal system:
  derived from various European continental legal systems; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president
  note: a National Security Council serves as an advisory body to the
  government composed of top military and cabinet officials and
  presided over by the president
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
  2003); note - Abdullah GUL resigned 11 March 2003; Recep Tayyip
  ERDOGAN was given a mandate to form a new government
  election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
  ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
  note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
  Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
  ballot

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
  Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
  - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
  on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
  a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister on
  13 March 2003
  election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
  DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
  - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
  10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court
  of Appeals and Council of State (judges are elected by the Supreme
  Council of Judges and Prosecutors)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Left Party or DSP [Bulent ECEVIT]; Justice and
  Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayip ERDOGAN]; Motherland Party or
  ANAP [Ahmet Mesut YILMAZ]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet
  BAHCELI]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; True Path
  Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP [Tansu
  CILLER]; Young Party or GP [Cem UZAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
  Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
  CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
  or MUSIAD [Erol YARAR]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
  USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
  TUSIAD [Muharrem KAYHAN]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions
  or TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
  [Bayram MERAL]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
  TESK [Dervis GUNDAY; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
  Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, ECO, ESCAP, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description:
  red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward
  the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside
  the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview:
  Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and
  commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2001
  still accounted for 40% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly
  growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in
  basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The most
  important industry - and largest exporter - is textiles and
  clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. In recent years
  the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth
  and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many
  years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp
  declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Meanwhile, the public
  sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due in
  large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which account
  for more than 50% of central government spending. Inflation, in
  recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to 26% in 2003.
  Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct investment in
  Turkey remains low - less than $1 billion annually. In late 2000 and
  early 2001 a growing trade deficit and serious weaknesses in the
  banking sector plunged the economy into crisis - forcing Turkey to
  float the lira and pushing the country into recession. Results in
  2002-03 were much better, because of strong financial support from
  the IMF and tighter fiscal policy. Continued slow global growth and
  serious political tensions in the Middle East could result in
  negative growth in 2004.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $489.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 12.9%
  industry: 30.4%
  services: 56.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 32.3% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  45.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  23.8 million
  note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2001 3rd quarter)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 39.7%, services 37.9%, industry 22.4% (3rd quarter,
  2001)

Unemployment rate:
  10.8% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $42.4 billion
  expenditures: $69.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper,
  boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  116.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  112.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  433 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  4.579 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  288.4 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  8.685 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock

Exports: $35.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports - partners:
  Germany 16.6%, US 9.2%, UK 8.5%, Italy 6.4%, France 6% (2002)

Imports:
  $50.8 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
  equipment

Imports - partners:
  Germany 13.7%, Italy 8.1%, Russia 7.6%, US 6%, France 5.9%, UK
  4.8%, Switzerland 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $118.3 billion (Yearend 2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $300 million (2000)

Currency:
  Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code:
  TRL

Exchange rates:
  NA (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999),
  260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19.5 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17.1 million (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,
  especially with cellular telephones
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
  increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
  technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
  fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
  communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
  domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
  cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
  international: international service is provided by three submarine
  fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking
  Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia;
  also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite
  terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2001)

Internet users:
  2.5 million (2002)

Transportation Turkey

Railways: total: 8,607 km standard gauge: 8,607 km 1.435-m gauge (2,131 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 385,960 km
  paved: 131,226 km (including 1,749 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 254,734 km (1999)

Waterways:
  1,200 km (approximately)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Icel
  (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Merchant marine:
  total: 525 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,306,506 GRT/8,424,837 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 229, chemical tanker 44, combination
  bulk 3, combination ore/oil 3, container 34, liquefied gas 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
  on/roll off 26, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1,
  Thailand 1, UK 11 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  120 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 86 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 8

Heliports: 8 (2002)

Military Turkey

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air
  Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age:
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 19,534,455 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 11,801,267 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 679,882 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $8.1 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international:
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the
  Aegean Sea; Cyprus question remains with Greece; Syria and Iraq
  protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates
  waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to
  Hatay province; border with Armenia remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh

Illicit drugs:
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and
  - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;
  major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
  organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
  imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
  as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
  areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
  concentrate

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Turkmenistan

Introduction Turkmenistan

Background:
  Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a
  Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon the
  dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute
  control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive
  hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this
  underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can be
  worked out.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location:
  Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 488,100 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 488,100 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,736 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
  km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
  0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical desert

Terrain:
  flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the
  south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in
  west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a
  lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates
  above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has
  dropped as low as -110 m)
  highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 3.47% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.39% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,
  pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation
  methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the
  flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's
  inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of
  the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which
  occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population:
  4,775,544 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.8% (male 899,954; female 855,293)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,386,606; female 1,438,333)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 74,958; female 120,400) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.1 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 22 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.82% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  28.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 73.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.19 years
  male: 57.72 years
  female: 64.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Turkmen(s)
  adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups:
  Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)

Religions:
  Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages:
  Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turkmenistan
  local long form: none
  former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
  local short form: Turkmenistan

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Ashgabat

Administrative divisions:
  5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty
  (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap
  Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
  Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct
  presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
  Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
  direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA); note -
  President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
  the Assembly on 28 December 1999); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of
  ministers are appointed by the president
  election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
  opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
  note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
  December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the
  People's Council (Halk Maslahaty)

Legislative branch:
  under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a
  unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (more than 100 seats,
  some of which are elected by popular vote and some of which are
  appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Assembly or
  Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by
  President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT
  elections: People's Council - NA; Assembly - last held 12 December
  1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]
  note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
  opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
  two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
  Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
  SHIKHUMRADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
  November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
  led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
  chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
  embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
  FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Flag description:
  green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,
  containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked
  above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on
  the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in
  the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview:
  Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture
  in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its
  irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's
  tenth-largest producer. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in
  power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken
  a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton
  sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain
  limited. In 1998-2003, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack
  of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on
  extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total
  exports rose by 38% in 2003, largely because of higher international
  oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are
  discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of
  foreign debt, and the unwillingness of the government to adopt
  market-oriented reforms. However, Turkmenistan's cooperation with
  the international community in transporting humanitarian aid to
  Afghanistan may foreshadow a change in the atmosphere for foreign
  investment, aid, and technological support. Turkmenistan's economic
  statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject
  to wide margins of error. In any event, GDP increased substantially
  in 2003 because of a strong recovery in agriculture and rapid
  industrial growth.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $31.34 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  21.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 50% services: 23% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 34.4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.34 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $588.6 million
  expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  10.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  8.509 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  980 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  20 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  273 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  48.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  38.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.43 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, grain; livestock

Exports:
  $2.97 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Ukraine 49.7%, Italy 18%, Iran 13.1%, Turkey 6.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.25 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 19.8%, Turkey 12.8%, Ukraine 11.7%, UAE 10%, US 7.5%, China
  6%, Germany 5.7%, Iran 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $16 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
  Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code:
  TMM

Exchange rates:
  Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2002), 5,200 (2001), 5,200
  (2000), 5,200 (1999), 4,890.17 (1998); note - the official exchange
  rate has not varied for the last four years; the unofficial rate has
  fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the dollar

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,300 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed
  domestic: NA
  international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other
  CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the
  Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from
  Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat
  switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions:
  820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan, as
  is the man-made Kara Kum canal

Pipelines:
  gas 6,634 km; oil 853 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Turkmenbasy

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
  ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  76 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 41 (2002)

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches:
  Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border
  Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 1,239,737 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 53,825 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for
  Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan has not committed to follow
  either Iran or the other littoral states in the division of the
  Caspian Sea seabed and water column; ICJ decision expected to
  resolve dispute with Azerbaijan over sovereignty over Caspian
  oilfields; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan is underway
  - maritime boundary not resolved

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
  lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
  of opium poppy for domestic consumption; small-scale government-run
  eradication of illicit crops; transit point for heroin precursor
  chemicals bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:
  The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when
  they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's
  independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965
  to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate
  governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,
  the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British
  overseas territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
  of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
  21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 430 sq km

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  389 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain:
  low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population:
  19,350 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74 years
  male: 71.82 years
  female: 76.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, mixed, European, or north American 10%

Religions:
  Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other
  14% (1990)

Languages:
  English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  female: 98% (1970 est.)
  male: 99%
  total population: 98%

People - note:
  destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound
  for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:
  introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised
  5 March 1988

Legal system:
  based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica
  and The Bahamas

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),
  represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor
  head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January
  1995)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
  five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
  Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly
  elected; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
  seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
  2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
  has 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive
  National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party
  or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
  shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview:
  The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and
  offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for
  domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of
  tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in
  1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore
  financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in
  2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (1995)

Labor force:
  4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate:
  10% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997-98 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  4.65 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Exports:
  $169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners:
  US, UK

Imports:
  $175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction
  materials

Imports - partners:
  US, UK

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.1 million (1997)

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
  domestic: NA
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is
  established) (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  8 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Tuvalu

Introduction Tuvalu

Background:
  In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
  Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
  Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
  Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
  British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
  Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
  for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Geography Tuvalu

Location:
  Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South
  Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 26 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 26 sq km

Area - comparative:
  0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  24 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);
  westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain:
  very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were
  three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to
  changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
  since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
  potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
  storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
  desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
  because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
  clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
  reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
  very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
  and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
  underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
  Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
  should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the
  coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and
  Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
  have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People Tuvalu

Population:
  11,305 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.9% (male 1,838; female 1,772)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 3,432; female 3,687)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 231; female 345) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.2 years
  male: 22.9 years
  female: 25.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.58 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 24.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.32 years
  male: 65.15 years
  female: 69.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.05 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tuvaluan(s)
  adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions:
  Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages:
  Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Literacy: definition: NA% total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Tuvalu

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tuvalu
  note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
  eight traditionally inhabited islands
  former: Ellice Islands

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
  debating republic status in 1992

Capital:
  Funafuti

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:
  1 October 1978

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Faimalaga LUKA (since 9 September
  2003)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
  minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
  of Parliament; election last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA)
  election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA elected prime minister;
  Parliamentary vote - Saufatu SOPOANGA 8, Amasone KILEI 7
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Saufatu SOPOANGA (since 2 August
  2002)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly
  (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
  High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its
  sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in
  Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description:
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
  with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy Tuvalu

Economy - overview:
  Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine
  coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
  resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
  primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
  visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
  sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
  Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
  begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
  decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
  international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
  the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
  investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from
  an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
  government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, because of
  payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
  dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
  reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
  personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
  from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
  lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
  technology sources could increase substantially over the next
  decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
  imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
  telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
  official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $12.2 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  7,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs,
  and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers
  in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $22.5 million
  expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
  million (2000 est.)

Industries:
  fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts; fish

Exports:
  $276,000 f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, fish

Exports - partners:
  UK 58.3%, Italy 16.7%, Denmark 8.3%, Fiji 8.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $7.2 million c.i.f. (1998)

Imports - commodities:
  food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Hungary 68.2%, Japan 12.9%, Fiji 11.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $13 million ; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US
  (1999 est.)

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406
  (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
  communications
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
  4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  800

Internet country code:
  .tv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Tuvalu

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 8 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,199 GRT/56,187 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 5 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Military Tuvalu

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Police Force (includes Maritime
  Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance
  operations)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Tuvalu

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Uganda

Introduction Uganda

Background:
  Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial
  regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some
  300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under
  Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives.
  During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential
  and legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location:
  Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 236,040 sq km
  water: 36,330 sq km
  land: 199,710 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,698 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
  km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
  February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:
  mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25.34% permanent crops: 8.77% other: 65.89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population:
  25,632,794
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 50.8% (male 6,528,724; female 6,486,736)
  15-64 years: 46.8% (male 5,985,911; female 6,024,798)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 266,930; female 339,695) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 14.7 years
  female: 14.8 years (2002)
  male: 14.6 years

Population growth rate:
  2.96% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  46.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  16.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to
  178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including:
  Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo
  7,459 (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 87.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 95.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 44.88 years
  male: 43.42 years
  female: 46.38 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  600,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  84,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ugandan(s)
  adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:
  Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,
  Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,
  Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi
  2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs
  18%

Languages:
  English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used
  in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),
  Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,
  preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be
  taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan
  languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 79.5%
  female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uganda

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
  conventional short form: Uganda

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Kampala

Administrative divisions:
  56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,
  Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,
  Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,
  Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,
  Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,
  Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,
  Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,
  Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Independence:
  9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution:
  8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent
  Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been
  proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon
  the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system:
  in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on
  English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
  (since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
  and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
  the supervision of the cabinet
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
  legislators
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
  first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
  held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
  BESIGYE 27.8%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by
  popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest
  groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex
  officio members; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved
  by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the
  president)

Political parties and leaders:
  only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
  NRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
  note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
  party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
  Ugandans
  note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
  while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
  parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
  the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
  OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
  Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
  MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA
  chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Flag description:
  six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,
  yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and
  depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist
  side

Economy Uganda

Economy - overview:
  Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,
  regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.
  Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing
  over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export
  revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign
  countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and
  stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising
  producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum
  products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are
  especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and
  export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid
  performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of
  infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,
  reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the
  return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Ongoing Ugandan
  involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
  corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's
  determination to press reforms raise doubts about the continuation
  of strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and
  Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined
  with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.
  Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the price
  of coffee, Uganda's principal export. Prospects for 2003 are mixed,
  with probable strengthening of coffee prices yet with halting growth
  in the economies of major export customers.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $30.49 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43% industry: 19% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  12 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $959 million
  expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY98/99 est.)

Industries:
  sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.928 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  1.62 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  174 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  1 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Exports: $476 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
  horticultural products

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 16.2%, Netherlands 13.7%, Germany 7.5%, Spain 5.5%, Hong
  Kong 4.9%, US 4.6%, UK 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Portugal 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.14 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners:
  Kenya 45.3%, South Africa 6.8%, India 5.7%, UK 5.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Currency:
  Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code:
  UGX

Exchange rates:
  Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,797.55 (2002), 1,755.66 (2001),
  1,644.48 (2000), 1,454.83 (1999), 1,240.31 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  50,074; however, 80,868 main lines have been installed (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have
  been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is
  essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
  domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
  systems for short-range traffic
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions:
  500,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ug

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2002)

Transportation Uganda

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,809 km unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward,
  Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Ports and harbors:
  Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT
  ships by type: roll on/roll off 3
  note: these ships are in cargo and passenger (ferry) service on
  Uganda's inland waterways (2002 est.)

Airports:
  27 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Military Uganda

Military branches:
  Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (including Army, Marine unit, Air
  Wing)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,476,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,974,259 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $124.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Uganda

Disputes - international:
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, associated political rebels,
  armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in the
  Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control
  over populated areas and natural resources; government heads pledge
  to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite UN
  peacekeeping efforts; conflict in Sudan has extended rebel forces
  and refugees into Uganda

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Ukraine

Introduction Ukraine

Background:
  Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan Rus, which
  during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful
  state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol
  invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of
  Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
  for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
  Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
  mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
  continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
  autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
  18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
  the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
  1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
  independence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
  brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
  and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
  and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
  deaths. Although independence was achieved in 1991 with the
  dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive, as many of
  the former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts at
  economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

Geography Ukraine

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
  Asia, Europe

Area:
  total: 603,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 603,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,663 km
  border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
  Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
  1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

Coastline:
  2,782 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean
  coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west
  and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool
  along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across
  the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain:
  most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus,
  mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the
  Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
  graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 57.1%
  permanent crops: 1.73%
  other: 41.17% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution;
  deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986
  accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

Geography - note:
  strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia;
  second-largest country in Europe

People Ukraine

Population:
  48,055,439 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.3% (male 4,004,948; female 3,832,931)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,779,735; female 17,225,103)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 2,419,612; female 4,793,110) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38 years
  male: 34.8 years
  female: 40.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  -0.69% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.5 years
  male: 61.1 years
  female: 72.17 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ukrainian(s)
  adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups:
  Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,
  Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,
  Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001)

Religions:
  Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev
  Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic
  (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

Languages:
  Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Ukraine

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ukraine
  local long form: none
  former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
  Soviet Socialist Republic
  local short form: Ukrayina

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions:
  24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya
  respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with
  oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv),
  Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k),
  Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k),
  Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka
  (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka
  (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka
  (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna
  Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**,
  Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya),
  Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka
  (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr); note - when using a place
  name with an adjectival ending "s'ka" or "z'ka," the word Oblast'
  should be added to the place name
  note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Independence:
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January (1918),
  the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
  Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 21
  November 2002); First Deputy Prime Minister Mykola AZAROV (since 26
  November 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
  approved by the Supreme Council
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held
  NA October 2004); prime minister and deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council
  election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of
  vote - Leonid KUCHMA 57.7%, Petro SYMONENKO 38.8%
  note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
  originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
  significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the
  NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on
  domestic and international matters and advising the president; a
  Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and
  provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions
  that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in
  September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kiev (Kyyiv) and
  Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under
  Ukraine's new election law, 225 of the Supreme Council's seats are
  allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 4% or
  more of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members are
  elected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all serve
  four-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Our Ukraine 24%, CPU
  20%, United Ukraine 12%, United Social Democratic Party 6%, SPU 7%,
  Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%, other 24%; seats by party - Our Ukraine
  102, CPU 60, Regions of Ukraine 42, Working Ukraine-Industrialists
  and Entrepreneurs 41, United Social Democratic Party 39, Democratic
  Initiatives 22, SPU 20, People's Power 19, European Choice 18,
  Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 18, Agrarian Party 17, People's Democratic
  Party 16, People's Choice 15, others 21
  note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
  Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
  Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
  Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
  elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party [Kateryna VASHCHUK]; Communist Party of Ukraine or
  CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan HAVRYSH];
  European Choice [Volodymyr STASYUK]; Our Ukraine [Viktor
  YUSHCHENKO]; People's Choice [Mykola HAPOCHKA]; People's Democratic
  Party or PDP [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO, chairman]; People's Power
  [Bohdan HUBSKYY]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Socialist
  Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United Social
  Democratic Party [Leonid KRAVCHUK]; Working Ukraine-Industrialists
  and Entrepreneurs [Ihor SHAROV]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya
  TYMOSHENKO]
  note: and numerous smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sergiy
  KORSUNSKYI
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
  chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos E. PASCUAL embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynskyi Street, Kiev 01901 mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
  represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy Ukraine

Economy - overview:
  After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most
  important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing
  about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its
  fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
  agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
  of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
  its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
  example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
  mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
  former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially
  natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.
  Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian
  Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for
  privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the
  government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led
  to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of
  the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to
  hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on
  Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural
  reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external
  shocks. Now in his second term, President KUCHMA has pledged to
  reduce the number of government agencies, streamline the regulatory
  process, create a legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and
  enact a comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically
  sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are
  still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have
  encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in
  2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth
  since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The
  economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and
  industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.1% in 2002 was more
  moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed
  world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic
  demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence.
  Growth was a sturdy 6% in 2003 despite a loss of mementum in needed
  economic reforms.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $218 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 42% services: 35% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 29% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -1.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  22.8 million (yearend 1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
  industry 32%, agriculture 24%, services 44% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  3.8% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
  underemployed workers (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $10.2 billion
  expenditures: $11.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and
  transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  164.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.6% hydro: 7.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 43.5%

Electricity - consumption:
  152.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  800 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  197.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  18.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  74.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  55.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  560.7 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Exports:
  $18.1 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners:
  Russia 18.6%, Italy 7.4%, Turkey 5.6%, Germany 4.1%, China 4.1%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $18 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Russia 32.3%, Germany 11.7%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, Poland 6%, Italy 4%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $14.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998)

Currency:
  hryvnia (UAH)

Currency code:
  UAH

Exchange rates:
  hryvnia per US dollar - 5.33 (2002), 5.37 (2001), 5.44 (2000), 4.13
  (1999), 2.45 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9.45 million (April 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  236,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan,
  running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines,
  international connections, and the mobile cellular system
  domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
  telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
  more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
  satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
  trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
  is expanding at a high rate
  international: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the
  fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links
  have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL)
  project which connects 18 countries; additional international
  service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR)
  fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat,
  Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  45.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)

Televisions:
  18.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ua

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  260 (2001)

Internet users:
  750,000 (2001)

Transportation Ukraine

Railways: total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 169,491 km paved: 163,898 km unpaved: 5,593 km (2000)

Waterways: 4,499 km note: 1,672 km are on the Pryp'yat' and Dniester (Dnister) (1990)

Pipelines:
  gas 20,069 km; oil 4,435 km; refined products 4,098 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev
  (Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni, Sevastopol',
  Yalta, Yuzhnyy

Merchant marine:
  total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 633,932 GRT/640,743 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 89, container 5, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger 14, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 10, railcar
  carrier 2, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Panama 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  790 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 182
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 81 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 608
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 466 (2002)

Military Ukraine

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Air Defense Forces,
  Interior Troops, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 12,236,811 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 9,597,172 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 389,499 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $617.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Ukraine

Disputes - international:
  1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and encouraging
  illegal cross-border activities; land delimitation of boundary with
  Russia is complete, but maritime regime of the Sea of Azov and Kerch
  Strait remains unresolved; difficulties in the Transnistria region
  of Moldova complicate border crossing and customs, facilitating
  smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities; has not
  resolved Romanian claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake)
  Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based
  on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS
  consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West;
  limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point
  for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and
  Turkey to Europe and Russia; drug-related money laundering a minor,
  but growing, problem; lax anti-money-laundering regime

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@United Arab Emirates

Introduction United Arab Emirates

Background:
  The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control
  of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In
  1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash
  Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United
  Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah.
  The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West
  European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate
  foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in
  the affairs of the region.

Geography United Arab Emirates

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,
  between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 82,880 sq km
  land: 82,880 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline:
  1,318 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:
  flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast
  desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.49% other: 99.03% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  720 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a
  vital transit point for world crude oil

People United Arab Emirates

Population:
  2,484,818
  note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
  1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
  there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 338,245; female 324,866)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,087,927; female 661,349)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 52,059; female 20,372) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 21.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.57% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.56 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.47 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.75 years
  male: 72.28 years
  female: 77.35 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.18% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Emirati(s)
  adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups:
  Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other
  expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
  note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions:
  Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77.9%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
  abbreviation: UAE
  former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
  local short form: none

Government type:
  federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal
  government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:
  Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions:
  7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),
  'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al
  Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence:
  2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:
  2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system:
  federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy
  (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the
  federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil,
  criminal, and high courts

Suffrage:
  none

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2
  December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966)
  and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October
  1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
  note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
  seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
  authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
  federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
  head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
  (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
  Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group
  of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2
  December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;
  percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin
  Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%,
  but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani
  (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states
  to serve two-year terms)
  elections: none
  note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:
  Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,
  OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
  FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
  chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with
  a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview:
  The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a
  sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas
  output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate
  with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has
  undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of
  small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard
  of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves
  should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased
  spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening
  up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $53.97 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 46%
  services: 51% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.6 million (2000 est.)
  note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (July 2002 est.) (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $20 billion
  expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some
  boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  37.74 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  35.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  80.31 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  5.892 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Exports:
  $44.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners:
  Japan 27.8%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 3.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
  US 8.1%, China 7.8%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.5%, India 5.7%, France
  5.6%, UK 5.4%, South Korea 5.1%, Iran 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $18.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  $NA

Currency:
  Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code:
  AED

Exchange rates:
  Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2002), 3.67 (2001), 3.67
  (2000), 3.67 (1999), 3.67 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use:
  915,223 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1 million (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
  domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,
  Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (1997)

Televisions:
  310,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ae

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  900,000 (2002)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 1,088 km
  paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  condensate 383 km; gas 1,765 km; liquid petroleum gas 186 km; oil
  1,266 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali,
  Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

Merchant marine:
  total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 815,428 GRT/1,207,346 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, container 7, liquefied
  gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6,
  short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  41 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 19
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Heliports:
  2 (2002)

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air
  Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 26,636 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international:
  because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
  of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeled
  approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman in
  2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al
  Madhah enclaves; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League support to
  resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb
  islands and Abu Musa island

Illicit drugs:
  the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its
  proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's
  position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money
  laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by
  the president on 25 January 2002

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@United Kingdom

Introduction United Kingdom

Background:
  Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the
  19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary
  democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith,
  the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface.
  The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously
  depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the
  dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern
  and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of
  the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the
  Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it
  currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental
  Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the European
  Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a
  significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National
  Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were
  established in 1999.

Geography United Kingdom

Location:
  Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the
  island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
  Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 244,820 sq km
  water: 3,230 sq km
  note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
  land: 241,590 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline:
  12,429 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
  accordance with agreed upon boundaries
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North
  Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain:
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in
  east and southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: The Fens -4 m
  highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources:
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay,
  chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land

Land use: arable land: 26.41% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 73.41% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:
  continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto
  Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to
  meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of
  a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to
  reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in
  landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at
  least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between
  1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to
  10.3%

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France
  and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of
  heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from
  tidal waters

People United Kingdom

Population:
  60,094,648 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,621,590; female 5,350,319)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 20,067,529; female 19,626,123)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 3,987,457; female 5,441,630) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.4 years male: 37.3 years female: 39.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.16 years
  male: 75.74 years
  female: 80.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  34,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  460 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British

Ethnic groups:
  English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%,
  West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions:
  Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million,
  Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu
  500,000, Jewish 350,000

Languages:
  English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish
  form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
  schooling
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government United Kingdom

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and
  Northern Ireland
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  London

Administrative divisions:
  England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*, 29 London boroughs**, 12
  cities and boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12 cities*****, 3 royal
  boroughs******; Barking and Dagenham**, Barnet**, Barnsley, Bath and
  North East Somerset****, Bedfordshire*, Bexley**, Birmingham***,
  Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bracknell
  Forest, Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and Hove, City of
  Bristol*****, Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury, Calderdale,
  Cambridgeshire*, Camden**, Cheshire*, Cornwall*, Coventry***,
  Croydon**, Cumbria*, Darlington, Derby*****, Derbyshire*, Devon*,
  Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley, Durham*, Ealing**, East Riding of
  Yorkshire****, East Sussex*, Enfield**, Essex*, Gateshead,
  Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**, Hackney**, Halton, Hammersmith and
  Fulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**, Harrow**, Hartlepool, Havering**,
  Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*, Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle of
  Wight*, Islington**, Kensington and Chelsea******, Kent*, City of
  Kingston upon Hull*****, Kingston upon Thames******, Kirklees,
  Knowsley, Lambeth**, Lancashire*, Leeds***, Leicester*****,
  Leicestershire*, Lewisham**, Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City of
  London*****, Luton, Manchester***, Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough,
  Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne***, Newham**, Norfolk*,
  Northamptonshire*, North East Lincolnshire****, North
  Lincolnshire****, North Somerset****, North Tyneside,
  Northumberland*, North Yorkshire*, Nottingham*****,
  Nottinghamshire*, Oldham, Oxfordshire*, Peterborough*****,
  Plymouth*****, Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading, Redbridge**, Redcar
  and Cleveland, Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale, Rotherham,
  Rutland****, Salford***, Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton,
  Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull, Somerset*, Southampton*****,
  Southend-on-Sea, South Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside,
  Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St. Helens, Stockport,
  Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*, Sunderland***,
  Surrey*, Sutton**, Swindon, Tameside, Telford and Wrekin****,
  Thurrock, Torbay, Tower Hamlets**, Trafford, Wakefield***, Walsall,
  Waltham Forest**, Wandsworth**, Warrington, Warwickshire*, West
  Berkshire****, Westminster***, West Sussex*, Wigan, Wiltshire*,
  Windsor and Maidenhead******, Wirral, Wokingham****, Wolverhampton,
  Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2
  cities*, 6 counties**; Antrim, County Antrim**, Ards, Armagh, County
  Armagh**, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast*, Carrickfergus,
  Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, County Down**,
  Dungannon, Fermanagh, County Fermanagh**, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn,
  County Londonderry**, Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,
  Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane, County Tyrone**; Scotland
  - 32 council areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and
  Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway,
  Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East
  Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City,
  Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North
  Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire,
  Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West
  Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West Lothian; Wales -
  11 county boroughs, 9 counties*, 2 cities and counties**; Isle of
  Anglesey*, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff**,
  Ceredigion*, Carmarthenshire*, Conwy, Denbighshire*, Flintshire*,
  Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*, Neath Port Talbot, Newport,
  Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea**, Torfaen, The
  Vale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham

Dependent areas:
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin
  Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
  Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena,
  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos
  Islands

Independence:
  England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the
  union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of
  Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in
  another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to
  permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great
  Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of
  the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
  Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six
  northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as
  Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United
  Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday:
  Official Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, celebrated on the second
  Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental
  influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the
  Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir
  Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of
  approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and
  House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)
  elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
  provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
  of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
  there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
  in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 7
  June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats
  18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and
  Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 15
  February 2002: Labor 410, Conservative 164, Liberal Democrats 53,
  other 32
  note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament
  (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
  of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
  1999 and has been rescinded three times the latest occurring in
  October 2002; since October 2002 the Northern Ireland Parliament has
  been suspended); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
  Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

Judicial branch:
  House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in
  Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of
  England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of
  Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);
  Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders:
  Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD]; Democratic
  Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party
  [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Party
  of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn Jones]; Scottish National Party or
  SNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS];
  Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark
  DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British
  Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA
  (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,
  UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William S. FARISH embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 7629-9124 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description:
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
  England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
  Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on
  the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
  properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union
  Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been
  the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth
  countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as
  British overseas territories

Economy United Kingdom

Economy - overview:
  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the
  quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the
  past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership
  and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is
  intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards,
  producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force.
  The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy
  production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any
  industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and
  business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP
  while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth
  slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the
  pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt
  manufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of the
  strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment
  remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated
  the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join
  the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out,
  however, that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they
  point to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of
  Britons opposed to the single currency. Meantime, the government has
  been speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health
  services, at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003
  between a US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequent
  problems of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavy
  commitment of British military forces.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.528 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24.9% services: 73.7% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 17%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  29.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 25%, services 74% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $565 billion
  expenditures: $540 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 01)

Industries:
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment,
  railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and
  parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
  coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing,
  textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
  -3.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  360.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.8% hydro: 0.9% other: 1.6% (2001) nuclear: 23.7%

Electricity - consumption:
  346.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  264 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  10.66 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  2.541 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.71 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.205 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.741 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  714.9 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Exports:
  $286.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  US 15.5%, Germany 11.2%, France 9.4%, Ireland 8%, Netherlands 7.1%,
  Belgium 5.2%, Italy 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $330.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 12.9%, US 11.9%, France 7.8%, Netherlands 6.3%, Belgium 5%,
  Italy 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

Currency:
  British pound (GBP)

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66
  (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:
  34.878 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  43.5 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and
  international system
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
  fiber-optic systems
  international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large
  international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  more than 400 (2000)

Internet users:
  34.3 million (2002)

Transportation United Kingdom

Railways:
  total: 16,893 km
  standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 357 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 371,913 km
  paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  3,200 km

Pipelines:
  condensate 370 km; gas 21,263 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil
  6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474 km; water 650
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe,
  Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester,
  Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom
  Voe, Teesport, Tyne

Merchant marine:
  total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,752,179 GRT/6,963,112 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 43, chemical tanker 19, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 95, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 1,
  passenger 18, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 50, refrigerated
  cargo 3, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 8, specialized
  tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bermuda 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 21, Germany 6, Greece 3,
  Hong Kong 4, Italy 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Russia 1,
  South Africa 2, Sweden 11, Taiwan 2, US 5 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  470 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 334 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 83 under 914 m: 59 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 151

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 112 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 22

Heliports: 11 (2002)

Military United Kingdom

Military branches:
  Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 14,877,666 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 12,353,942 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $31.7 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.32% (2002)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international:
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
  "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
  UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Mauritius and Seychelles
  claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) and
  its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001
  were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since
  eviction in 1965; Argentina claims the Falkland Islands (Islas
  Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Rockall
  continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and Iceland; territorial
  claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine
  claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; disputes with Iceland,
  Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
  boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs:
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European
  market; major consumer of synthetic drugs, producer of limited
  amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major
  consumer of Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@United States

Introduction United States

Background:
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776
  and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of
  America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and
  20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the
  nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a
  number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences
  in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great
  Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II
  and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
  powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
  unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location:
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 9,629,091 sq km
  land: 9,158,960 sq km
  water: 470,131 sq km
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of
  Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger
  than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a half times
  the size of Western Europe

Land boundaries:
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
  Mexico 3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
  thus remains part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline:
  19,924 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in
  Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River,
  and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter
  temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
  January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
  of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in
  east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged,
  volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold,
  iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,
  natural gas, timber

Land use:
  arable land: 19.32%
  other: 80.46% (1998 est.)
  permanent crops: 0.22%

Irrigated land:
  214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
  hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes
  in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires
  in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major
  impediment to development

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the
  US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning
  of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and
  fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of
  the western part of the country require careful management;
  desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and
  by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point
  in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population:
  290,342,554 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 31,098,473; female 29,675,712)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 96,628,469; female 97,061,559)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 14,888,185; female 20,990,156) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 35.8 years male: 34.5 years female: 37.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.92% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.14 years
  female: 80.05 years (2003 est.)
  male: 74.37 years

Total fertility rate:
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  900,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  15,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Ethnic groups:
  white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native
  1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4%
  (2000)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
  Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
  descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
  origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
  (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:
  Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10%
  (1989)

Languages:
  English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  female: 97% (1979 est.)
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%

People - note:
  data for the US are based on projections that do not take into
  consideration the results of the 2000 census

Government United States

Country name:
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
  Washington, DC

Administrative divisions:
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
  California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
  Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
  Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
  Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
  Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
  Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
  Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
  Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
  Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
  Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
  Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered
  into a new political relationship with all four political units: the
  Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with
  the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of
  Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the
  Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association
  with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the
  Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US
  (effective 21 October 1986)

Independence:
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
  and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
  and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
  state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
  last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
  election results: George W. BUSH elected president; percent of
  popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A.
  GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%,
  other 1%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are
  renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 51, Democratic Party 48, independent 1;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 226, Democratic Party 204, independent 1,
  undecided 4
  elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA
  November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2002
  (next to be held NA November 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life by the
  president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of
  Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE]; Green Party [leader NA];
  Libertarian Party [Steve DASBACH]; Republican Party [Governor Marc
  RACICOT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIKOM,
  UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
  UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Flag description:
  thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
  arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
  bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
  the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
  number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
  Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview:
  The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in
  the world, with a per capita GDP of $37,600. In this market-oriented
  economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the
  decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods
  and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business
  firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts
  in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant,
  lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time,
  they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets
  than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms
  are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially
  in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment,
  although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II.
  The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of
  a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the
  education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top
  and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health
  insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all
  the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of
  households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real
  output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%.
  The year 2001 saw the end of boom psychology and performance, with
  output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures
  rising substantially. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11
  September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy.
  Moderate recovery took place in 2002, with the GDP growth rate
  rising to 2.45%. A major short-term problem in first half 2002 was a
  sharp decline in the stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of
  dubious accounting practices in some major corporations. The war in
  March/April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq shifted
  resources to military industries and introduced uncertainties about
  investment and employment in other sectors of the economy. Long-term
  problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure,
  rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population,
  sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower
  economic groups.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $10.45 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $36,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 18% services: 80% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 12.7% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2002)

Labor force:
  141.8 million (includes unemployed) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: managerial and professional 31%, technical, sales and administrative support 28.9%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 24.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.4% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  5.8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.946 trillion
  expenditures: $2.052 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Industries:
  leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
  technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
  aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
  processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.719 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 5.6% other: 2.3% (2001) nuclear: 20.7%

Electricity - consumption:
  3.602 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  18.17 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  38.48 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  8.054 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  22.45 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  5.195 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports:
  $687 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials,
  consumer goods, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
  Canada 23.2%, Mexico 14.1%, Japan 7.4%, UK 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.165 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles,
  consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages

Imports - partners:
  Canada 17.8%, Mexico 11.3%, China 11.1%, Japan 10.4%, Germany 5.3%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $862 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
  (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), Canadian dollars per US dollar
  - 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835
  (1998), Japanese yen per US dollar - 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001),
  107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), euros per US dollar -
  1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)
  note: financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight
  other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999
  with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries
  for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use:
  194 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  69.209 million (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a very large, technologically advanced,
  multipurpose communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
  relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
  telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
  telephone traffic throughout the country
  international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth
  stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and
  Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Radios:
  575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions:
  219 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .us

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7,000 (2002 est.)

Internet users:
  165.75 million (2002)

Transportation United States

Railways:
  total: 194,731 km mainline routes
  standard gauge: 194,731 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul
  railroads including an estimate for class II and III railroads;
  excludes 135,185 km of yard tracks, sidings, and parallel lines
  (2000)

Highways:
  total: 6,334,859 km
  paved: 3,737,567 km (including 89,426 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,597,292 km (2000)

Waterways: 41,009 km note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes

Pipelines:
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton
  Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans,
  New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe
  Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine:
  total: 348 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,414,676 GRT/12,207,346 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 71, cargo 26, chemical tanker
  13, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 79,
  freighter 15, heavy lift carrier 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 46, short-sea
  passenger 2, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 9
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Canada 4, Denmark 15, France 1, Germany 1,
  Netherlands 3, Norway 7, Puerto Rico 4, Singapore 11, Sweden 1,
  United Kingdom 3; also, the US owns 549 additional ships (1,000 GRT
  or over) totaling 29,616,347 DWT that operate under the registries
  of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda,
  Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Finland, Gibraltar, Hong
  Kong (China), Indonesia, Isle of Man, Italy, Liberia, Malta,
  Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Norway (NIS), Panama, Peru,
  Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Tonga, UK,
  Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna (2002 est.)

Airports:
  14,801 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5,131
  over 3,047 m: 185
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 222
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,390
  under 914 m: 969 (2002)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,365

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9,670
  under 914 m: 7,802 (2002)
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,702
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 158

Heliports:
  149 (2002)

Military United States

Military branches:
  Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast
  Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland
  Security but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  NA

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 2,116,002 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $276.7 billion (FY99 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.2% (FY99 est.)

Military - note:
  note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based on projections
  that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international:
  prolonged drought in the Mexico border region has strained
  water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the
  Bering Sea awaits Russian Duma ratification; maritime boundary
  disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan
  de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock;
  The Bahamas have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US
  Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease;
  Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
  Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
  recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims
  Wake Island

Illicit drugs:
  consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the
  Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly
  methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast
  Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants,
  stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Uruguay

Introduction Uruguay

Background:
  A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched
  in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military
  control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had
  been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold
  throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
  1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
  on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location:
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 176,220 sq km
  land: 173,620 sq km
  water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:
  mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7.21% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 92.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional
  violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts,
  floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather
  barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes
  from weather fronts

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate
  solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of
  the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
  grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population:
  3,413,329 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.3% (male 425,642; female 404,987)
  15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,057,187; female 1,079,549)
  65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,696; female 263,268) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.8 years
  male: 30.2 years
  female: 33.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  0.79% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 15.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.87 years
  male: 72.54 years
  female: 79.38 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:
  white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends
  church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other
  31%

Languages:
  Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
  Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 97.6%
  female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name:
  conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  conventional short form: Uruguay
  local short form: Uruguay
  former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
  local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Montevideo

Administrative divisions:
  19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
  Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
  Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
  Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:
  25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:
  27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973,
  new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
  constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
  January 1997

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000)
  and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
  2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
  parliamentary approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
  1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA
  2004)
  election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of
  vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
  of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
  Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to
  be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October
  1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
  Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
  Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
  Coalition 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
  for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco
  [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo
  Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
  Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET,
  UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
  chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
  embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
  mailing address: APO AA 34035
  telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
  FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:
  nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
  with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
  with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and
  16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview:
  Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented
  agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of
  social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
  1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
  stemming largely from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which
  together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Total GDP in
  these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year.
  Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the
  burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF and the US
  has limited the damage, which is still extensive. Moves to
  reschedule debt and promote economic recovery may help limit a
  further decline in output in 2003.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $26.82 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -10.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 27% services: 67% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 6% (1997)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42.3 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  14.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.2 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate:
  19.4% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.7 billion
  expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2000)

Industries:
  food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment,
  petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  -12% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.963 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.7% hydro: 99.1% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  6.152 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.377 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  123 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Exports:
  $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, vehicles, dairy products

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 21%, Argentina 15%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.1%, Italy 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.87 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:
  Argentina 25.6%, Brazil 22.7%, US 7.7%, Venezuela 6.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $11.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:
  UYU

Exchange rates:
  Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 21.26 (2002), 13.32 (2001), 12.1
  (2000), 11.34 (1999), 10.47 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
  929,141 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  350,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully digitalized
  domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
  nationwide microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios:
  1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  20 (2001)

Televisions:
  782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2001)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways:
  total: 2,073 km
  standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
  partial use (2002)

Highways: total: 8,983 km paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)

Pipelines:
  gas 192 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva
  Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/9,775 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
  64 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Military Uruguay

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air
  Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 831,297 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $250 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2000)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:
  uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
  Argentina

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:
  Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff
  resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
  suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
  Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
  led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
  which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
  rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
  gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
  mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
  by Islamic militants, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment
  of human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 447,400 sq km
  water: 22,000 sq km
  land: 425,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,221 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
  0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern
  portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:
  none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:
  mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;
  semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat
  intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr
  Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded
  by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
  highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead
  and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 10.8% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 88.29% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
  chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
  blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
  desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
  heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human
  health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination
  from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including
  DDT

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
  countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:
  25,981,647 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.7% (male 4,594,721; female 4,431,653)
  15-64 years: 60.5% (male 7,781,739; female 7,945,641)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 497,692; female 730,201) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 21.2 years
  female: 22.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.63% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 71.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 75.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64 years
  male: 60.53 years
  female: 67.64 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 740 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Uzbek(s)
  adjective: Uzbek

Ethnic groups:
  Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,
  Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:
  Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:
  Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.3%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
  conventional short form: Uzbekistan
  local short form: Ozbekiston
  former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
  local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

Government type:
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
  outside the executive branch

Capital:
  Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
  12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
  republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
  Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
  Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
  Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
  Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
  Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
  evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
  system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
  he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
  approval of the Supreme Assembly
  election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
  amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
  held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
  appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - 2002
  amendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be
  established via elections in 2004
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20,
  Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16,
  local government 110, vacant 1
  note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were
  contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President
  KARIMOV
  elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be
  held NA December 2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
  by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first
  secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
  MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP
  (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALALOV, first secretary];
  Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party
  [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
  merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
  Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December
  1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman];
  Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abduhoshim GHAFUROV,
  chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia INOYATOVA]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
  FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
  consulate(s) general: New York
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
  chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST
  embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
  separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12
  white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:
  Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of
  intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
  population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan
  is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer
  of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals
  and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the
  government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
  subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan
  responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian
  and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute
  industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls
  within its already largely closed economy. The government, while
  aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors
  measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control
  over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
  income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
  independence.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $66.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 36%
  industry: 21%
  services: 43% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  26% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  11.9 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural
  gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  44.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 88.2% hydro: 11.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  47.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  3.998 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  9.7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  142,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  297 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  937.3 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Exports:
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,
  ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
  Russia 17.7%, Ukraine 11%, Italy 7.6%, Tajikistan 6.8%, Poland
  5.1%, South Korea 5%, Kazakhstan 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals
  (1998 est.)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 22.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Kazakhstan 8.1%, US
  6.9%, Ukraine 6.8%, China 5.2%, Turkey 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $4.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  approximately $150 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
  Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code:
  UZS

Exchange rates:
  Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 970 (2002), 325 (2001), 236.61
  (2000), 124.63 (1999), 94.49 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.98 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  130,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
  modernization
  domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
  technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
  Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
  industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
  had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
  for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
  Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
  international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS
  member states and to other countries by leased connection via the
  Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the
  Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable,
  Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for
  international communications; Inmarsat also provides an
  international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth
  stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios:
  10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)

Televisions:
  6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  42 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways: total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2002)

Highways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,100 km (1990)

Pipelines:
  gas 9,012 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports:
  273 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,523 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 246 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 211 (2002)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces
  (internal security and border troops)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,940,031 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 310,915 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for
  Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with
  demarcation underway; serious disputes with Kyrgyzstan around Uzbek
  enclaves mar progress on delimitation efforts; talks have begun with
  Tajikistan to determine and delimit border

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
  lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
  of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
  consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
  eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
  bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:
  The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th
  century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
  administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 12,200 sq km
  land: 12,200 sq km
  note: includes more than 80 islands
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,528 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.46% permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
  minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and
  reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
  several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:
  199,414 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.8% (male 35,499; female 33,992)
  15-64 years: 61.8% (male 63,021; female 60,149)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 3,605; female 3,148) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 21.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 58.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.71 years
  male: 60.28 years
  female: 63.21 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
  adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other
  Pacific Islanders

Religions:
  Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous
  beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%,
  other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Languages:
  three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama
  or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 53%
  male: 57%
  female: 48% (1979 est.)

Government Vanuatu

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
  conventional short form: Vanuatu
  former: New Hebrides

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Port-Vila

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:
  30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:
  30 July 1980

Legal system:
  unified system being created from former dual French and British
  systems

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)
  elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral
  college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
  councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25
  March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
  usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members;
  election for prime minister last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2003)
  election results: Father John BANI elected president on second vote
  (24 March 1999) after the first (17 March 1999) did not have any
  candidate with the required two-thirds majority; percent of
  electoral college vote - NA%
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  responsible to Parliament
  head of government: Prime Minister Edward Nipake NATAPEI (since 13
  April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since NA)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note -
  political party associations are fluid
  note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom
  and land

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after
  consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or
  MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van THAN];
  Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our
  Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
  [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have
  a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua
  New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
  isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
  black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
  points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
  centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
  namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale
  agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
  Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000
  visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
  deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
  deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
  Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
  hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
  vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
  markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in
  November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the
  northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another
  powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the
  capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by
  a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In
  response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten
  regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the
  government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Australia and New
  Zealand are the main suppliers of foreign aid.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $94.4 million
  expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4
  million (1996 est.)

Industries:
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  43.46 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  40.42 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Exports:
  $22 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:
  India 32.5%, Thailand 22.8%, South Korea 10.5%, Indonesia 6.3%,
  Japan 4.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $93 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Australia 22.1%, Japan 19.2%, New Zealand 10.1%, Singapore 8.1%,
  Fiji 6.6%, Taiwan 5%, India 5% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $68.6 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $45.8 million (1995)

Currency:
  vatu (VUV)

Currency code:
  VUV

Exchange rates:
  vatu per US dollar - 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000),
  129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  310 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  2,300 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .vu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,000 (2000)

Transportation Vanuatu

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine:
  total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,463 GRT/1,552,813 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, combination bulk 3, container 3,
  liquefied gas 2, multi-function large-load carrier 1, refrigerated
  cargo 7, vehicle carrier 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4,
  Netherlands 1, NZ 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 2,
  Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including
  the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Venezuela

Introduction Venezuela

Background:
  Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse
  of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador).
  For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled
  by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil
  industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected
  governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an
  embattled president who is losing his once solid support among
  Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the
  Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption,
  overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price
  fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are
  endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 912,050 sq km
  land: 882,050 sq km
  water: 30,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 15 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
  Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
  (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
  hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 2.99% permanent crops: 0.96% other: 96.05% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel
  Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population:
  24,654,694 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31% (male 3,944,749; female 3,700,799)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 7,931,194; female 7,864,697)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 552,291; female 660,964) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.8 years
  male: 24.3 years
  female: 25.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.48% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 27.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.81 years
  male: 70.78 years
  female: 77.07 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  62,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Venezuelan(s)
  adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous
  people

Religions:
  nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.4%
  male: 93.8%
  female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  conventional short form: Venezuela
  local short form: Venezuela
  local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Caracas

Administrative divisions:
  23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia
  federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,
  Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito
  Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva
  Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
  note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
  island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:
  30 December 1999

Legal system:
  based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court
  system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
  vote - 60%
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three
  seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
  opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)
  elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
  (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
  12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Action or AD [Claudio FERMIN]; Fifth Republic Movement
  or MVR [Garcia PONCE]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNIZ];
  Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS
  [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan Jose
  CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio HERRERA]; Social
  Christian Party or COPEI [Oswaldo ALVAREZ Paz]; Venezuela Project or
  PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups;
  Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization
  dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:
  CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19, G-24,
  G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
  chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles S. SHAPIRO
  embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
  Arriba, Caracas 1080
  mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
  telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
  FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with
  the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of
  seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview:
  Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector,
  which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export
  earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues.
  Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic
  political instability, culminating in a two-month national oil
  strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted
  economic activity. The economy is likely to remain in a recession in
  2003, after sinking an estimated 8.9 percent in 2002.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $131.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -8.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 50% services: 45% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 47% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  31.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $21.5 billion
  expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Industries:
  petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
  processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
  -5.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  87.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.7% hydro: 68.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  81.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  3.08 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  505,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  63.95 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.202 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US 53.4%, Netherlands Antilles 17.3%, Canada 2.9% (2002)

Imports:
  $18.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
  construction materials

Imports - partners:
  US 27.5%, Colombia 6.9%, Brazil 5.7%, Mexico 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $38.2 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $74 million (2000)

Currency:
  bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:
  VEB

Exchange rates:
  bolivares per US dollar - 1,160.44 (2002), 723.67 (2001), 679.96
  (2000), 605.72 (1999), 547.56 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2 million (1998)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern and expanding
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
  substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
  substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
  installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
  digital multimedia services
  international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with
  Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an
  international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
  10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ve

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.3 million (2002)

Transportation Venezuela

Railways: total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  7,100 km
  note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels

Pipelines:
  extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,484 km; refined
  products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo,
  Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz,
  Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Merchant marine:
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 714,073 GRT/1,256,667 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, UK 1, US 2 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, roll
  on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

Airports:
  373 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 18 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 246 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 139 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Military Venezuela

Military branches:
  National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes
  Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
  (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and Coast Guard), Air
  Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or
  National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,767,862 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 249,319 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $934 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international:
  claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary
  dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean
  Sea; US, France and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to
  give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan
  EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the
  Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest the claim and other states'
  recognition of it

Illicit drugs:
  small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing
  of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of
  cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia
  bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
  money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
  and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
  targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
  Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Vietnam

Introduction Vietnam

Background:
  France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared
  after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when
  they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took
  control of the North. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam
  grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but
  US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in
  1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South.
  Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult
  as aging Communist Party leaders have only grudgingly initiated
  reforms necessary for a free market.

Geography Vietnam

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,
  and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 329,560 sq km
  land: 325,360 sq km
  water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline:
  3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
  (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
  mid-March)

Terrain:
  low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly,
  mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and
  gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 17.41% permanent crops: 4.71% other: 77.88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding,
  especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:
  logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to
  deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing
  threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits
  potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population
  migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
  City

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

Geography - note:
  extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across
  at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population:
  81,624,716 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.2% (male 12,699,002; female 11,967,674)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 25,776,600; female 26,599,005)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,902,464; female 2,679,971) (2003
  est.)

Median age: total: 24.5 years male: 23.6 years female: 25.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.29% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.58 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 30.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.05 years
  male: 67.58 years
  female: 72.7 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  6,600 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups:
  Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain
  groups

Religions:
  Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman
  Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Languages:
  Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second
  language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages
  (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 95.8%
  female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Government Vietnam

Country name:
  conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  conventional short form: Vietnam
  local short form: Viet Nam
  abbreviation: SRV
  local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Hanoi

Administrative divisions:
  58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities*
  (thu do, singular and plural); An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac
  Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong,
  Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Da Nang,
  Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Hai Phong*, Ha
  Nam, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh, Ho Chi Minh*, Hung Yen,
  Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao
  Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu
  Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc
  Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua
  Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc,
  Yen Bai

Independence:
  2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:
  15 April 1992

Legal system:
  based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997)
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
  members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
  to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
  elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
  among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the prime minister
  head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September
  1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29
  September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (since NA) and Pham
  Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the
  prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly
  election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
  10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
  election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Judicial branch:
  Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year
  term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH,
  general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ACCT, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737 chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond F. BURGHARDT embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview:
  Vietnam is a poor, densely-populated country that has had to
  recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from
  the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned
  economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in
  moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth
  averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
  financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy
  but, rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's
  belief that shifting to a market-oriented economy would lead to
  disaster. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in
  1999. Growth then rose to 6% to 7% in 2000-02 even against the
  background of global recession. These numbers mask some major
  difficulties in economic performance. Many domestic industries,
  including coal, cement, steel, and paper, have reported large
  stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient
  foreign producers. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have moved to
  implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
  to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The
  US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement entered into force near the end
  of 2001 and is expected to significantly increase Vietnam's exports
  to the US. The US is assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal
  and structural reforms called for in the agreement.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $183.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 37% services: 39% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  38.2 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  25% (1995 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.3 billion
  expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion (1999 est.)

Industries:
  food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, cement,
  chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  29.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 43.7% hydro: 56.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  27.71 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  356,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.4 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  192.6 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas, sugar; poultry, pigs; fish

Exports: $16.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments,
  shoes

Exports - partners:
  US 15.2%, Japan 14.9%, Australia 7.6%, China 6.6%, Germany 6.5%,
  Singapore 5.5%, UK 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
  $16.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel
  products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners:
  South Korea 12.7%, China 12.2%, Japan 12.1%, Singapore 11.8%,
  Taiwan 10.6%, Thailand 5.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $14.1 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.1 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000

Currency:
  dong (VND)

Currency code:
  VND

Exchange rates:
  dong per US dollar - 15,325.8 (2002), 14,725.2 (2001), 14,167.7
  (2000), 13,943.2 (1999), 13,268 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  730,155 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into
  modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its
  performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors
  domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
  Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay networks; since 1991, main lines in use have
  been substantially increased and the use of mobile telephones is
  growing rapidly
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios:
  8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Vietnam

Railways:
  total: 3,142 km
  standard gauge: 209 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,625 km 1.000-m gauge
  dual gauge: 308 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
  gauges (2002)

Highways:
  total: 93,300 km
  paved: 23,418 km
  unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  17,702 km
  note: more than 5,149 km are navigable at all times by vessels up to
  1.8 m draft

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined products 206
  km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy Nhon,
  Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Merchant marine:
  total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,054,423 GRT/1,588,732 DWT
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Cambodia 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, UK 2 (2002 est.)
  ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 128, chemical tanker 1, combination
  bulk 1, container 9, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 21,
  refrigerated cargo 3

Airports:
  47 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Vietnam

Military branches:
  People's Army of Vietnam (includes Ground Forces, People's Navy
  Command [including Naval Infantry], Air and Air Defense Force, Coast
  Guard)

Military manpower - military age:
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 22,888,109 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 14,366,732 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 871,036 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international:
  demarcation of the land boundary with China continues, but maritime
  boundary and joint fishing zone agreement remains unratified;
  Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed
  encroachments along border; China occupies Paracel Islands also
  claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in a complex dispute over
  Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and
  possibly Brunei; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration
  on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to
  ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct"

Illicit drugs:
  minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for
  Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
  addiction problems

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Virgin Islands

Introduction Virgin Islands

Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography Virgin Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 352 sq km
  water: 3 sq km
  land: 349 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  188 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
  humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to
  November

Terrain:
  mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts
  and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:
  important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane
  for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural
  deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People Virgin Islands

Population:
  124,778 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26% (male 16,685; female 15,794)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 36,241; female 44,157)
  65 years and over: 9.5% (male 5,078; female 6,823) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.2 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 33.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.02% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.59 years
  male: 74.73 years
  female: 82.68 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
  black 78%, white 10%, other 12%
  note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born
  elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%,
  other 2%

Religions:
  Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:
  English (official), Spanish, Creole

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Virgin Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
  conventional short form: Virgin Islands
  former: Danish West Indies

Dependency status:
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
  between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the
  Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
  divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
  islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday:
  Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution:
  Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:
  based on US laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US
  citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January
  2001)
  election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
  percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
  de JONGH 24.4%
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
  head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
  January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Vargrave RICHARDS (since NA
  January 2003)
  cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 8, ICM NA, no party affiliation NA
  note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
  US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
  (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Donna M.
  CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Judicial branch:
  US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit
  jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor
  for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'
  Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Flag description:
  white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the
  large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle
  holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other
  with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a
  blue panel

Economy Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
  Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than
  70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2
  million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of
  petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and
  watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food
  being imported. International business and financial services are a
  small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's
  largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are
  subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working
  to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the
  private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect
  the environment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (1992)

Labor force:
  49,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.9% (March 1999)

Budget:
  revenues: $364.4 million
  expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1990 est.)

Industries:
  tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling,
  construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.03 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  957.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  refined petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US, Puerto Rico

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners:
  US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  65,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,000 (1992)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: submarine cable and satellite communications;
  satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2002)

Televisions:
  68,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  12,000 (2000)

Transportation Virgin Islands

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 856 km
  paved: NA km
  note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the
  road is practiced (2000)
  unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Merchant marine:
  none (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Military Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Wake Island

Introduction Wake Island

Background:
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An
  important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December
  1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end
  of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a
  stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft
  transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been
  used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as
  for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the
  island.

Geography Wake Island

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the
  way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  19 17 N, 166 36 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  19.3 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano;
  central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
  location for transpacific flights

People Wake Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
  personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
  present (July 2003 est.)

Government Wake Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are
  managed by the US Air Force

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Wake Island

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors
  located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be
  imported.

Electricity - production:
  NA

Communications Wake Island

Telephone system:
  general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
  Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Transportation Wake Island

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports:
  1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Transportation - note:
  formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US
  military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

Military Wake Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Wallis and Futuna

Introduction Wallis and Futuna

Background:
  Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and
  18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over
  the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted
  to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
  the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 274 sq km
  note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
  Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 274 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  129 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
  (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
  average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:
  volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 5%
  permanent crops: 20%
  other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)
  largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
  source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the
  mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
  there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
  natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population: 15,734 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
  adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:
  French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50%
  male: 50%
  female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government Wallis and Futuna

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
  conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
  local short form: Wallis et Futuna
  local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Administrator Christian JOB (since 6
  August 2002)
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
  Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
  the members of the assembly
  note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
  head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
  KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
  members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
  Territorial Assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
  one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
  elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
  September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats -
  RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16
  June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7

Judicial branch:
  none; justice generally administered under French law by the high
  administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary
  law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders:
  Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de
  Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis
  LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire
  Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or
  UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center
  toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flag
  of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist
  quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:
  The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with
  about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and
  vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the
  population is employed in government. Revenues come from French
  Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South
  Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New
  Caledonia.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $30 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Industries:
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Agriculture - products:
  breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Exports:
  $250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners:
  Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Imports:
  $300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  assistance from France

Currency:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
  euro in 2003

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41
  (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,125 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2000)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .wf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
  paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
  unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 85,572 GRT/9,004 DWT
  ships by type: passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 3, US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@West Bank

Introduction West Bank

Background:
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
  Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
  provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
  Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
  Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
  responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
  Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
  the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
  Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
  and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
  Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
  areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
  Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
  Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
  Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
  Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
  during the transitional period for external security and for
  internal security and public order of settlements and Israeli
  citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
  Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year
  hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that broke out
  in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability
  within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress
  toward a permanent agreement.

Geography West Bank

Location:
  Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 5,860 sq km
  note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
  of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
  Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
  depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
  water: 220 sq km
  land: 5,640 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm
  to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain:
  mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren
  in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources:
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: NEGL%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  droughts

Environment - current issues:
  adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note:
  landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal
  aquifers; there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
  sites in the West Bank and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.)

People West Bank

Population:
  2,237,194 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
  West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (February 2002
  est.) (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.1% (male 505,880; female 481,369)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 598,992; female 572,511)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 33,688; female 44,754) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.7 years
  female: 18 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.3% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 22.86 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.68 years
  male: 70.95 years
  female: 74.51 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:
  Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
  English (widely understood)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government West Bank

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Economy West Bank

Economy - overview:
  Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS)
  declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the
  combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population
  growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of
  Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in
  response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and
  commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most
  serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment;
  unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by
  1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive
  closures during the next five years decreased and, in 1998, Israel
  implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other
  security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor.
  These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in
  1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the
  outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of
  Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor
  movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military
  measures in Palestinian Authority areas have resulted in the
  destruction of much capital plant and administrative structure,
  widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Another major
  loss has been the decline in earnings of Palestinian workers in
  Israel. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip have prevented the complete collapse of the economy.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -22% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $930 million
  note: includes Gaza Strip (2000 est.)
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15
  million

Industries:
  generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,
  soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
  Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the
  settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
  Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
  Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
  the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
  Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
  municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
  electricity from small power plants

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports:
  $603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip

Exports - commodities:
  olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Exports - partners:
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Imports:
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip

Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Debt - external:
  $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $800 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Currency:
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
  ILS; JOD

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001),
  4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997);
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Communications West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use:
  95,729 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA
  note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
  responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
  note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
  station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
  reported to be in operation (2000)

Radios:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (1999)

Internet users:
  60,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2001)

Transportation West Bank

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 4,500 km
  paved: 2,700 km
  unpaved: 1,800 km
  note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
  settlements (1997 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military West Bank

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues West Bank

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Western Sahara

Introduction Western Sahara

Background:
  Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara
  (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in
  1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the
  Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991
  UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status
  has been repeatedly postponed.

Geography Western Sahara

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates:
  24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 266,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  land: 266,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline:
  1,110 km

Maritime claims:
  contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate:
  hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce
  fog and heavy dew

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces
  rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
  highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and
  spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely
  restricting visibility

Environment - current issues:
  sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 261,794 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
  adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab, Berber

Religions:
  Muslim

Languages:
  Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Western Sahara

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Western Sahara
  former: Spanish Sahara

Government type:
  legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;
  territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front
  for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in
  February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the
  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed
  ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in
  April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,
  under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to
  its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector
  shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;
  the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in
  1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a
  UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Capital:
  none

Administrative divisions:
  none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage:
  none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none

Economy Western Sahara

Economy - overview:
  Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate
  mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The
  territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural
  production, and most of the food for the urban population must be
  imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by
  the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed
  contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which
  has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in
  Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: 40% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  12,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries:
  phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  90 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  83.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,
  goats (kept by nomads)

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  phosphates 62%

Exports - partners:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
  are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
  are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
  MAD

Exchange rates:
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001),
  10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use:
  about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: sparse and limited system
  domestic: NA
  international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  56,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .eh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Western Sahara

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Airports:
  11 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Military Western Sahara

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

Transnational Issues Western Sahara

Disputes - international:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty
  remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
  effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have
  failed and parties have rejected other proposals; Mauritanian claims
  to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years; Morocco allowed
  Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western
  Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@World

Introduction World

Background:
  Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world
  wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast
  colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from
  the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the
  landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance
  and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in
  North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the
  environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and
  water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)
  the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of
  the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population
  continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,
  3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6
  billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential
  growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances
  in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal
  weapons of war).

Geography World

Map references:
  Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, Standard
  Time Zones of the World

Area:
  total: 510.072 million sq km
  land: 148.94 million sq km
  water: 361.132 million sq km
  note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Area - comparative:
  land area about 16 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not counting
  shared boundaries twice)

Coastline:
  356,000 km

Maritime claims:
  a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make
  the following claims: contiguous zone - 24 NM; continental shelf -
  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation, or 200 NM or to the
  edge of the continental margin; exclusive fishing zone - 200 NM;
  exclusive economic zone - 200 NM; territorial sea - 12 NM; boundary
  situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from
  extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 NM; 43
  nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan,
  Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia,
  Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,
  Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
  Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San
  Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former
  Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,
  West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and
  Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Climate:
  two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow
  temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
  subtropical climates

Terrain:
  the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the
  Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
  note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
  the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
  Ocean
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources:
  the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
  depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
  plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
  (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
  serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
  beginning to address

Land use: arable land: 10.58% permanent crops: 1% other: 88.42% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural
  disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Geography - note:
  the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just
  about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People World

Population:
  6,302,309,691 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.2% (male 932,581,592; female 885,688,851)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,009,997,089; female 1,964,938,201)
  65 years and over: 7.1% (male 193,549,180; female 247,067,032) (2003
  est.)
  note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
  a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
  the total for world age structure

Population growth rate:
  1.17% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  8.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 51.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.95 years
  male: 62 years
  female: 70.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Religions:
  Christians 32.79% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%, Protestants
  5.62%, Orthodox 3.51%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.6%, Hindus
  13.31%, Buddhists 5.88%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, other religions
  12.83%, non-religious 12.53%, atheists 2.44% (2001 est.)

Languages:
  Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish
  5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese
  2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.)
  note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77%
  male: 83%
  female: 71% (1995 est.)

Government World

Administrative divisions:
  268 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries

Legal system:
  all members of the UN plus Switzerland are parties to the statute
  that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World
  Court

Economy World

Economy - overview: Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) fell from 4.8% in 2000 to 2.2% in 2001 and 2.7% in 2002. The causes: sluggishness in the US economy (21% of GWP) and in the 15 EU economies (19% of GWP); continued stagnation in the Japanese economy (7.2% of GWP); and spillover effects in the less developed regions of the world. China, the second-largest economy in the world (12% of GWP), proved an exception, continuing its rapid annual growth, officially announced as 8% but estimated by many observers as perhaps two percentage points lower. Russia (2.6% of GWP), with 4% growth, continued to make uneven progress, its GDP per capita still only one-third that of the leading industrial nations. The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 5% range of growth. The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decision-making powers to international bodies. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 2002, see the individual country entries.)

GDP:
  GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $49 trillion
  (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 32%
  services: 64% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to
  60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual
  cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in several
  Third World countries

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
  non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
  unemployment

Industries:
  dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers,
  robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment;
  most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small
  portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to
  these technological forces; the accelerated development of new
  industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already
  grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  14.85 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  13.93 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Oil - production:
  75.46 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  76.21 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.025 trillion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  2.569 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.556 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  703.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  697.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  161.2 trillion cu m (37257)

Exports:
  $6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Exports - partners:
  US 17.4%, Germany 7.6%, UK 5.4%, France 5.1%, Japan 4.8%, China 4%
  (2002)

Imports:
  $6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Imports - partners:
  US 11.2%, Germany 9.2%, China 7%, Japan 6.8%, France 4.7%, UK 4%
  (2002)

Debt - external:
  $2 trillion for less developed countries (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion

Communications World

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10,350 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
  604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Transportation World

Railways:
  total: 1,122,650 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of
  electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in
  the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and
  4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is
  300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer
  Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line
  broad gauge: 251,153 km
  narrow gauge: 239,430 km
  standard gauge: 710,754 km

Highways:
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi
  (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Military World

Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues World

Disputes - international:
  Globally, there are over 250,000 km of international land
  boundaries that separate the world's 192 independent states, along
  with 70 dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and other
  miscellaneous entities. Maritime states have claimed limits and have
  so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and joint
  development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide for
  their national security at sea. On land, ethnicity, culture, race,
  religion, and language have divided states into separate political
  entities as much as history, physical terrain, political fiat, or
  conquest, resulting in sometimes arbitrary and imposed boundaries.
  All of these factors have contributed to a wide array of boundary,
  borderland, and territorial disagreements that vary in intensity
  from unresolved or dormant to outright war. Territorial disputes may
  evolve from historical and/or cultural animosities, or they may be
  brought on by resource competition. Ethnic clashes continue to be
  responsible for territorial fragmentation around the world.
  Undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries encourage
  illegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration, and
  political confrontation over boundary allocations. Other sources of
  contention include the use of water and mineral (especially
  petroleum) resources, fisheries, dams, and nuclear power plants.
  Many islands or island groups are also disputed, including those at
  sea and in streams. Nonetheless, many nations are actively
  cooperating to clarify, delineate, and demarcate their international
  borders. The tragic aspect of international discord is the impact on
  the sustenance and welfare of populations caught in the conflict. It
  is frequently left to members of the world community to cope with
  enormous refugee situations, and the resultant hunger, disease, and
  impoverishment that they create.

Illicit drugs:
  cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 205,450 hectares
  - almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
  potential cocaine production during 2002 is estimated at 938 metric
  tons (or 1,200 metric tons of export quality cocaine at an average
  of 78% purity); coca eradication programs continue in Bolivia,
  Colombia, and Peru, and 292 metric tons of export quality cocaine
  are documented to have been seized in 2002; consumption of export
  quality cocaine is estimated to have been 875 metric tons
  opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 141,213
  hectares in 2002 and potentially produced 2,183 metric tons of opium
  - which conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 238
  metric tons of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been
  undertaken in Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan,
  Thailand, and Vietnam, and the annual average for opiates seized
  worldwide over the past five years (1998-2002) has been 45 metric
  tons of pure heroin equivalent; estimates for average annual
  consumption over this time period are 315 metric tons pure heroin
  equivalent

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Yemen

Introduction Yemen

Background:
  North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The
  British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port
  of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South
  Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist
  orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis
  from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility
  between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the
  Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994
  was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a
  delimitation of their border.

Geography Yemen

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea,
  between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 527,970 sq km
  land: 527,970 sq km
  note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
  or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
  Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline:
  1,906 km

Maritime claims:
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
  mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western
  mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry,
  harsh desert in east

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
  mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
  desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold,
  lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Land use: arable land: 2.75% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 97.04% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea
  and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People Yemen

Population:
  19,349,881 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.8% (male 4,606,110; female 4,446,229)
  15-64 years: 50.4% (male 4,972,946; female 4,778,034)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 272,921; female 273,641) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 16.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  3.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 65.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 59.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 60.97 years
  male: 59.16 years
  female: 62.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.82 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups:
  predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions:
  Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of
  Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages:
  Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.2%
  male: 70.5%
  female: 30% (2003 est.)

Government Yemen

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
  conventional short form: Yemen
  local short form: Al Yaman
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Sanaa

Administrative divisions:
  19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad
  Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit,
  'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah,
  San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
  note: there may be one additional governorate of the capital city of
  Sanaa

Independence:
  22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of
  the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
  Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
  (Aden) or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had become
  independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
  Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday:
  Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution:
  16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local
  tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Field Marshall Ali Abdallah SALIH (since
  22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office
  upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen.
  Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
  April 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister
  election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
  seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
  constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
  (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
  president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president

Legislative branch:
  a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created
  a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;
  members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives
  (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GPC 238, Islah 46, YSP 8, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
  Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 4
  elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the
  more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President Ali
  Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah
  bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Baath Party [Dr.
  Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik al-MAKHLAFI];
  Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
  note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
  landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
  longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
  al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
  been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
  loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative
  election, but announced that it would participate in Yemen's first
  local elections, held in February 2001; these local elections aim to
  decentralize political power and are a key element of the
  government's political reform program

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edmund J. HULL
  embassy: Dhahar Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
  telephone: [967] (1) 303-161
  FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
  which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
  horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
  of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Yemen

Economy - overview:
  Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported
  strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production, but
  has been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices. Yemen has
  embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed
  to modernize and streamline the economy, which has led to
  substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. International
  donors, meeting in Paris in October 2002, agreed on a further $2.3
  billion economic support package. Yemen has worked to maintain tight
  control over spending and implement additional components of the IMF
  program. A high population growth rate and internal political
  dissension complicate the government's task.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $15.07 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 38%
  services: 40% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:
  30% (1995 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3 billion
  expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production
  of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;
  small aluminum products factory; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  2.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  438,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  74,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.2 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  480 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic shrub),
  coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle,
  camels), poultry; fish

Exports:
  $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:
  India 21.1%, Thailand 16.9%, South Korea 11.2%, China 11.1%,
  Malaysia 7.7%, US 6.7%, Singapore 4% (2002)

Imports:
  $2.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 9.5%, China 8.7%, UAE 6.9%, Russia 5.8%,
  France 4.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $6.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.3 billion to be disbursed 2003-07 (2003-07 disbursements)

Currency:
  Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code:
  YER

Exchange rates:
  Yemeni rials per US dollar - NA (2002), 168.67 (2001), 161.72
  (2000), 155.72 (1999), 135.88 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:
  291,359 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  32,042 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been
  made to create a national telecommunications network
  domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
  cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
  systems
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2
  Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  1.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  470,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ye

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  17,000 (2002)

Transportation Yemen

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 67,000 km paved: 7,705 km unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha, Nishtun

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,623 GRT/23,752 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
  44 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Military Yemen

Military branches:
  Army (includes Special Forces, established in 1999), Navy, Air
  Force, Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age:
  14 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 4,443,312 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,493,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 249,292 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $482.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.2% (FY01)

Military - note:
  establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has been
  delayed

Transnational Issues Yemen

Disputes - international:
  Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish islands awarded
  to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999; nomadic groups in border region with
  Saudi Arabia resist demarcation of boundary

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Zambia

Introduction Zambia

Background:
  The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South
  Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923.
  During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development
  and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in
  1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a
  prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end
  to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant
  harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by
  administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition
  challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA.
  The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign
  in 2002, which resulted in the 2003 arrest of the previous president
  Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters. Opposition parties
  currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

Geography Zambia

Location:
  Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 752,614 sq km
  water: 11,890 sq km
  land: 740,724 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,664 km
  border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
  338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
  highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources:
  copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.08% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  460 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and
  refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously
  threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water
  treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
  Zimbabwe

People Zambia

Population:
  10,307,333
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,396,313; female 2,378,567)
  15-64 years: 50.9% (male 2,626,961; female 2,621,818)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,196; female 152,478) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.5 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
  1.52% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  24.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 99.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 106.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 35.25 years
  male: 35.25 years
  female: 35.25 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  21.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.2 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Zambian(s)
  adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:
  African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions:
  Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
  English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,
  Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 80.6%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Government Zambia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
  conventional short form: Zambia
  former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Lusaka

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
  Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:
  24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:
  2 August 1991

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president
  is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president
  is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2006); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
  - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
  Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
  SATA 3%, other 5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
  UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
  seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
  1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by
  the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil
  and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for
  Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or
  HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger
  CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy
  MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or
  NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];
  Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or
  ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline
  KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA,
  president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson
  MAZOKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
  chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description:
  green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side),
  black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of
  the flag

Economy Zambia

Economy - overview:
  Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's
  economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to reduce
  poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper
  mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated
  by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining
  to return to profitability and spur economic growth. However, low
  mineral prices have slowed the benefits of privatizing the mines and
  have reduced incentives for further private investment in the
  sector. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs
  to reduce poverty.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $8.24 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 26% services: 52% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  52.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  21% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  4.29 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Unemployment rate:
  50% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.2 billion
  expenditures: $1.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Industries:
  copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages,
  chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.751 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.5% hydro: 99.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  5.458 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  1.75 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers,
  tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs,
  poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Exports:
  $709 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:
  Malawi 10.3%, Thailand 9.2%, Japan 9.1%, Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  9.1%, Taiwan 8.5%, South Africa 7.8%, Egypt 6.4%, China 6.3%,
  Netherlands 5.5%, Tanzania 4.5% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.123 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 64.4%, US 3.7%, China 3.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $5.8 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $651 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code:
  ZMK

Exchange rates:
  Zambian kwacha per US dollar - NA (2002), 3,610.93 (2001), 3,110.84
  (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use: 130,000 (including approximately 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  90,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best
  in Sub-Saharan Africa
  domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
  towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
  Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
  (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  1.2 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  9 (2002)

Televisions:
  277,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .zm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Zambia

Railways:
  total: 2,173 km
  narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
  (TAZARA) (2002)

Highways: total: 66,781 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers

Pipelines:
  oil 771 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Mpulungu

Airports:
  109 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 98 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 30 (2002)

Military Zambia

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary forces

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,418,776 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,279,846 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $33.46 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Zambia

Disputes - international:
  dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
  Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small
  amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
  possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
  with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
  an unattractive venue for money launderers

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Zimbabwe

Introduction Zimbabwe

Background:
  The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in
  1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in
  power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
  independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
  complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
  (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
  finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
  in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
  the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
  the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
  redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
  farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
  of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
  rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
  Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
  pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
  brutal repression of regime opponents.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location:
  Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 390,580 sq km
  water: 3,910 sq km
  land: 386,670 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,066 km
  border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
  225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld);
  mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
  highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:
  coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,
  vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8.4% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.26% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
  Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on
  the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People Zimbabwe

Population:
  12,576,742
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 2,517,608; female 2,471,342)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,600,832; female 3,542,497)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 224,631; female 219,832) (2003 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.9 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)
  male: 18.9 years

Population growth rate:
  0.83% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.34 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
  22.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 66.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
  male: 69.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.01 years
  male: 40.09 years
  female: 37.89 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  33.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2.3 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  200,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Zimbabwean(s)
  adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:
  African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%,
  white less than 1%

Religions:
  syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian
  25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages:
  English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,
  sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 94.2%
  female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government Zimbabwe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
  conventional short form: Zimbabwe
  former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Harare

Administrative divisions:
  8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,
  Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,
  Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,
  Midlands

Independence:
  18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:
  21 December 1979

Legal system:
  mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31
  December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
  31 December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
  House of Assembly
  elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
  signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
  province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March
  2002 (next to be held NA March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed
  by the president
  election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular
  vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied
  by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by
  provincial governors appointed by the president)
  elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC
  47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; National
  Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA]; United
  Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or
  ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National
  Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe
  African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Crisis
  in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
  Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
  chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488

Flag description:
  seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red,
  yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black
  with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing
  the long history of the country is superimposed on a red
  five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes
  peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red -
  blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native
  people

Economy Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:
  The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult
  economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal
  deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare
  shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
  dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
  suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
  Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to
  60% in 2000, to over 100% by yearend 2001, to 228% in early 2003.
  The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and
  violence, has nearly destroyed the commercial farming sector, the
  traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider
  of 400,000 jobs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $26.07 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -13% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.97% highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.1 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  134.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.8 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  70% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.5 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Industries:
  mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic
  and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals,
  fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  -3.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.735 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  9.813 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  3.55 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
  NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

Exports:
  $1.57 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners:
  China 6%, South Africa 5.7%, Germany 5.4%, UK 4.8%, Japan 4.7%,
  Netherlands 4.4%, US 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
  $1.739 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals,
  fuels

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 47.7%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.7%,
  Mozambique 5.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
  $3.9 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $178 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
  Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code:
  ZWD

Exchange rates:
  Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 55 (2002), 55.05 (2001), 44.42
  (2000), 38.3 (1999), 23.68 (1998)

Fiscal year:
  1 January - 31 December

Communications Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use: 212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  111,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but
  now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding
  requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed
  but unused main lines
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
  installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
  connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
  and for some of the smaller ones
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two
  international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  16 (1997)

Televisions:
  370,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .zw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Zimbabwe

Railways:
  total: 3,077 km
  narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)
  note: includes the 318 km Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway Company line
  (2002)

Highways:
  total: 18,338 km
  paved: 8,692 km
  unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe River -
  to the Zambezi River in Mozambique

Pipelines:
  refined products 261 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Binga, Kariba

Airports:
  430 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 413 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197 under 914 m: 212 (2002)

Military Zimbabwe

Military branches:
  Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic
  Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,236,042 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,003,572 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $625.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:
  dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
  Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,
  and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European
  markets

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2001 GDP

Afghanistan
  purchasing power parity - $19 billion (2002 est.)

Albania
  purchasing power parity - $15.69 billion (2002 est.)

Algeria
  purchasing power parity - $173.8 billion (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)

Andorra
  purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Angola
  purchasing power parity - $18.36 billion (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda purchasing power parity - $750 million (2002 est.)

Argentina
  purchasing power parity - $403.8 billion (2002 est.)

Armenia
  purchasing power parity - $12.13 billion (2002 est.)

Aruba
  purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

Australia
  purchasing power parity - $525.5 billion (2002 est.)

Austria
  purchasing power parity - $227.7 billion (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  purchasing power parity - $28.61 billion (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  purchasing power parity - $4.59 billion (2002 est.)

Bahrain
  purchasing power parity - $9.91 billion (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  purchasing power parity - $238.2 billion (2002 est.)

Barbados
  purchasing power parity - $4.153 billion (2002 est.)

Belarus
  purchasing power parity - $90.19 billion (2002 est.)

Belgium
  purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.)

Belize
  purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)

Benin
  purchasing power parity - $7.38 billion (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  purchasing power parity - $2.25 billion (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  purchasing power parity - $21.15 billion (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2002 est.)

Botswana
  purchasing power parity - $13.48 billion (2002 est.)

Brazil
  purchasing power parity - $1.376 trillion (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)

Brunei
  purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  purchasing power parity - $49.23 billion (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  purchasing power parity - $14.51 billion (2002 est.)

Burma
  purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.)

Burundi
  purchasing power parity - $3.146 billion (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  purchasing power parity - $26.84 billion (2002 est.)

Canada
  purchasing power parity - $934.1 billion (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

Central African Republic purchasing power parity - $4.296 billion (2002 est.)

Chad
  purchasing power parity - $9.297 billion (2002 est.)

Chile
  purchasing power parity - $156.1 billion (2002 est.)

China
  purchasing power parity - $5.989 trillion (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Colombia
  purchasing power parity - $251.6 billion (2002 est.)

Comoros
  purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  purchasing power parity - $34
  billion (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002
  est.)

Cook Islands
  purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2002 est.)

Croatia
  purchasing power parity - $43.12 billion (2002 est.)

Cuba
  purchasing power parity - $30.69 billion (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion
  (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $787
  million (2002 est.)

Czech Republic
  purchasing power parity - $157.1 billion (2002 est.)

Denmark
  purchasing power parity - $155.3 billion (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
  purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic purchasing power parity - $53.78 billion (2002 est.)

East Timor
  purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  purchasing power parity - $42.65 billion (2002 est.)

Egypt
  purchasing power parity - $289.8 billion (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  purchasing power parity - $29.41 billion (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

Estonia
  purchasing power parity - $15.52 billion (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  purchasing power parity - $48.53 billion (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiji
  purchasing power parity - $4.822 billion (2002 est.)

Finland
  purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.)

France
  purchasing power parity - $1.558 trillion (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  purchasing power parity - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Gabon
  purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  purchasing power parity - $2.582 billion (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  purchasing power parity - $735 million (2002 est.)

Georgia
  purchasing power parity - $16.05 billion (2002 est.)

Germany
  purchasing power parity - $2.16 trillion (2002 est.)

Ghana
  purchasing power parity - $41.25 billion (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

Greece
  purchasing power parity - $203.3 billion (2002 est.)

Greenland
  purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Grenada
  purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)

Guam
  purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  purchasing power parity - $53.2 billion (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $18.69 billion (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  purchasing power parity - $901.4 million (2002 est.)

Guyana
  purchasing power parity - $2.628 billion (2002 est.)

Haiti
  purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2002 est.)

Honduras
  purchasing power parity - $16.29 billion (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  purchasing power parity - $198.5 billion (2002 est.)

Hungary
  purchasing power parity - $134 billion (2002 est.)

Iceland
  purchasing power parity - $8.444 billion (2002 est.)

India
  purchasing power parity - $2.664 trillion (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  purchasing power parity - $714.2 billion (2002 est.)

Iran
  purchasing power parity - $458.3 billion (2002 est.)

Iraq
  purchasing power parity - $58 billion (2002 est.)

Ireland
  purchasing power parity - $113.7 billion (2002 est.)

Israel
  purchasing power parity - $117.4 billion (2002 est.)

Italy
  purchasing power parity - $1.455 trillion (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  purchasing power parity - $10.08 billion (2002 est.)

Japan
  purchasing power parity - $3.651 trillion (2002 est.)

Jersey
  purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

Jordan
  purchasing power parity - $22.63 billion (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  purchasing power parity - $120 billion (2002 est.)

Kenya
  purchasing power parity - $32.89 billion (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a
  nearly equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  purchasing power parity - $22.26 billion (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  purchasing power parity - $36.85 billion (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  purchasing power parity - $13.88 billion (2002 est.)

Laos
  purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.)

Latvia
  purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  purchasing power parity - $17.61 billion (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)

Liberia
  purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.)

Libya
  purchasing power parity - $33.36 billion (2002 est.)

Liechtenstein
  purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  purchasing power parity - $30.08 billion (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  purchasing power parity - $21.94 billion (2002 est.)

Macau
  purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of purchasing power parity - $10.57 billion (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)

Malawi
  purchasing power parity - $6.811 billion (2002 est.)

Malaysia
  purchasing power parity - $198.4 billion (2002 est.)

Maldives
  purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

Mali
  purchasing power parity - $9.775 billion (2002 est.)

Malta
  purchasing power parity - $6.818 billion (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands
  purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

Martinique
  purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  purchasing power parity - $4.891 billion (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

Mexico
  purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  purchasing power parity - $277
  million
  note: $277 million $277 million GDP is supplemented by grant aid,
  averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

Moldova
  purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)

Monaco
  purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

Mongolia
  purchasing power parity - $5.06 billion (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

Morocco
  purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  purchasing power parity - $19.52 billion (2002 est.)

Namibia
  purchasing power parity - $13.15 billion (2002 est.)

Nauru
  purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

Nepal
  purchasing power parity - $37.32 billion (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  purchasing power parity - $437.8 billion (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  purchasing power parity - $3 billion (2002 est.)

New Zealand
  purchasing power parity - $78.4 billion (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.)

Niger
  purchasing power parity - $8.713 billion (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  purchasing power parity - $112.5 billion (2002 est.)

Niue
  purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Northern Mariana Islands purchasing power parity - $900 million note: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

Norway
  purchasing power parity - $149.1 billion (2002 est.)

Oman
  purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  purchasing power parity - $295.3 billion (2002 est.)

Palau
  purchasing power parity - $174 million
  note: $174 million $174 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy
  (2001 est.)

Panama
  purchasing power parity - $18.06 billion (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $10.86 billion (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  purchasing power parity - $25.19 billion (2002 est.)

Peru
  purchasing power parity - $138.8 billion (2002 est.)

Philippines
  purchasing power parity - $379.7 billion (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Poland
  purchasing power parity - $373.2 billion (2002 est.)

Portugal
  purchasing power parity - $195.2 billion (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  purchasing power parity - $43.01 billion (2002 est.)

Qatar
  purchasing power parity - $15.91 billion (2002 est.)

Reunion
  purchasing power parity - $4.174 billion (1999 est.)

Romania
  purchasing power parity - $169.3 billion (2002 est.)

Russia
  purchasing power parity - $1.409 trillion (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  purchasing power parity - $8.92 billion (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia purchasing power parity - $866 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon purchasing power parity - $74 million - supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.)

San Marino
  purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe purchasing power parity - $200 million (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  purchasing power parity - $268.9 billion (2002 est.)

Senegal
  purchasing power parity - $15.64 billion (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro purchasing power parity - $23.15 billion (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  purchasing power parity - $2.826 billion (2002 est.)

Singapore
  purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  purchasing power parity - $37.06 billion (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

Somalia
  purchasing power parity - $4.27 billion (2001 est.)

South Africa
  purchasing power parity - $427.7 billion (2002 est.)

Spain
  purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (2002 est.)

Sudan
  purchasing power parity - $52.9 billion (2002 est.)

Suriname
  purchasing power parity - $1.469 billion (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Swaziland
  purchasing power parity - $5.542 billion (2002 est.)

Sweden
  purchasing power parity - $230.7 billion (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  purchasing power parity - $233.4 billion (2002 est.)

Syria
  purchasing power parity - $63.48 billion (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  purchasing power parity - $406 billion (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

Thailand
  purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2002 est.)

Togo
  purchasing power parity - $7.594 billion (2002 est.)

Tokelau
  purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

Tonga
  purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago purchasing power parity - $11.07 billion (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  purchasing power parity - $67.13 billion (2002 est.)

Turkey
  purchasing power parity - $489.7 billion (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  purchasing power parity - $31.34 billion (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
  purchasing power parity - $12.2 million (2000 est.)

Uganda
  purchasing power parity - $30.49 billion (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  purchasing power parity - $218 billion (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates purchasing power parity - $53.97 billion (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  purchasing power parity - $1.528 trillion (2002 est.)

United States
  purchasing power parity - $10.45 trillion (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  purchasing power parity - $26.82 billion (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  purchasing power parity - $66.06 billion (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)

Venezuela
  purchasing power parity - $131.7 billion (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  purchasing power parity - $183.8 billion (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  purchasing power parity - $30 million (2000 est.)

West Bank
  purchasing power parity - $1.7 billion (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  purchasing power parity - $NA

World
  GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $49
  trillion (2002 est.)

Yemen
  purchasing power parity - $15.07 billion (2002 est.)

Zambia
  purchasing power parity - $8.24 billion (2002 est.)

Zimbabwe
  purchasing power parity - $26.07 billion (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2002 Population growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  3.38%
  note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
  its continuing impact (2003 est.)

Albania
  1.03% (2003 est.)

Algeria
  1.65% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  2.22% (2003 est.)

Andorra
  1.06% (2003 est.)

Angola
  1.97% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  2.21% (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0.64% (2003 est.)

Argentina
  1.05% (2003 est.)

Armenia
  -0.07% (2003 est.)

Aruba
  0.55% (2003 est.)

Australia
  0.93% (2003 est.)

Austria
  0.22% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0.77% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  2.06% (2003 est.)

Barbados
  0.38% (2003 est.)

Belarus
  -0.12% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Belize
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Benin
  2.95% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  0.72% (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  2.14% (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  1.63% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0.48% (2003 est.)

Botswana
  -0.55% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  1.15% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  2.1% (2003 est.)

Brunei
  2% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  -1.09% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  2.6% (2003 est.)

Burma
  0.52% (2003 est.)

Burundi
  2.18% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  1.8% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  2.02% (2003 est.)

Canada
  0.94% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.79% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2.79% (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  1.62% (2003 est.)

Chad
  3.07% (2003 est.)

Chile
  1.05% (2003 est.)

China
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  -9% (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0% (2003 est.)

Colombia
  1.56% (2003 est.)

Comoros
  2.96% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  2.9% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  1.53% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA% (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  1.56% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.15% (2003 est.)

Croatia
  0.31% (2003 est.)

Cuba
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  0.56% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  -0.08% (2003 est.)

Denmark
  0.28% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Dominica
  -0.63% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  1.36% (2003 est.)

East Timor
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  1.91% (2003 est.)

Egypt
  1.88% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  1.81% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  1.28% (2003 est.)

Estonia
  -0.49% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  1.96% (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2.44% (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0.7% (2003 est.)

Fiji
  1.41% (2003 est.)

Finland
  0.14% (2003 est.)

France
  0.42% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  2.4% (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.62% (2003 est.)

Gabon
  2.54% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  3.03% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  3.89% (2003 est.)

Georgia
  -0.52% (2003 est.)

Germany
  0.04% (2003 est.)

Ghana
  1.45% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  0.22% (2003 est.)

Greece
  0.19% (2003 est.)

Greenland
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Grenada
  0.08% (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  1% (2003 est.)

Guam
  1.89% (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  2.66% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Guinea
  2.37% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.02% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Haiti
  1.67% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Honduras
  2.32% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  1.22% (2003 est.)

Hungary
  -0.29% (2003 est.)

Iceland
  0.49% (2003 est.)

India
  1.47% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  1.52% (2003 est.)

Iran
  1.08% (2003 est.)

Iraq
  2.78% (2003 est.)

Ireland
  1.03% (2003 est.)

Israel
  1.39% (2003 est.)

Italy
  0.11% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  0.61% (2003 est.)

Japan
  0.11% (2003 est.)

Jersey
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Jordan
  2.78% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.17% (2003 est.)

Kenya
  1.27% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  2.26% (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  1.07% (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  0.66% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  3.34%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
  expatriates (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.46% (2003 est.)

Laos
  2.45% (2003 est.)

Latvia
  -0.73% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  1.34% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  0.19% (2003 est.)

Liberia
  1.67% (2003 est.)

Libya
  2.39% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0.9% (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  -0.23% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.23% (2003 est.)

Macau
  1.72% (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  3.03% (2003 est.)

Malawi
  2.21% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  1.86% (2003 est.)

Maldives
  2.91% (2003 est.)

Mali
  2.82% (2003 est.)

Malta
  0.73% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0.53% (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  2.3% (2003 est.)

Martinique
  0.85% (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  2.91% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  0.84% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  4.25% (2003 est.)

Mexico
  1.43% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0.04% (2003 est.)

Moldova
  0.13% (2003 est.)

Monaco
  0.44% (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  1.42% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  4.5% (2003 est.)

Morocco
  1.64% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  0.82% (2003 est.)

Namibia
  1.49% (2003 est.)

Nauru
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Nepal
  2.26% (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  0.5% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0.9% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.38% (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  1.09% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  2.03% (2003 est.)

Niger
  2.71% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  2.53% (2003 est.)

Niue
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  3.37% (2003 est.)

Norway
  0.46% (2003 est.)

Oman
  3.38% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  2.01% (2003 est.)

Palau
  1.54% (2003 est.)

Panama
  1.36% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.34% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  2.54% (2003 est.)

Peru
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  1.92% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  0% (2003 est.)

Portugal
  0.17% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0.58% (2003 est.)

Qatar
  2.87% (2003 est.)

Reunion
  1.47% (2003 est.)

Romania
  -0.21% (2003 est.)

Russia
  -0.3% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  1.84% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  0.67% (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0.13% (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  1.25% (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0.34% (2003 est.)

Samoa
  -0.27% (2003 est.)

San Marino
  1.38% (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  3.18% (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  3.27% (2003 est.)

Senegal
  2.56% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0.07% (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  0.46% (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2.94% (2003 est.)

Singapore
  3.42% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  0.14% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  2.83% (2003 est.)

Somalia
  3.43% (2003 est.)

South Africa
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Spain
  0.16% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0.83% (2003 est.)

Sudan
  2.71% (2003 est.)

Suriname
  0.37% (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  -0.02% (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  0.83% (2003 est.)

Sweden
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  0.21% (2003 est.)

Syria
  2.45% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  0.65% (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  2.13% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  1.72% (2003 est.)

Thailand
  0.95% (2003 est.)

Togo
  2.37% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  0.01% (2003 est.)

Tonga
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -0.68% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  1.09% (2003 est.)

Turkey
  1.16% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1.82% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  3.14% (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  1.42% (2003 est.)

Uganda
  2.96% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.69% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  1.57% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.3% (2003 est.)

United States
  0.92% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  0.79% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  1.63% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  1.61% (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  1.48% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  1.29% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  1.02% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA (2003 est.)

West Bank
  3.3% (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA% (2003 est.)

World
  1.17% (2003 est.)

Yemen
  3.42% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  1.52% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0.83% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2003 GDP - real growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  7.3% (2002 est.)

Algeria
  3.3% (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  3.8% (2000 est.)

Angola
  9.4% (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3% (2002 est.)

Argentina
  -10.9% (2002 est.)

Armenia
  12.9% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

Australia
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Austria
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  10.6% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0.1% (2002 est.)

Bahrain
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Barbados
  -2.8% (2002 est.)

Belarus
  4.7% (2002 est.)

Belgium
  0.7% (2002 est.)

Belize
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Benin
  6% (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  7.7% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Botswana
  4.2% (2002 est.)

Brazil
  1.5% (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1% (2002 est.)

Brunei
  3% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Burma
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Burundi
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  4% (2002 est.)

Canada
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  4% (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Chad
  7.4% (2002 est.)

Chile
  2.1% (2002 est.)

China
  8% (official data) (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Comoros
  2% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  7.1% (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  -1.6% (2002 est.)

Croatia
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 1.7% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area:
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Czech Republic
  2% (2002 est.)

Denmark
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Dominica
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  4.1% (2002 est.)

East Timor
  18% (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  3.4% (2002 est.)

Egypt
  3.2% (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  2.1% (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  2% (2002 est.)

Estonia
  6% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  3% (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  10% (2001 est.)

Fiji
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Finland
  1.6% (2002 est.)

France
  1.2% (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  4% (2001 est.)

Gabon
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.7% (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  -15% (2002 est.)

Georgia
  5.4% (2002 est.)

Germany
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  4% (2002 est.)

Greenland
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Grenada
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA%

Guatemala
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  5.7% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  -4.3% (2002 est.)

Guyana
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Haiti
  -0.9% (2002 est.)

Honduras
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Hungary
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Iceland
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

India
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Iran
  7.6% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  -3% (2002 est.)

Ireland
  6.9% (2002 est.)

Israel
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

Italy
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  1% (2002 est.)

Japan
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  9.5% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  1.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  1% (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  6.3% (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  -2% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Laos
  5.7% (2002 est.)

Latvia
  6.1% (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  2% (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  4% (2002 est.)

Liberia
  2% (2002 est.)

Libya
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Liechtenstein
  11% (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  6.7% (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Macau
  9.5% (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  0.7% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  -11.9% (2002 est.)

Malawi
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Malaysia
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Maldives
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Mali
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Malta
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  13.5%

Marshall Islands
  1% (2001 est.)

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  0.7% (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
  6.5% (2002 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  -1% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  7.7% (2002 est.)

Namibia
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Niger
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Niue
  -0.3% (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  1% (2002 est.)

Oman
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  4.4% (FY01/02 est.)

Palau
  1% (2001 est.)

Panama
  0.7% (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  -3.1% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  -2.7% (2002 est.)

Peru
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Philippines
  4.4% (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  1.4% (2002 est.)

Portugal
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  -0.2% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Reunion
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Romania
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Russia
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  9.7% (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -1.9% (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.5% (2002 est.)

Samoa
  5% (2002 est.)

San Marino
  7.5% (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  4% (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1% (2002 est.)

Senegal
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  4% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6.6% (2002 est.)

Singapore
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  4.4% (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  -10% (2001 est.)

Somalia
  3.5% (2002 est.)

South Africa
  3% (2002 est.)

Spain
  2% (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Sudan
  5.1% (2002 est.)

Suriname
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Sweden
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  0.1% (2002 est.)

Syria
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  6.1% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Togo
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  3% (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Turkey
  7.8% (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  21.1% (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.9% (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
  3% (2000 est.)

Uganda
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  4.8% (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  1.8% (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.8% (2002 est.)

United States
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  -10.8% (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  4.2% (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  -0.3% (2002 est.)

Venezuela
  -8.9% (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  7% (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2% (2001 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  -22% (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  2.7% (2001 est.)

Yemen
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Zambia
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -13% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2004 GDP - per capita

Afghanistan
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Albania
  purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2002 est.)

Algeria
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

Andorra
  purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.)

Angola
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

Argentina
  purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2002 est.)

Armenia
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2002 est.)

Aruba
  purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

Australia
  purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2002 est.)

Austria
  purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)

Bahrain
  purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

Barbados
  purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2002 est.)

Belarus
  purchasing power parity - $8,700 (2002 est.)

Belgium
  purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.)

Belize
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)

Benin
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  purchasing power parity - $35,200 (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

Botswana
  purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2002 est.)

Brazil
  purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)

Brunei
  purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

Burma
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

Burundi
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

Canada
  purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

Chad
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

Chile
  purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

China
  purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Colombia
  purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2002 est.)

Comoros
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Croatia
  purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2002 est.)

Cuba
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001
  est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2002
  est.)

Czech Republic
  purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)

Denmark
  purchasing power parity - $28,900 (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Dominica
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2002 est.)

East Timor
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2002 est.)

Egypt
  purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Estonia
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

Fiji
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

Finland
  purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.)

France
  purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)

French Polynesia
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Gabon
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

Georgia
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)

Germany
  purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.)

Ghana
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

Greece
  purchasing power parity - $19,100 (2002 est.)

Greenland
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

Grenada
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)

Guam
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Guyana
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

Haiti
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Honduras
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

Hungary
  purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2002 est.)

Iceland
  purchasing power parity - $30,200 (2002 est.)

India
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2002 est.)

Iran
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)

Iraq
  purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 est.)

Ireland
  purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

Israel
  purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2002 est.)

Italy
  purchasing power parity - $25,100 (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

Japan
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2002 est.)

Jersey
  purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

Jordan
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2002 est.)

Kenya
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

Laos
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

Latvia
  purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

Liberia
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

Libya
  purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

Liechtenstein
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  purchasing power parity - $8,400 (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  purchasing power parity - $48,900 (2002 est.)

Macau
  purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Malawi
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

Malaysia
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

Maldives
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Mali
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

Malta
  purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

Martinique
  purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

Mexico
  purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

Moldova
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

Monaco
  purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

Mongolia
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

Morocco
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

Namibia
  purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2002 est.)

Nauru
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Nepal
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  purchasing power parity - $14,000 (2002 est.)

New Zealand
  purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)

Niger
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

Niue
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Northern Mariana Islands purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

Norway
  purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2002 est.)

Oman
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (FY01/02 est.)

Palau
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

Panama
  purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)

Peru
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

Philippines
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Poland
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2002 est.)

Portugal
  purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2002 est.)

Qatar
  purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.)

Reunion
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

Romania
  purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

Russia
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  purchasing power parity - $2,900
  (2002 est.)

Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

San Marino
  purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)

Senegal
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)

Singapore
  purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

Somalia
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

South Africa
  purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)

Spain
  purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

Sudan
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Suriname
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  purchasing power parity - $NA

Swaziland
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)

Sweden
  purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2002 est.)

Syria
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

Thailand
  purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2002 est.)

Togo
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Tokelau
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

Tonga
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)

Turkey
  purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

Uganda
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  purchasing power parity - $25,500 (2002 est.)

United States
  purchasing power parity - $36,300 (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

Venezuela
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)

West Bank
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  purchasing power parity - $NA

World
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)

Yemen
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Zambia
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Zimbabwe
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2006 Dependency status

American Samoa
  unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
  administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Anguilla
  overseas territory of the UK

Aruba
  part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in
  internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the
  Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and
  foreign affairs

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  territory of Australia; administered by
  the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Baker Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Bassas da India
  possession of France; administered by a high
  commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Bermuda
  overseas territory of the UK

Bouvet Island
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar
  Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

British Indian Ocean Territory overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

British Virgin Islands overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Cayman Islands overseas territory of the UK

Christmas Island
  territory of Australia; administered by the
  Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Clipperton Island
  possession of France; administered by France from
  French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  territory of Australia; administered from
  Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
  Services

Cook Islands
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
  Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
  retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in
  consultation with the Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
  by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Europa Island
  possession of France; administered by a high
  commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  overseas territory of the UK; also
  claimed by Argentina

Faroe Islands
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

French Guiana
  overseas department of France

French Polynesia
  overseas territory of France since 1946

French Southern and Antarctic Lands overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Gibraltar overseas territory of the UK

Glorioso Islands
  possession of France; administered by a high
  commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Greenland
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Guadeloupe
  overseas department of France

Guam
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy
  relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
  Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Guernsey
  British crown dependency

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

Hong Kong
  special administrative region of China

Howland Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Jan Mayen
  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from
  Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
  authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
  Defense Communication Service

Jarvis Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Jersey
  British crown dependency

Johnston Atoll
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the
  Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as
  part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Juan de Nova Island
  possession of France; administered by a high
  commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Kingman Reef
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the
  Department of the Interior
  note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
  restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
  from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
  January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
  administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
  refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
  Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Macau
  special administrative region of China

Man, Isle of
  British crown dependency

Martinique
  overseas department of France

Mayotte
  territorial collectivity of France

Midway Islands
  unincorporated territory of the US; formerly
  administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval
  Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has
  been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October
  1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and
  control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife
  Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National
  Wildlife Refuge system

Montserrat
  overseas territory of the UK

Navassa Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of
  the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations
  and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse
  on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private
  claim advanced against the island

Netherlands Antilles
  part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
  autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government
  responsible for defense and foreign affairs

New Caledonia
  overseas territory of France since 1956

Niue
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
  Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
  responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
  at the request of the Government of Niue

Norfolk Island
  territory of Australia; Canberra administers
  Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the
  Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories

Northern Mariana Islands
  commonwealth in political union with the
  US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US
  Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Palmyra Atoll
  incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but
  administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service
  of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs
  of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine
  excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within
  the 12 NM territorial sea or within the lagoon

Pitcairn Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Puerto Rico
  commonwealth associated with the US

Reunion
  overseas department of France

Saint Helena
  overseas territory of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  self-governing territorial collectivity of
  France

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  overseas territory of
  the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland
  Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the
  Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken,
  formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base

Svalbard
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department
  of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing
  in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920)
  sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Tokelau
  self-administering territory of New Zealand; note -
  Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions
  and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free
  association with New Zealand

Tromelin Island
  possession of France; administered by a high
  commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Turks and Caicos Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Virgin Islands
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
  policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the
  jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Wake Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the
  island are managed by the US Air Force

Wallis and Futuna
  overseas territory of France

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2007 Diplomatic representation from the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN;
  note - embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001, following closure
  in January 1989
  embassy: Great Masood Road, Kabul
  mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
  telephone: [93] (2) 290002, 290005, 290154
  FAX: 00932290153

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
  embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
  mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
  Washington, DC 20521-9510
  telephone: [355] (4) 247285
  FAX: [355] (4) 232222

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN (as of 10
  July 2003)
  embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
  mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
  telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
  FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US
  Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in
  Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in
  Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034
  Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
  embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
  Luanda), Luanda
  mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
  pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
  20521-2550
  telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224
  FAX: [244] (2) 446-924

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and
  Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados
  is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador James D. WALSH; note - Lino
  GUTIERREZ is designated to replace Ambassador WALSH
  embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
  mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO
  address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
  telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
  FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
  embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
  Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-177, 542-132, 524-661,
  527-001, 524-840
  FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Aruba
  the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General
  to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
  embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
  Territory 2600
  mailing address: APO AP 96549
  telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
  FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
  consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339, 31375, 31335
  FAX: [43] (1) 5125835

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ross L. WILSON
  embassy: 83 Azadliq Prospekt, Baku 370007
  mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050
  Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
  telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
  FAX: [9] (9412) 90-66-71

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs
  Robert M. WITAJEWSKI
  embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
  mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
  Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
  20521-3370
  telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
  FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
  embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club),
  Block 321, Zinj District, Manama
  mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE
  09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
  telephone: [973] 273-300
  FAX: [973] 272-594

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS
  embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722
  FAX: [880] (2) 8823744

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador Earl N. PHILLIPS, Jr.
  embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
  Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
  FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael G. KOZAK
  embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
  mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
  telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83
  FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER
  embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
  embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
  telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
  FAX: [501] 30802

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL
  embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
  telephone: [229] 30-06-50
  FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Bermuda
  chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
  consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
  mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate
  General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place,
  Washington, DC 20520-5300
  telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
  FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Bhutan
  the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations,
  although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US
  Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE
  embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
  mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
  telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251
  FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Bosnia and Herzegovina chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford G. BOND embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
  embassy: address NA, Gaborone
  mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
  telephone: [267] 353982
  FAX: [267] 312782

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK
  embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal
  Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
  mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
  telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000
  FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136
  consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
  consulate(s): Recife

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
  Begawan
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
  telephone: [673] (2) 229670
  FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
  embassy: 1 Suborna Street, Sofia 1000
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
  Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 981-89-77

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
  Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
  20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 306723
  FAX: [226] 303890

Burma
  chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M.
  MARTINEZ
  embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
  mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
  FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
  embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
  telephone: [257] 223454
  FAX: [257] 222926

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY
  embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
  mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438
  FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
  embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
  mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
  FAX: [237] 223-07-53
  branch office(s): Douala

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI
  embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
  telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
  FAX: [1] (613) 688-3097
  consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
  and Vancouver

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
  embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
  mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
  telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17
  FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mattie R.
  SHARPLESS
  embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
  mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
  telephone: [236] 61 02 00
  FAX: [236] 61 44 94

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT
  embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
  mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
  telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
  FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
  embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
  mailing address: APO AA 34033
  telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
  FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
  embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
  FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929
  consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
  Shenyang

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
  embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
  mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038
  telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
  FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Comoros
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador
  to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador
  Aubrey HOOKS
  embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
  mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
  embassy: NA
  mailing address: NA
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
  Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH
  embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
  mailing address: APO AA 34020
  telephone: [506] 220-3939
  FAX: [506] 220-2305

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
  embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
  mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
  telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
  FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
  embassy: Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
  FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Cuba
  none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT,
  Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana;
  telephone: [53] (7) 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance
  required); FAX: [53] (7) 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is
  Switzerland

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
  embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
  Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
  telephone: [357] (22) 776400
  FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
  embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
  FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
  mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
  telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
  FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald YAMAMOTO
  embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
  mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
  telephone: [253] 35 39 95
  FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Dominica
  the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests
  are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL
  embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
  Navarro, Santo Domingo
  mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
  telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
  FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

East Timor
  chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
  embassy: Vila 10, Avenida de Portugal, Farol, Dili
  mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
  DC 20521-8250
  telephone: (670) 332-4684, 331-3205/3160/3472
  FAX: (670) 331-3206

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
  embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
  mailing address: APO AA 34039
  telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
  FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
  consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
  embassy: 5 Latin America St., Garden City, Cairo
  mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
  telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
  FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS
  embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
  Libertad, San Salvador
  mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
  telephone: [503] 278-4444
  FAX: [503] 278-6011

Equatorial Guinea
  the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial
  Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to
  Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department
  is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL
  embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
  mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
  telephone: [291] (1) 120004
  FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS
  embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [372] 668-8100
  FAX: [372] 668-8134

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL
  embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
  telephone: [251] (1) 550666
  FAX: [251] (1) 551328

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
  embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
  mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
  telephone: [679] 331-4466
  FAX: [679] 330-0081

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
  embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
  mailing address: APO AE 09723
  telephone: [358] (9) 616250
  FAX: [358] (9) 174681

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
  embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
  mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
  telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
  FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
  consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas territory of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
  embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
  mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
  telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
  FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
  embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
  mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
  telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
  FAX: [220] 392475

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
  embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
  mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
  telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
  FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS
  embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new
  embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
  mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265
  telephone: [49] (30) 238-5174
  FAX: [49] (30) 238-6290
  consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
  Leipzig, Munich

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
  embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
  mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
  telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
  FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
  none (possession of France)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER
  embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens
  mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
  telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
  FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
  consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited
  to Grenada
  embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's
  mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
  telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
  FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador John Randle HAMILTON
  embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
  mailing address: APO AA 34024
  telephone: [502] 331-1541/55
  FAX: [502] 334-8477

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
  embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry
  mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
  telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23
  FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Guinea-Bissau
  the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in
  the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President
  VIEIRA and military-led junta; for the time being, US embassy Dakar
  is responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221]
  823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD
  embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
  telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
  FAX: [592] 225-8497

Haiti
  chief of mission: Ambassador James B. Foley
  embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
  telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612
  FAX: [509] 223-1641

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim"
  NICHOLSON
  embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
  FAX: [39] (06) 5758346

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER
  embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
  mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
  telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320
  FAX: [504] 236-9037

Hong Kong
  chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH
  consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
  telephone: [852] 2523-9011
  FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER
  embassy: 1054 Szabadsag ter 12, Budapest
  mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
  Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
  telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
  FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
  embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
  mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
  telephone: [354] 5629100
  FAX: [354] 5629118

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. BLACKWILL
  embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [91] (11) 419-8000
  FAX: [91] (11) 419-0017
  consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
  (Bombay)

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
  embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
  mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
  telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
  FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
  consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Iran
  none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN
  embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
  FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
  embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv
  mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830
  telephone: [972] (3) 519-7457/7369/7454/7458/7453
  FAX: [972] (3) 517-4390
  consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission,
  established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign
  government

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER
  embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 46741
  FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
  consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
  embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
  Kingston 5
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
  FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr.
  embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
  mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004
  telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
  FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
  consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
  consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.
  embassy: Abdoun, Amman
  mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
  5, APO AE 09892-0200
  telephone: [962] (6) 5920101
  FAX: [962] (6) 5920121

Juan de Nova Island
  none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry C. NAPPER
  embassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
  480091
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-21, 63-13-75, 50-76-23, 50-76-27
  (emergency number)
  FAX: [7] (3272) 63-38-83

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
  embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606
  Village Market Nairobi
  mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
  telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
  FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Kiribati
  the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador
  to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati

Korea, North
  none (Swedish Embassy in P'yongyang represents the US
  as consular protecting power)

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
  embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
  mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
  telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
  FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES
  embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
  palace), Kuwait City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000,
  APO AE 09880-9000
  telephone: [965] 539-5307, ext. 2240
  FAX: [965] 538-0282

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
  embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
  FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK
  embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane
  mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
  FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [371] 703-6200
  FAX: [371] 781-0047

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent Martin BATTLE
  embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
  mailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2,
  FPO AE 09836-0002
  telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600
  FAX: 011-961-4-544-136

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS
  embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
  telephone: [266] 312666
  FAX: [266] 310116

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
  embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
  1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
  FAX: [231] 226-148

Libya
  the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May
  1980

Liechtenstein
  the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but
  the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
  embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius
  mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
  FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
  embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
  mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
  09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
  9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
  telephone: [352] 46 01 23
  FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Macau
  the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by
  the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  chief of mission:
  Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER
  embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje
  mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
  Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
  telephone: [389] 116-180
  FAX: [389] 117-103

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
  embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
  mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
  telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
  FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWN
  embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
  mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
  telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
  FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marie T. HUHTALA
  embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
  mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
  Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
  telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
  FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Maldives
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US
  Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic
  visits there

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE
  embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
  mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
  telephone: [223] (2) 223-833
  FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony H. GIOIA
  embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
  Malta VLT 01
  mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta
  telephone: [356] 21-235-960
  FAX: [356] 2124-3229

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. SENKO
  embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
  Islands 96960-1379
  telephone: [692] 247-4011
  FAX: [692] 247-4012

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
  embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
  Embassy), Nouakchott
  mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
  telephone: [222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45
  FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
  embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
  mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
  mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
  DC 20521-2450
  telephone: [230] 202-4400
  FAX: [230] 208-9534

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
  embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
  Distrito Federal
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
  telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
  FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834
  consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
  consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry
  M. DINGER
  embassy: address NA, Kolonia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States
  of Micronesia 96941
  telephone: [691] 320-2187
  FAX: [691] 320-2186

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH
  embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72
  FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Monaco
  the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul
  General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. Slutz
  embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [976] (11) 329095
  FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER
  embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
  mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718
  telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
  FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61
  consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
  embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
  mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
  telephone: [258] (1) 492797
  FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
  embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
  mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
  telephone: [264] (61) 221601
  FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Nauru
  the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI
  embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [977] (1) 411179
  FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
  embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
  mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
  telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
  FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
  consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A.
  BOLTON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
  FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
  embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
  96531-1034
  telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
  FAX: [64] (4) 472-3478
  consulate(s) general: Auckland

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
  embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
  mailing address: APO AA 34021
  telephone: [505] 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013
  FAX: [505] 266-9074

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU
  embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
  mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
  telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64
  FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER
  embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
  mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
  telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
  FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
  embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
  mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
  telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
  FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
  embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
  mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
  Muscat
  telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203
  FAX: [968] 699771

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
  embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
  telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
  FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
  consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Palau
  chief of mission: the Ambassador to the Philippines is
  accredited to Palau
  embassy: address NA, Koror
  mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
  telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
  FAX: [680] 488-2911

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
  embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
  Zona 5, Panama City 5
  mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
  telephone: [507] 207-7000
  FAX: [507] 227-1964

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. Fitts
  embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
  mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,
  Washington DC 20521-4240
  telephone: [675] 321-1455
  FAX: [675] 321-3423

Paraguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
  embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
  mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
  telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
  FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador John R. DAWSON
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
  APO AA 34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Philippines
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
  embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
  mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
  telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001
  FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL
  embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw P1
  mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
  5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
  telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
  FAX: [48] (22) 504-2951
  consulate(s) general: Krakow

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador John N. PALMER
  embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
  mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726
  telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
  FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
  consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
  embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha
  mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
  telephone: [974] 488 4101
  FAX: [974] 488 4298

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. GUEST
  embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
  mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State,
  5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
  telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042
  FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395
  branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW
  embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow
  mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721
  telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000
  FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090
  consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION
  embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
  mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
  telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
  FAX: [250] 57 2128

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts
  and Nevis; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint
  Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US
  Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  the US does not have an embassy in
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is
  accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited
  to Samoa
  embassy: Vailima
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
  telephone: [685] 21631/22696
  FAX: [685] 22030

San Marino
  the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US
  Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
  the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome
  and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and
  Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the
  islands

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. JORDAN
  embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
  mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE
  09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693
  telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800
  FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360
  consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet L. ELAM-THOMAS
  embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
  mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
  telephone: [221] 823-4296
  FAX: [221] 822-2991

Serbia and Montenegro
  chief of mission: Ambassador William D.
  MONTGOMERY
  embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade
  mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
  telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344
  FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230

Seychelles
  the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the
  ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS
  embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485
  FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
  embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
  mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001
  telephone: [65] 6476-9100
  FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER
  embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
  FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG
  embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
  mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State,
  7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
  telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
  FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Solomon Islands
  the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands
  (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is
  accredited to the Solomon Islands

Somalia
  the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
  represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road;
  mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;
  telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUME
  embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
  telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
  FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
  consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas
  territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS
  embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
  telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
  FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
  consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS
  embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
  telephone: [94] (1) 448007
  FAX: [94] (1) 437345

Sudan
  US Embassy in Khartoum is located on Sharia Abdul Latif
  Avenue; mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829;
  telephone - [249] (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - [249] (11) 774137

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel A. JOHNSON
  embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
  mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place,
  Washington, DC, 20521-3390
  telephone: [597] 472900
  FAX: [597] 420800

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE
  embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
  mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
  telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
  FAX: [268] 404-5959

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr.
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
  mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
  5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
  telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
  FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III
  embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
  FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF
  embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
  mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
  telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
  FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Taiwan
  none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
  people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial
  instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has
  offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore
  St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703)
  525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7
  Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886]
  (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road,
  5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through
  0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room
  3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333
  Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2)
  2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND
  embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the
  embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is
  still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan,
  telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe)
  FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL
  embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
  telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015
  FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Thailand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON
  embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
  mailing address: APO AP 96546
  telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
  FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
  consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE
  embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome
  mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome
  telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94
  FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
  embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
  mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
  telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176
  FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING
  embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
  Goulette, Tunisia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [216] 71 782-566
  FAX: [216] 71 789-719

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN
  embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
  mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
  telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
  FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
  consulate(s) general: Istanbul
  consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
  embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
  FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador
  to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER
  embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala
  mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
  telephone: [256] (41) 234-142
  FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos E. PASCUAL
  embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynskyi Street, Kiev 01901
  mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
  telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
  FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
  embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
  mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
  telephone: [971] (2) 4436691
  FAX: [971] (2) 4435441
  consulate(s) general: Dubai

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador William S. FARISH
  embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE
  mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
  telephone: [44] (0) 7499-9000
  FAX: [44] (0) 7629-9124
  consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
  embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
  mailing address: APO AA 34035
  telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
  FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST
  embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Vanuatu
  the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador
  to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles S. SHAPIRO
  embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
  Arriba, Caracas 1080
  mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
  telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
  FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond F. BURGHARDT
  embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500
  FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510
  consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edmund J. HULL
  embassy: Dhahar Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
  telephone: [967] (1) 303-161
  FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
  embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
  mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
  telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
  FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
  embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
  telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
  FAX: [263] (4) 796488

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2008 Transportation - note

Arctic Ocean
  sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes;
  the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route
  (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Atlantic Ocean
  Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
  important waterways; significant domestic commercial and
  recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south
  Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Baker Island
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Georgia
  transportation network is in poor condition resulting from
  ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network
  lacks maintenance and repair

Howland Island
  Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the
  west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has
  since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Jarvis Island
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Pacific Ocean
  Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast
  Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)

Southern Ocean
  Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through
  the Panama Canal

Wake Island
  formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used
  by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency
  landings

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2010 Age structure (%)

Afghanistan
  0-14 years: 41.8% (male 6,123,971; female 5,868,013)
  15-64 years: 55.4% (male 8,240,743; female 7,671,242)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 427,710; female 385,534) (2003 est.)

Albania
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 520,714; female 486,911)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 1,115,887; female 1,196,477)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 115,754; female 146,462) (2003 est.)

Algeria
  0-14 years: 32.8% (male 5,485,197; female 5,285,434)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 10,460,475; female 10,224,389)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 624,839; female 738,166) (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)

Andorra
  0-14 years: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974)
  15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.)

Angola
  0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,363,829; female 2,317,610)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,941,999; female 2,842,923)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 134,330; female 165,780) (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  0-14 years: 24.3% (male 1,575; female 1,526)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 4,504; female 4,262)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 387; female 484) (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 9,706; female 9,371)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 22,929; female 22,845)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,218; female 1,828) (2003 est.)

Argentina
  0-14 years: 26.2% (male 5,185,548; female 4,955,551)
  15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,274,625; female 12,282,772)
  65 years and over: 10.4% (male 1,659,641; female 2,382,670) (2003
  est.)

Armenia
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 356,587; female 346,648)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 1,113,241; female 1,158,245)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 147,156; female 204,571) (2003 est.)

Aruba
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955)
  65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.)

Australia
  0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,045,783; female 1,949,864)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 6,680,531; female 6,553,141)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,099,275; female 1,403,390) (2003
  est.)

Austria
  0-14 years: 16.2% (male 678,944; female 646,390)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)
  65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0-14 years: 27.7% (male 1,101,320; female 1,064,214)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,468,772; female 2,601,312)
  65 years and over: 7.6% (male 236,683; female 358,463) (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0-14 years: 28.8% (male 42,799; female 42,730)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 95,718; female 98,875)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 7,092; female 10,263) (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  0-14 years: 28.8% (male 97,294; female 94,930)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 266,351; female 187,473)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 10,807; female 10,383) (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  0-14 years: 34.1% (male 24,255,300; female 23,007,632)
  15-64 years: 62.5% (male 44,261,739; female 42,281,331)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,506,606; female 2,135,602) (2003
  est.)

Barbados
  0-14 years: 21.2% (male 29,621; female 29,207)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 94,840; female 99,230)
  65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,355; female 15,011) (2003 est.)

Belarus
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 885,265; female 848,516)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 3,456,769; female 3,652,766)
  65 years and over: 14.3% (male 490,529; female 988,306) (2003 est.)

Belgium
  0-14 years: 17.2% (male 905,856; female 865,589)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,400,419; female 3,346,182)
  65 years and over: 17.2% (male 725,162; female 1,045,880) (2003 est.)

Belize
  0-14 years: 41.1% (male 55,880; female 53,706)
  15-64 years: 55.3% (male 74,612; female 72,813)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,571; female 4,858) (2003 est.)

Benin
  0-14 years: 47% (male 1,668,817; female 1,638,291)
  15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,739,517; female 1,834,231)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 67,504; female 93,130) (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,195; female 6,205)
  15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,110; female 22,574)
  65 years and over: 11.5% (male 3,215; female 4,183) (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  0-14 years: 39.6% (male 438,784; female 407,919)
  15-64 years: 56.4% (male 621,666; female 585,550)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 43,262; female 42,368) (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,624,366; female 1,562,501)
  15-64 years: 58.4% (male 2,452,892; female 2,561,873)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 172,292; female 212,519) (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0-14 years: 19.4% (male 397,810; female
  377,005)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,439,383; female 1,372,891)
  65 years and over: 10.1% (male 171,643; female 230,286) (2003 est.)

Botswana
  0-14 years: 39.5% (male 314,764; female 307,024)
  15-64 years: 56% (male 424,726; female 455,967)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 30,599; female 40,187) (2003 est.)

Brazil
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 25,151,855; female 24,196,506)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 60,667,014; female 61,683,580)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 4,232,784; female 6,100,865) (2003
  est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 2,401; female 2,358)
  15-64 years: 73.1% (male 8,181; female 7,709)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 578; female 503) (2003 est.)

Brunei
  0-14 years: 29.6% (male 54,118; female 51,902)
  15-64 years: 67.6% (male 128,421; female 113,480)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 4,804; female 5,373) (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  0-14 years: 14.2% (male 549,142; female 520,057)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 2,551,548; female 2,632,978)
  65 years and over: 17% (male 535,165; female 749,039) (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,057,855; female 3,036,705)
  15-64 years: 51% (male 3,296,726; female 3,455,817)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 161,914; female 219,443) (2003 est.)

Burma
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 6,091,220; female 5,840,968)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 14,162,190; female 14,347,751)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 916,702; female 1,151,706) (2003 est.)

Burundi
  0-14 years: 46.7% (male 1,438,759; female 1,409,567)
  15-64 years: 50.6% (male 1,516,833; female 1,564,513)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 66,355; female 100,129) (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  0-14 years: 39.3% (male 2,606,568; female 2,557,736)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 3,599,216; female 3,962,520)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 148,287; female 250,437) (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 3,372,129; female 3,291,295)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,315,672; female 4,265,286)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 227,444; female 274,353) (2003 est.)

Canada
  0-14 years: 18.5% (male 3,052,005; female 2,903,007)
  15-64 years: 68.6% (male 11,099,907; female 10,984,903)
  65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,774,262; female 2,393,029) (2003
  est.)

Cape Verde
  0-14 years: 41% (male 85,254; female 83,716)
  15-64 years: 52.3% (male 103,690; female 111,992)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,498; female 16,987) (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0-14 years: 21.6% (male 4,525; female 4,541)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,463; female 15,157)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 1,515; female 1,733) (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 799,241; female
  788,370)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 969,581; female 1,000,740)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,322; female 72,284) (2003 est.)

Chad
  0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,228,605; female 2,201,368)
  15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,171,169; female 2,393,184)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 105,686; female 153,481) (2003 est.)

Chile
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,112,251; female 2,018,099)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 5,151,551; female 5,180,607)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 499,441; female 703,267) (2003 est.)

China
  0-14 years: 23.1% (male 155,473,656; female 141,737,406)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 461,223,219; female 433,154,970)
  65 years and over: 7.4% (male 44,954,643; female 50,431,574) (2003
  est.)

Christmas Island
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Colombia
  0-14 years: 31.3% (male 6,601,581; female 6,447,679)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 12,931,093; female 13,626,333)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 913,798; female 1,141,589) (2003 est.)

Comoros
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 136,060; female 135,277)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 169,121; female 173,822)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,863; female 9,805) (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0-14 years: 48.3% (male
  13,734,706; female 13,624,579)
  15-64 years: 49.2% (male 13,648,155; female 14,203,077)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 583,366; female 831,156) (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 570,491; female
  563,079)
  15-64 years: 58% (male 844,655; female 868,851)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 44,166; female 63,016) (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0-14 years: 45.4% (male 3,796,393; female 3,902,210)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 4,541,997; female 4,347,531)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 179,323; female 195,037) (2003 est.)

Croatia
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 415,873; female 394,414)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,465,488; female 1,454,778)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 258,943; female 432,752) (2003 est.)

Cuba
  0-14 years: 20.1% (male 1,164,376; female 1,103,061)
  15-64 years: 69.6% (male 3,932,604; female 3,909,523)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 531,608; female 622,257) (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 86,446; female 82,769)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 261,404; female 255,409)
  65 years and over: 11.1% (male 37,345; female 48,284) (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 809,697; female 768,747)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 3,617,214; female 3,614,060)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 554,922; female 884,576) (2003 est.)

Denmark
  0-14 years: 18.7% (male 516,872; female 490,543)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,809,138; female 1,762,577)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 338,141; female 467,113) (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 98,796; female 98,202)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 129,492; female 116,953)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 6,933; female 6,754) (2003 est.)

Dominica
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 9,807; female 9,571)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 23,024; female 21,768)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,226; female 3,259) (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,497,777; female
  1,431,104)
  15-64 years: 61.2% (male 2,719,505; female 2,614,495)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 212,045; female 240,676) (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  0-14 years: 34.9% (male 2,430,303; female 2,351,166)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 4,116,289; female 4,198,667)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 284,082; female 329,727) (2003 est.)

Egypt
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 12,964,852; female 12,346,808)
  15-64 years: 61.9% (male 23,375,037; female 22,865,190)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 1,359,685; female 1,807,225) (2003
  est.)

El Salvador
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,224,024; female 1,173,667)
  15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,777,522; female 1,966,064)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 147,482; female 181,620) (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 108,179; female 107,164)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 132,342; female 143,509)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,576; female 10,703) (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 977,447; female 972,068)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,121,077; female 1,147,109)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 71,620; female 72,933) (2003 est.)

Estonia
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 113,239; female 108,876)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 467,041; female 501,805)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 71,512; female 146,083) (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 14,944,168; female 14,871,164)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 17,474,403; female 17,384,817)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 840,057; female 1,042,944) (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA%

Faroe Islands
  0-14 years: 22% (male 5,103; female 5,077)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 15,822; female 14,002)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,842; female 3,499) (2003 est.)

Fiji
  0-14 years: 32% (male 141,979; female 136,378)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 278,759; female 278,150)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 15,329; female 17,936) (2003 est.)

Finland
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 468,077; female 450,785)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,753,760; female 1,719,253)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 312,883; female 486,027) (2003 est.)

France
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991)
  15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850)
  65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003
  est.)

French Guiana
  0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)

Gabon
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 280,218; female 278,808)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 352,363; female 355,315)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 22,786; female 32,070) (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  0-14 years: 44.9% (male 338,497; female 335,503)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 390,150; female 396,763)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 20,836; female 19,301) (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0-14 years: 49.4% (male 322,658; female 307,026)
  15-64 years: 47.9% (male 310,910; female 299,724)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,645; female 19,905) (2003 est.)

Georgia
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 466,743; female 449,440)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,628,757; female 1,744,922)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 252,031; female 392,520) (2003 est.)

Germany
  0-14 years: 14.9% (male 6,312,614; female 5,988,681)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 28,213,316; female 27,240,648)
  65 years and over: 17.8% (male 5,842,457; female 8,800,610) (2003
  est.)

Ghana
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454)
  15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 2,593; female 2,482)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,458; female 8,946)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 1,873; female 2,424) (2003 est.)

Greece
  0-14 years: 14.7% (male 811,080; female 761,728)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 3,578,320; female 3,557,800)
  65 years and over: 18.3% (male 866,425; female 1,090,636) (2003 est.)

Greenland
  0-14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)
  15-64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)

Grenada
  0-14 years: 35.1% (male 15,840; female 15,492)
  15-64 years: 61.3% (male 28,941; female 25,735)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 1,502; female 1,748) (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 55,521; female 53,137)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 144,764; female 147,449)
  65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,443; female 22,875) (2003 est.)

Guam
  0-14 years: 35.1% (male 30,334; female 27,264)
  15-64 years: 58.4% (male 50,258; female 45,538)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,269; female 5,278) (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 3,052,658; female 2,908,428)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 3,779,688; female 3,706,315)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 215,653; female 246,642) (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 5,216; female 5,061)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 21,433; female 21,835)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 4,705; female 6,568) (2003 est.)

Guinea
  0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,027,970; female 1,986,300)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,358,566; female 2,372,384)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 124,382; female 160,618) (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 284,150; female 285,370)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 358,891; female 392,703)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,285; female 22,428) (2003 est.)

Guyana
  0-14 years: 27% (male 96,775; female 93,077)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 240,305; female 236,378)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,755; female 19,810) (2003 est.)

Haiti
  0-14 years: 42.7% (male 1,637,853; female 1,575,893)
  15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,962,975; female 2,073,353)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 131,784; female 145,959) (2003 est.)

Honduras
  0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,414,791; female 1,357,537)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 1,811,757; female 1,843,456)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 114,791; female 127,457) (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 680,973; female 599,309)
  15-64 years: 71.7% (male 2,619,929; female 2,679,430)
  65 years and over: 11% (male 375,058; female 439,471) (2003 est.)

Hungary
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 832,033; female 787,336)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 3,406,046; female 3,523,118)
  65 years and over: 14.9% (male 544,099; female 952,775) (2003 est.)

Iceland
  0-14 years: 22.7% (male 32,902; female 30,952)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 92,519; female 91,000)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,973; female 18,452) (2003 est.)

India
  0-14 years: 32.2% (male 173,973,350; female 163,979,116)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 342,620,712; female 319,259,867)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,281,756; female 24,585,317) (2003
  est.)

Indonesia
  0-14 years: 29.7% (male 35,437,274; female 34,232,824)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 76,743,613; female 76,845,245)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 5,086,465; female 6,548,032) (2003
  est.)

Iran
  0-14 years: 29.3% (male 10,279,588; female 9,727,668)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 22,916,431; female 22,095,124)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,625,113; female 1,634,902) (2003
  est.)

Iraq
  0-14 years: 40.7% (male 5,103,669; female 4,946,443)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 7,033,268; female 6,855,644)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 348,790; female 395,499) (2003 est.)

Ireland
  0-14 years: 21.2% (male 427,017; female 404,191)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 1,322,982; female 1,322,429)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 194,724; female 252,797) (2003 est.)

Israel
  0-14 years: 26.9% (male 842,885; female 803,864)
  15-64 years: 63.2% (male 1,941,440; female 1,922,512)
  65 years and over: 9.9% (male 260,315; female 345,517) (2003 est.)

Italy
  0-14 years: 14% (male 4,193,412; female 3,947,679)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 19,625,428; female 19,337,861)
  65 years and over: 18.8% (male 4,516,995; female 6,376,978) (2003
  est.)

Jamaica
  0-14 years: 28.6% (male 395,074; female 376,870)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 870,486; female 869,431)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 82,022; female 101,984) (2003 est.)

Japan
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 9,368,132; female 8,906,024)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 42,852,204; female 42,368,109)
  65 years and over: 18.6% (male 9,945,638; female 13,774,392) (2003
  est.)

Jersey
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 8,292; female 7,744)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 30,178; female 30,410)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 5,858; female 7,674) (2003 est.)

Jordan
  0-14 years: 35.9% (male 1,001,174; female 959,157)
  15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,764,061; female 1,541,453)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 95,566; female 98,854) (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0-14 years: 25.4% (male 2,161,510; female 2,089,780)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 5,425,545; female 5,769,457)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 458,379; female 859,124) (2003 est.)

Kenya
  0-14 years: 41.3% (male 6,609,904; female 6,461,945)
  15-64 years: 55.8% (male 8,900,615; female 8,766,698)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 389,918; female 510,011) (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 19,839; female 19,333)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 27,705; female 28,438)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,385; female 1,849) (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  0-14 years: 25% (male 2,845,727; female 2,763,800)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,485,310; female 7,746,603)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 541,155; female 1,083,886) (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 5,256,451; female 4,703,853)
  15-64 years: 71.5% (male 17,527,407; female 16,991,229)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,512,157; female 2,297,940) (2003
  est.)

Kuwait
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 310,008; female 298,474)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 970,282; female 547,753)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 36,306; female 20,338) (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0-14 years: 33.8% (male 836,593; female 819,615)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 1,436,371; female 1,492,884)
  65 years and over: 6.3% (male 117,405; female 189,940) (2003 est.)

Laos
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 1,255,172; female 1,242,823)
  15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,592,697; female 1,639,431)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,192; female 104,230) (2003 est.)

Latvia
  0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 514,447; female 494,166)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,177,773; female 1,286,433)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 115,693; female 139,191) (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  0-14 years: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)

Liberia
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 724,960; female 716,831)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 858,191; female 898,851)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 59,539; female 58,804) (2003 est.)

Libya
  0-14 years: 34.5% (male 970,026; female 929,174)
  15-64 years: 61.4% (male 1,744,992; female 1,630,399)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 109,262; female 115,221) (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740)
  65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 323,776; female 310,087)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,188,171; female 1,268,035)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 169,513; female 332,979) (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 44,182; female 41,640)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 152,963; female 151,061)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 26,060; female 38,251) (2003 est.)

Macau
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)
  15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 235,102; female 217,574) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 700,929; female 691,552) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 96,039; female 121,926) (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958)
  15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)

Malawi
  0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,748,058; female 2,698,052)
  15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,911,892; female 2,973,723)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 128,722; female 190,792) (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  0-14 years: 33.7% (male 4,001,507; female 3,777,896)
  15-64 years: 61.9% (male 7,163,252; female 7,131,745)
  65 years and over: 4.4% (male 447,230; female 571,310) (2003 est.)

Maldives
  0-14 years: 44.9% (male 75,991; female 71,826)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 87,734; female 84,150)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 5,073; female 4,910) (2003 est.)

Mali
  0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,759,802; female 2,727,226)
  15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,771,532; female 3,017,348)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 161,983; female 188,328) (2003 est.)

Malta
  0-14 years: 19.5% (male 40,448; female 37,623)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 136,221; female 134,142)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 21,730; female 30,256) (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 6,637; female 6,337)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,373; female 24,165)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,102; female 7,647) (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  0-14 years: 39.1% (male 11,233; female 10,819)
  15-64 years: 58.2% (male 16,857; female 16,003)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 726; female 791) (2003 est.)

Martinique
  0-14 years: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  0-14 years: 46% (male 671,080; female 668,408)
  15-64 years: 51.8% (male 743,573; female 764,358)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,669; female 38,496) (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  0-14 years: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 41,632; female 41,301)
  15-64 years: 51.8% (male 50,373; female 42,118)
  65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,502; female 1,511) (2003 est.)

Mexico
  0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728)
  15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003
  est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 21,163;
  female 20,335)
  15-64 years: 58.5% (male 31,746; female 31,477)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,558; female 1,864) (2003 est.)

Moldova
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)

Monaco
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,551; female 2,445)
  15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,814; female 10,130)
  65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,937; female 4,253) (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 423,081; female 408,119)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 890,482; female 892,140)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 42,292; female 56,201) (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
  15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)

Morocco
  0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168)
  15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,634,173; female 3,725,396)
  15-64 years: 55.3% (male 4,712,891; female 4,945,123)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 189,778; female 271,905) (2003 est.)

Namibia
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 414,559; female 404,346)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 517,469; female 522,549)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,038; female 38,486) (2003 est.)

Nauru
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 2,517; female 2,368)
  15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,681; female 3,779)
  65 years and over: 1.8% (male 116; female 109) (2003 est.)

Nepal
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,424,396; female 5,080,171)
  15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,692,134; female 7,320,059)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 468,697; female 484,112) (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  0-14 years: 18.2% (male 1,501,127; female 1,436,453)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,576,141; female 5,389,764)
  65 years and over: 13.9% (male 929,087; female 1,317,939) (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 27,383; female 26,122)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 69,233; female 75,956)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 7,244; female 10,288) (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  0-14 years: 29.7% (male 31,990; female 30,695)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 68,093; female 67,205)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,016; female 6,799) (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 443,837; female 423,118)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,318,751; female 1,307,796)
  65 years and over: 11.6% (male 199,722; female 258,083) (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.)

Niger
  0-14 years: 47.6% (male 2,686,169; female 2,581,785)
  15-64 years: 50.2% (male 2,710,554; female 2,842,319)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 125,505; female 112,258) (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  0-14 years: 43.6% (male 29,322,774; female 28,990,702)
  15-64 years: 53.6% (male 36,513,700; female 35,254,333)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,890,043; female 1,910,151) (2003
  est.)

Niue
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  0-14 years: 20.2%
  15-64 years: 63.9%
  65 years and over: 15.9% (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0-14 years: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168)
  15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041)
  65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.)

Norway
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 465,320; female 439,095)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,501,608; female 1,462,590)
  65 years and over: 14.9% (male 281,554; female 395,956) (2003 est.)

Oman
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 603,664; female 580,469)
  15-64 years: 55.4% (male 934,621; female 620,158)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 36,504; female 31,709) (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  0-14 years: 39.3% (male 30,463,958; female 28,726,776)
  15-64 years: 56.5% (male 43,571,093; female 41,651,872)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,051,674; female 3,229,367) (2003
  est.)

Palau
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 2,714; female 2,552)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 7,352; female 6,197)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 429; female 473) (2003 est.)

Panama
  0-14 years: 30.6% (male 461,670; female 443,671)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 950,089; female 924,038)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 86,006; female 95,310) (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 1,034,219; female 1,000,505)
  15-64 years: 57.8% (male 1,582,983; female 1,479,436)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 93,604; female 105,069) (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  0-14 years: 38.4% (male 1,179,084; female 1,141,420)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 1,721,867; female 1,707,918)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 132,145; female 154,466) (2003 est.)

Peru
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 4,828,531; female 4,678,008)
  15-64 years: 61.5% (male 8,794,799; female 8,689,072)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 652,375; female 767,112) (2003 est.)

Philippines
  0-14 years: 36.2% (male 15,625,480; female 15,028,498)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 25,206,467; female 25,485,482)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,427,238; female 1,846,809) (2003
  est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Poland
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 3,458,844; female 3,284,995)
  15-64 years: 69.8% (male 13,407,012; female 13,547,728)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,879,445; female 3,044,636) (2003
  est.)

Portugal
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 874,198; female 825,742)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 3,326,957; female 3,461,425)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 651,697; female 962,003) (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0-14 years: 22.9% (male 454,908; female 434,555)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,212,764; female 1,322,356)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 200,669; female 260,625) (2003 est.)

Qatar
  0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
  15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.)

Reunion
  0-14 years: 31.3% (male 121,119; female 115,501)
  15-64 years: 62.8% (male 233,607; female 240,502)
  65 years and over: 5.9% (male 18,036; female 26,406) (2003 est.)

Romania
  0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,932,204; female 1,838,240)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 7,634,481; female 7,739,232)
  65 years and over: 14% (male 1,290,343; female 1,837,339) (2003 est.)

Russia
  0-14 years: 16% (male 11,815,360; female 11,335,715)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 49,399,322; female 52,367,194)
  65 years and over: 13.6% (male 6,394,411; female 13,214,276) (2003
  est.)

Rwanda
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,667,128; female 1,651,422)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 2,128,495; female 2,148,694)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,576; female 128,741) (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 704; female 685)
  15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,732; female 2,545)
  65 years and over: 9.5% (male 309; female 392) (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0-14 years: 29% (male 5,754; female 5,499)
  15-64 years: 62.4% (male 12,098; female 12,105)
  65 years and over: 8.5% (male 1,365; female 1,942) (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 25,883; female 24,569)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 50,711; female 52,508)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,147; female 5,339) (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0-14 years: 25% (male 891; female 851)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,306; female 2,210)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 310; female 408) (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0-14 years: 28.2% (male 16,755;
  female 16,163)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 39,308; female 37,149)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,215; female 4,222) (2003 est.)

Samoa
  0-14 years: 29.4% (male 26,613; female 25,715)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 72,135; female 42,903)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,980; female 5,827) (2003 est.)

San Marino
  0-14 years: 16.3% (male 2,364; female 2,220)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 9,149; female 9,731)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 2,009; female 2,646) (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0-14 years: 47.7% (male 42,480; female 41,411)
  15-64 years: 48.3% (male 41,043; female 43,986)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 3,197; female 3,766) (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 5,245,413; female 5,028,595)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,700,121; female 5,622,099)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 393,173; female 304,443) (2003 est.)

Senegal
  0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,330,395; female 2,289,706)
  15-64 years: 53.3% (male 2,707,195; female 2,929,998)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 156,514; female 166,499) (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0-14 years: 19.3% (male 1,062,625; female
  990,071)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 3,422,543; female 3,548,058)
  65 years and over: 15.3% (male 696,716; female 935,761) (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  0-14 years: 27.3% (male 11,116; female 10,844)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 26,068; female 27,425)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,654; female 3,362) (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,259,421; female 1,310,516)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,420,900; female 1,557,597)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 89,078; female 95,169) (2003 est.)

Singapore
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)
  15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  0-14 years: 15.3% (male 152,341; female 144,189)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 687,939; female 666,194)
  65 years and over: 14.7% (male 105,837; female 179,177) (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.)

Somalia
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,802,154; female 1,792,749)
  15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,120,934; female 2,093,699)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 93,682; female 121,972) (2003 est.)

South Africa
  0-14 years: 30% (male 6,460,273; female 6,377,090)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 13,807,922; female 13,970,088)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 864,441; female 1,288,864) (2003 est.)

Spain
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003
  est.)

Sri Lanka
  0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,543,336; female 2,431,223)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 6,518,145; female 6,890,424)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 641,708; female 717,603) (2003 est.)

Sudan
  0-14 years: 44% (male 8,562,412; female 8,195,201)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 10,260,581; female 10,246,045)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 468,898; female 381,023) (2003 est.)

Suriname
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 68,536; female 65,165)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 141,048; female 134,699)
  65 years and over: 6% (male 11,686; female 14,315) (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  0-14 years: 41.4% (male 242,762; female 238,141)
  15-64 years: 55.1% (male 317,526; female 321,709)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 18,040; female 23,041) (2003 est.)

Sweden
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 804,296; female 763,213)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 2,933,183; female 2,835,835)
  65 years and over: 17.3% (male 654,575; female 886,983) (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 623,428; female 591,709)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,519,302; female 2,439,560)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 470,257; female 674,382) (2003 est.)

Syria
  0-14 years: 38.6% (male 3,494,473; female 3,290,699)
  15-64 years: 58.2% (male 5,238,026; female 4,991,588)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,744; female 296,010) (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,366,560; female 2,175,886)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 8,095,741; female 7,871,954)
  65 years and over: 9.3% (male 1,074,112; female 1,018,747) (2003
  est.)

Tajikistan
  0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  0-14 years: 44.3% (male 7,988,898; female 7,938,979)
  15-64 years: 53.1% (male 9,429,959; female 9,634,102)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 405,803; female 524,713) (2003 est.)

Thailand
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 7,955,597; female 7,604,652)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 21,819,445; female 22,362,085)
  65 years and over: 7% (male 2,081,768; female 2,441,729) (2003 est.)

Togo
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  0-14 years: 42%
  15-64 years: 53%
  65 years and over: 5% (2003 est.)

Tonga
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0-14 years: 22.2% (male 125,470; female 119,270)
  15-64 years: 70% (male 402,137; female 370,600)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 38,928; female 47,804) (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  0-14 years: 27% (male 1,388,839; female 1,297,313)
  15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,306,782; female 3,299,883)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 309,103; female 322,822) (2003 est.)

Turkey
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 9,422,242; female 9,082,840)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 22,978,251; female 22,243,477)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 2,013,926; female 2,368,733) (2003
  est.)

Turkmenistan
  0-14 years: 36.8% (male 899,954; female 855,293)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,386,606; female 1,438,333)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 74,958; female 120,400) (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  0-14 years: 31.9% (male 1,838; female 1,772)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 3,432; female 3,687)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 231; female 345) (2003 est.)

Uganda
  0-14 years: 50.8% (male 6,528,724; female 6,486,736)
  15-64 years: 46.8% (male 5,985,911; female 6,024,798)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 266,930; female 339,695) (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  0-14 years: 16.3% (male 4,004,948; female 3,832,931)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,779,735; female 17,225,103)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 2,419,612; female 4,793,110) (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 338,245; female 324,866)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,087,927; female 661,349)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 52,059; female 20,372) (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,621,590; female 5,350,319)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 20,067,529; female 19,626,123)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 3,987,457; female 5,441,630) (2003
  est.)

United States
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 31,098,473; female 29,675,712)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 96,628,469; female 97,061,559)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 14,888,185; female 20,990,156) (2003
  est.)

Uruguay
  0-14 years: 24.3% (male 425,642; female 404,987)
  15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,057,187; female 1,079,549)
  65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,696; female 263,268) (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0-14 years: 34.7% (male 4,594,721; female 4,431,653)
  15-64 years: 60.5% (male 7,781,739; female 7,945,641)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 497,692; female 730,201) (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  0-14 years: 34.8% (male 35,499; female 33,992)
  15-64 years: 61.8% (male 63,021; female 60,149)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 3,605; female 3,148) (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  0-14 years: 31% (male 3,944,749; female 3,700,799)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 7,931,194; female 7,864,697)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 552,291; female 660,964) (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  0-14 years: 30.2% (male 12,699,002; female 11,967,674)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 25,776,600; female 26,599,005)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,902,464; female 2,679,971) (2003
  est.)

Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 26% (male 16,685; female 15,794)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 36,241; female 44,157)
  65 years and over: 9.5% (male 5,078; female 6,823) (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

West Bank
  0-14 years: 44.1% (male 505,880; female 481,369)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 598,992; female 572,511)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 33,688; female 44,754) (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

World
  0-14 years: 29.2% (male 932,581,592; female 885,688,851)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,009,997,089; female 1,964,938,201)
  65 years and over: 7.1% (male 193,549,180; female 247,067,032) (2003
  est.)
  note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
  a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
  the total for world age structure

Yemen
  0-14 years: 46.8% (male 4,606,110; female 4,446,229)
  15-64 years: 50.4% (male 4,972,946; female 4,778,034)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 272,921; female 273,641) (2003 est.)

Zambia
  0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,396,313; female 2,378,567)
  15-64 years: 50.9% (male 2,626,961; female 2,621,818)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,196; female 152,478) (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0-14 years: 39.7% (male 2,517,608; female 2,471,342)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,600,832; female 3,542,497)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 224,631; female 219,832) (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2011 Geographic coordinates

Afghanistan
  33 00 N, 65 00 E

Albania
  41 00 N, 20 00 E

Algeria
  28 00 N, 3 00 E

American Samoa
  14 20 S, 170 00 W

Andorra
  42 30 N, 1 30 E

Angola
  12 30 S, 18 30 E

Anguilla
  18 15 N, 63 10 W

Antarctica
  90 00 S, 0 00 E

Antigua and Barbuda
  17 03 N, 61 48 W

Arctic Ocean
  90 00 N, 0 00 E

Argentina
  34 00 S, 64 00 W

Armenia
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Aruba
  12 30 N, 69 58 W

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  12 14 S, 123 05 E

Atlantic Ocean
  0 00 N, 25 00 W

Australia
  27 00 S, 133 00 E

Austria
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Azerbaijan
  40 30 N, 47 30 E

Bahamas, The
  24 15 N, 76 00 W

Bahrain
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Baker Island
  0 13 N, 176 31 W

Bangladesh
  24 00 N, 90 00 E

Barbados
  13 10 N, 59 32 W

Bassas da India
  21 30 S, 39 50 E

Belarus
  53 00 N, 28 00 E

Belgium
  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Belize
  17 15 N, 88 45 W

Benin
  9 30 N, 2 15 E

Bermuda
  32 20 N, 64 45 W

Bhutan
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bolivia
  17 00 S, 65 00 W

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  44 00 N, 18 00 E

Botswana
  22 00 S, 24 00 E

Bouvet Island
  54 26 S, 3 24 E

Brazil
  10 00 S, 55 00 W

British Indian Ocean Territory
  6 00 S, 71 30 E

British Virgin Islands
  18 30 N, 64 30 W

Brunei
  4 30 N, 114 40 E

Bulgaria
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Burkina Faso
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Burma
  22 00 N, 98 00 E

Burundi
  3 30 S, 30 00 E

Cambodia
  13 00 N, 105 00 E

Cameroon
  6 00 N, 12 00 E

Canada
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Cape Verde
  16 00 N, 24 00 W

Cayman Islands
  19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central African Republic
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Chad
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Chile
  30 00 S, 71 00 W

China
  35 00 N, 105 00 E

Christmas Island
  10 30 S, 105 40 E

Clipperton Island
  10 17 N, 109 13 W

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  12 30 S, 96 50 E

Colombia
  4 00 N, 72 00 W

Comoros
  12 10 S, 44 15 E

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Congo, Republic of the
  1 00 S, 15 00 E

Cook Islands
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Coral Sea Islands
  18 00 S, 152 00 E

Costa Rica
  10 00 N, 84 00 W

Cote d'Ivoire
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Croatia
  45 10 N, 15 30 E

Cuba
  21 30 N, 80 00 W

Cyprus
  35 00 N, 33 00 E

Czech Republic
  49 45 N, 15 30 E

Denmark
  56 00 N, 10 00 E

Djibouti
  11 30 N, 43 00 E

Dominica
  15 25 N, 61 20 W

Dominican Republic
  19 00 N, 70 40 W

East Timor
  8 50 S, 125 55 E

Ecuador
  2 00 S, 77 30 W

Egypt
  27 00 N, 30 00 E

El Salvador
  13 50 N, 88 55 W

Equatorial Guinea
  2 00 N, 10 00 E

Eritrea
  15 00 N, 39 00 E

Estonia
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Ethiopia
  8 00 N, 38 00 E

Europa Island
  22 20 S, 40 22 E

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  51 45 S, 59 00 W

Faroe Islands
  62 00 N, 7 00 W

Fiji
  18 00 S, 175 00 E

Finland
  64 00 N, 26 00 E

France
  46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana
  4 00 N, 53 00 W

French Polynesia
  15 00 S, 140 00 W

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  43 00 S, 67 00 E

Gabon
  1 00 S, 11 45 E

Gambia, The
  13 28 N, 16 34 W

Gaza Strip
  31 25 N, 34 20 E

Georgia
  42 00 N, 43 30 E

Germany
  51 00 N, 9 00 E

Ghana
  8 00 N, 2 00 W

Gibraltar
  36 8 N, 5 21 W

Glorioso Islands
  11 30 S, 47 20 E

Greece
  39 00 N, 22 00 E

Greenland
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Grenada
  12 07 N, 61 40 W

Guadeloupe
  16 15 N, 61 35 W

Guam
  13 28 N, 144 47 E

Guatemala
  15 30 N, 90 15 W

Guernsey
  49 28 N, 2 35 W

Guinea
  11 00 N, 10 00 W

Guinea-Bissau
  12 00 N, 15 00 W

Guyana
  5 00 N, 59 00 W

Haiti
  19 00 N, 72 25 W

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  53 06 S, 72 31 E

Holy See (Vatican City)
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Honduras
  15 00 N, 86 30 W

Hong Kong
  22 15 N, 114 10 E

Howland Island
  0 48 N, 176 38 W

Hungary
  47 00 N, 20 00 E

Iceland
  65 00 N, 18 00 W

India
  20 00 N, 77 00 E

Indian Ocean
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Indonesia
  5 00 S, 120 00 E

Iran
  32 00 N, 53 00 E

Iraq
  33 00 N, 44 00 E

Ireland
  53 00 N, 8 00 W

Israel
  31 30 N, 34 45 E

Italy
  42 50 N, 12 50 E

Jamaica
  18 15 N, 77 30 W

Jan Mayen
  71 00 N, 8 00 W

Japan
  36 00 N, 138 00 E

Jarvis Island
  0 22 S, 160 03 W

Jersey
  49 15 N, 2 10 W

Johnston Atoll
  16 45 N, 169 31 W

Jordan
  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Juan de Nova Island
  17 03 S, 42 45 E

Kazakhstan
  48 00 N, 68 00 E

Kenya
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Kingman Reef
  6 24 N, 162 24 W

Kiribati
  1 25 N, 173 00 E

Korea, North
  40 00 N, 127 00 E

Korea, South
  37 00 N, 127 30 E

Kuwait
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Kyrgyzstan
  41 00 N, 75 00 E

Laos
  18 00 N, 105 00 E

Latvia
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Lebanon
  33 50 N, 35 50 E

Lesotho
  29 30 S, 28 30 E

Liberia
  6 30 N, 9 30 W

Libya
  25 00 N, 17 00 E

Liechtenstein
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Lithuania
  56 00 N, 24 00 E

Luxembourg
  49 45 N, 6 10 E

Macau
  22 10 N, 113 33 E

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  41 50 N, 22 00 E

Madagascar
  20 00 S, 47 00 E

Malawi
  13 30 S, 34 00 E

Malaysia
  2 30 N, 112 30 E

Maldives
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Mali
  17 00 N, 4 00 W

Malta
  35 50 N, 14 35 E

Man, Isle of
  54 15 N, 4 30 W

Marshall Islands
  9 00 N, 168 00 E

Martinique
  14 40 N, 61 00 W

Mauritania
  20 00 N, 12 00 W

Mauritius
  20 17 S, 57 33 E

Mayotte
  12 50 S, 45 10 E

Mexico
  23 00 N, 102 00 W

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6 55 N, 158 15 E

Midway Islands
  28 13 N, 177 22 W

Moldova
  47 00 N, 29 00 E

Monaco
  43 44 N, 7 24 E

Mongolia
  46 00 N, 105 00 E

Montserrat
  16 45 N, 62 12 W

Morocco
  32 00 N, 5 00 W

Mozambique
  18 15 S, 35 00 E

Namibia
  22 00 S, 17 00 E

Nauru
  0 32 S, 166 55 E

Navassa Island
  18 25 N, 75 02 W

Nepal
  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Netherlands
  52 30 N, 5 45 E

Netherlands Antilles
  12 15 N, 68 45 W

New Caledonia
  21 30 S, 165 30 E

New Zealand
  41 00 S, 174 00 E

Nicaragua
  13 00 N, 85 00 W

Niger
  16 00 N, 8 00 E

Nigeria
  10 00 N, 8 00 E

Niue
  19 02 S, 169 52 W

Norfolk Island
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Northern Mariana Islands
  15 12 N, 145 45 E

Norway
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Oman
  21 00 N, 57 00 E

Pacific Ocean
  0 00 N, 160 00 W

Pakistan
  30 00 N, 70 00 E

Palau
  7 30 N, 134 30 E

Palmyra Atoll
  5 52 N, 162 06 W

Panama
  9 00 N, 80 00 W

Papua New Guinea
  6 00 S, 147 00 E

Paracel Islands
  16 30 N, 112 00 E

Paraguay
  23 00 S, 58 00 W

Peru
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Philippines
  13 00 N, 122 00 E

Pitcairn Islands
  25 04 S, 130 06 W

Poland
  52 00 N, 20 00 E

Portugal
  39 30 N, 8 00 W

Puerto Rico
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Qatar
  25 30 N, 51 15 E

Reunion
  21 06 S, 55 36 E

Romania
  46 00 N, 25 00 E

Russia
  60 00 N, 100 00 E

Rwanda
  2 00 S, 30 00 E

Saint Helena
  15 56 S, 5 42 W

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  17 20 N, 62 45 W

Saint Lucia
  13 53 N, 60 68 W

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  46 50 N, 56 20 W

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  13 15 N, 61 12 W

Samoa
  13 35 S, 172 20 W

San Marino
  43 46 N, 12 25 E

Sao Tome and Principe
  1 00 N, 7 00 E

Saudi Arabia
  25 00 N, 45 00 E

Senegal
  14 00 N, 14 00 W

Serbia and Montenegro
  44 00 N, 21 00 E

Seychelles
  4 35 S, 55 40 E

Sierra Leone
  8 30 N, 11 30 W

Singapore
  1 22 N, 103 48 E

Slovakia
  48 40 N, 19 30 E

Slovenia
  46 07 N, 14 49 E

Solomon Islands
  8 00 S, 159 00 E

Somalia
  10 00 N, 49 00 E

South Africa
  29 00 S, 24 00 E

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  54 30 S, 37 00 W

Southern Ocean
  65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean
  has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of
  water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of
  water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of
  Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Spain
  40 00 N, 4 00 W

Spratly Islands
  8 38 N, 111 55 E

Sri Lanka
  7 00 N, 81 00 E

Sudan
  15 00 N, 30 00 E

Suriname
  4 00 N, 56 00 W

Svalbard
  78 00 N, 20 00 E

Swaziland
  26 30 S, 31 30 E

Sweden
  62 00 N, 15 00 E

Switzerland
  47 00 N, 8 00 E

Syria
  35 00 N, 38 00 E

Taiwan
  23 30 N, 121 00 E

Tajikistan
  39 00 N, 71 00 E

Tanzania
  6 00 S, 35 00 E

Thailand
  15 00 N, 100 00 E

Togo
  8 00 N, 1 10 E

Tokelau
  9 00 S, 172 00 W

Tonga
  20 00 S, 175 00 W

Trinidad and Tobago
  11 00 N, 61 00 W

Tromelin Island
  15 52 S, 54 25 E

Tunisia
  34 00 N, 9 00 E

Turkey
  39 00 N, 35 00 E

Turkmenistan
  40 00 N, 60 00 E

Turks and Caicos Islands
  21 45 N, 71 35 W

Tuvalu
  8 00 S, 178 00 E

Uganda
  1 00 N, 32 00 E

Ukraine
  49 00 N, 32 00 E

United Arab Emirates
  24 00 N, 54 00 E

United Kingdom
  54 00 N, 2 00 W

United States
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

Uruguay
  33 00 S, 56 00 W

Uzbekistan
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Vanuatu
  16 00 S, 167 00 E

Venezuela
  8 00 N, 66 00 W

Vietnam
  16 00 N, 106 00 E

Virgin Islands
  18 20 N, 64 50 W

Wake Island
  19 17 N, 166 36 E

Wallis and Futuna
  13 18 S, 176 12 W

West Bank
  32 00 N, 35 15 E

Western Sahara
  24 30 N, 13 00 W

Yemen
  15 00 N, 48 00 E

Zambia
  15 00 S, 30 00 E

Zimbabwe
  20 00 S, 30 00 E

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2012 GDP - composition by sector (%)

Afghanistan
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 20%
  services: 20% (1990 est.)

Albania
  agriculture: 49%
  industry: 27%
  services: 24% (2002 est.)

Algeria
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 60%
  services: 32% (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Andorra
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Angola
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 67%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 78% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  agriculture: 3.9%
  industry: 19.2%
  services: 76.8% (2002)

Argentina
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 28%
  services: 66% (2000 est.)

Armenia
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 26%
  services: 44% (2001 est.)

Aruba
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Australia
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71% (2001 est.)

Austria
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 33%
  services: 65% (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 33%
  services: 47% (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 7%
  services: 90% (1999 est.)

Bahrain
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 35%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 19%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Barbados
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 16%
  services: 78% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 40%
  services: 45% (2002 est.)

Belgium
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 24.4%
  services: 74.3% (2001)

Belize
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 24%
  services: 58% (2001 est.)

Benin
  agriculture: 38%
  industry: 15%
  services: 47% (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 10%
  services: 89% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 10%
  services: 45% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 20%
  services: 60% (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 40.9%
  services: 46.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 44% (including 36% mining)
  services: 52% (2001 est.)

Brazil
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 36%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1.8%
  industry: 6.2%
  services: 92% (1996 est.)

Brunei
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 45%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture: 13.7%
  industry: 28.5%
  services: 57.9% (2001)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 17%
  services: 48% (2001)

Burma
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 9%
  services: 31% (2002 est.)

Burundi
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 19%
  services: 31% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 20%
  services: 40% (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture: 46%
  industry: 21%
  services: 33% (2001 est.)

Canada
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 26.5%
  services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 17%
  services: 72% (2001)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 3.2%
  services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Central African Republic
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Chad
  agriculture: 38%
  industry: 13%
  services: 49% (2001 est.)

Chile
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 34%
  services: 56% (2001)

China
  agriculture: 15.2%
  industry and construction: 51.2%
  services: 33.6% (2001)

Christmas Island
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Colombia
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 30%
  services: 57% (2001 est.)

Comoros
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 4%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 11%
  services: 34% (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 48%
  services: 42% (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 7.8%
  services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 30%
  services: 61% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  agriculture: 29%
  industry: 22%
  services: 49% (2001 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 33%
  services: 58% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  agriculture: 7.6%
  industry: 34.5%
  services: 57.9% (2000 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.6%; industry 19.9%;
  services 19.9%
  Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 75.5%; industry 20.7%; services
  71% (2001)

Czech Republic
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 41%
  services: 55.2% (2001)

Denmark
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 15.8%
  services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Dominica
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 24%
  services: 58% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 34%
  services: 55% (2001)

East Timor
  agriculture: 25.4%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 57.4% (2001)

Ecuador
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 33%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 34%
  services: 49% (2001)

El Salvador
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 30%
  services: 60% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 60%
  services: 20% (1999 est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 29%
  services: 54% (2001 est.)

Estonia
  agriculture: 5.8%
  industry: 28.6%
  services: 65.6% (2001)

Ethiopia
  agriculture: 52%
  industry: 11%
  services: 37% (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Faroe Islands
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 11%
  services: 62% (1999)

Fiji
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 25%
  services: 58% (2000 est.)

Finland
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 34%
  services: 62% (2002 est.)

France
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71% (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

French Polynesia
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 18%
  services: 76% (1997)

Gabon
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 60%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  agriculture: 33%
  industry: 13%
  services: 54% (1999 est.)

Gaza Strip
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 28%
  services: 63% (includes West Bank)

Georgia
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 25%
  services: 55% (2002 est.)

Germany
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 31%
  services: 68% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  agriculture: 36%
  industry: 25%
  services: 39% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Greece
  agriculture: 8.1%
  industry: 22.3%
  services: 69.3% (2002 est.)

Greenland
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Grenada
  agriculture: 7.7%
  industry: 23.9%
  services: 68.4% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 17%
  services: 68% (1997 est.)

Guam
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 15%
  services: 78% (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  agriculture: 23%
  industry: 20%
  services: 57% (2001 est.)

Guernsey
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 10%
  services: 87% (2000)

Guinea
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 37%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture: 62%
  industry: 12%
  services: 26% (1999 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 21%
  services: 44% (2002 est.)

Haiti
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 20%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Honduras
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 32%
  services: 54% (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 13.4%
  services: 86.5% (2001 est.)

Hungary
  agriculture: 4.1%
  industry: 33.8%
  services: 62.1% (2000 est.)

Iceland
  agriculture: 14% (includes fishing 12%)
  industry: 21%
  services: 65% (2001 est.)

India
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 25%
  services: 50% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 41%
  services: 42% (2001 est.)

Iran
  agriculture: 19%
  industry: 26%
  services: 55% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 13%
  services: 81% (1993 est.)

Ireland
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 46%
  services: 49% (2002 est.)

Israel
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 30%
  services: 67% (2001 est.)

Italy
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 30%
  services: 67.6% (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 31%
  services: 63% (2002 est.)

Japan
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 30.9%
  services: 67.7% (2001 est.)

Jersey
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 2%
  services: 93% (1996)

Jordan
  agriculture: 3.7%
  industry: 26%
  services: 70.3% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 40%
  services: 51% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  agriculture: 24%
  industry: 13%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 7%
  services: 63% (1998 est.)

Korea, North
  agriculture: 30.4%
  industry: 32.3%
  services: 37.3% (2000 est.)

Korea, South
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 41.6%
  services: 54% (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 39.7%
  services: 0.3% (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 25%
  services: 40% (2002 est.)

Laos
  agriculture: 53%
  industry: 23%
  services: 24% (2001 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 26%
  services: 69.5% (2001)

Lebanon
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 21%
  services: 67% (2000)

Lesotho
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 46%
  services: 34% (2001)

Liberia
  agriculture: 74%
  industry: 7%
  services: 19% (2001 est.)

Libya
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 45%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: 40%
  services: NA% (1999)

Lithuania
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 31%
  services: 61% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 30%
  services: 69% (2000 est.)

Macau
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 12%
  services: 87% (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 31%
  services: 58% (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 12%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

Malawi
  agriculture: 37%
  industry: 16%
  services: 47% (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 40%
  services: 48% (2001)

Maldives
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 18%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Mali
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 17%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Malta
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 25.5%
  services: 71.7% (1999)

Man, Isle of
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 13%
  services: 86% (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 16%
  services: 70% (2000 est.)

Martinique
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 11%
  services: 83% (1997 est.)

Mauritania
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 29%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 33%
  services: 61% (1999 est.)

Mayotte
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Mexico
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 26%
  services: 69% (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 4%
  services: 46% (2000 est.)

Moldova
  agriculture: 28%
  industry: 23%
  services: 49% (2000)

Monaco
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Mongolia
  agriculture: 32%
  industry: 23%
  services: 45% (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  agriculture: 5.4%
  industry: 13.6%
  services: 81% (1996 est.)

Morocco
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 33%
  services: 52% (2000 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 23%
  services: 55% (2001 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 28%
  services: 61% (2001 est.)

Nauru
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Nepal
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 20%
  services: 40% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 25.7%
  services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 30%
  services: 65% (1997 est.)

New Zealand
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 23%
  services: 69% (2001)

Nicaragua
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 26%
  services: 44% (2002 est.)

Niger
  agriculture: 39%
  industry: 17%
  services: 44% (2001)

Nigeria
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 20%
  services: 35% (2002 est.)

Niue
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: 55%

Norfolk Island
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Norway
  agriculture: 1.9%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 67.3% (2000)

Oman
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 55%
  services: 42% (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  agriculture: 24%
  industry: 25%
  services: 51% (FY01/02 est.)

Palau
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Panama
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 17%
  services: 76% (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture: 32.1%
  industry: 35.8%
  services: 32.1% (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 27%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Peru
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 27%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

Philippines
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 31%
  services: 54% (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Poland
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 35%
  services: 61.2% (2000 est.)

Portugal
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 28.7%
  services: 67.7% (2001)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 45%
  services: 54% (1999 est.)

Qatar
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 67.6%
  services: 32% (2000 est.)

Reunion
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 19%
  services: 73% (2000 est.)

Romania
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 35%
  services: 50% (2001)

Russia
  agriculture: 5.8%
  industry: 34.6%
  services: 59.6% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 20%
  services: 35% (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 70.7% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 20%
  services: 73% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 26%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 23%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

San Marino
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 10%
  services: 65% (1999 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  agriculture: 5.2%
  industry: 51.2%
  services: 43.6% (2001 est.)

Senegal
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 27%
  services: 55% (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 36%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 24.4%
  services: 73.2% (2000)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture: 49%
  industry: 31%
  services: 21% (2001 est.)

Singapore
  agriculture: NEGL%
  industry: 33%
  services: 67% (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 34.1%
  services: 61.4% (2000)

Slovenia
  agriculture: 3.2%
  industry: 36.3%
  services: 60.5% (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  agriculture: 42%
  industry: 11%
  services: 47% (2000 est.)

Somalia
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 10%
  services: 25% (2000 est.)

South Africa
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 28.9%
  services: 66.7% (2001)

Spain
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 31%
  services: 65% (2000 est.)

Sri Lanka
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 26%
  services: 54% (2001)

Sudan
  agriculture: 43%
  industry: 17%
  services: 40% (1999 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 22%
  services: 65% (2001 est.)

Swaziland
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 44%
  services: 39% (2001 est.)

Sweden
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 29%
  services: 69% (2001)

Switzerland
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 34%
  services: 64% (2002 est.)

Syria
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 23%
  services: 50% (2000 est.)

Taiwan
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 31%
  services: 67% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture: 19%
  industry: 26%
  services: 55% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  agriculture: 48.1%
  industry: 15.4%
  services: 36.5% (2001 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 40%
  services: 49% (2001)

Togo
  agriculture: 42%
  industry: 21%
  services: 37% (2001 est.)

Tokelau
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tonga
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  agriculture: 1.6%
  industry: 43.2%
  services: 55.2% (2000 est.)

Tunisia
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 32%
  services: 56% (2003 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture: 12.9%
  industry: 30.4%
  services: 56.7% (2001)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 50%
  services: 23% (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tuvalu
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Uganda
  agriculture: 43%
  industry: 19%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  agriculture: 23%
  industry: 42%
  services: 35% (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 46%
  services: 51% (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 24.9%
  services: 73.7% (2000)

United States
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 18%
  services: 80% (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 27%
  services: 67% (2001)

Uzbekistan
  agriculture: 36%
  industry: 21%
  services: 43% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 50%
  services: 45% (2001)

Vietnam
  agriculture: 24%
  industry: 37%
  services: 39% (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

West Bank agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Western Sahara
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: 40% (1996 est.)

World
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 32%
  services: 64% (2002 est.)

Yemen
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 38%
  services: 40% (2001)

Zambia
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 26%
  services: 52% (2001)

Zimbabwe
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 24%
  services: 58% (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2013 Radio broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul),
  FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari),
  Urdu, and English) (1999)

Albania
  AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Algeria
  AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

American Samoa
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Andorra
  AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Angola
  AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Anguilla
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Antarctica
  AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Argentina
  AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably
  more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Armenia
  AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Aruba
  AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Australia
  AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Austria
  AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1
  (2001)

Azerbaijan
  AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bahamas, The
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bahrain
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bangladesh
  AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Barbados
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Belarus
  AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Belgium
  FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Belize
  AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Benin
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Bermuda
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bhutan
  AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bolivia
  AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Botswana
  AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Brazil
  AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated
  with AM stations) (1999)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

British Virgin Islands
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Brunei
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bulgaria
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Burma
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)

Burundi
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Cambodia
  AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)

Cameroon
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Canada
  AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Cape Verde
  AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Central African Republic
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Chad
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Chile
  AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive)
  (1998)

China
  AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Christmas Island
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Colombia
  AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Comoros
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Cook Islands
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Costa Rica
  AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Cote d'Ivoire
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Croatia
  AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Cuba
  AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish
  Cypriot area: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Czech Republic
  AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Denmark
  AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Djibouti
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Dominica
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Dominican Republic
  AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

East Timor
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Ecuador
  AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Egypt
  AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

El Salvador
  AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Equatorial Guinea
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Eritrea
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Estonia
  AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Ethiopia
  AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Faroe Islands
  AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Fiji
  AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Finland
  AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

France
  AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and
  includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

French Guiana
  AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6
  (including 5 repeaters) (1998)

French Polynesia
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Gabon
  AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Gambia, The
  AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Georgia
  AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Germany
  AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ghana
  AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Gibraltar
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Greece
  AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Greenland
  AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Grenada
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guadeloupe
  AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guam
  AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Guatemala
  AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Guernsey
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guinea
  AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters),
  shortwave 3 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0
  (2002)

Guyana
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Haiti
  AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Honduras
  AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Hong Kong
  AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Hungary
  AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Iceland
  AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

India
  AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Indonesia
  AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Iran
  AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Iraq
  AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ireland
  AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Israel
  AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Italy
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Jamaica
  AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jan Mayen
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Japan
  AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave
  21 (2001)

Jersey
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Johnston Atoll
  AM NA, FM 7 (1 island-run morale, welfare, and
  recreation station and 6 all-music digital radio stations broadcast
  over FM band), shortwave NA (2002)

Jordan
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Kazakhstan
  AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Kenya
  AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Kiribati
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Korea, North
  AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)

Korea, South
  AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001)

Kuwait
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan
  AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2
  (1998)

Laos
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Latvia
  AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Lebanon
  AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Lesotho
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Liberia
  AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Libya
  AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Liechtenstein
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Lithuania
  AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Luxembourg
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Macau
  AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0
  (1998)

Madagascar
  AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9,
  shortwave 6 (2001)

Malawi
  AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a
  third station held in standby status) (2001)

Malaysia
  AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Maldives
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Mali
  AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five
  transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International
  (2001)

Malta
  AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Man, Isle of
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Marshall Islands
  AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
  note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
  Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
  on Kwajalein (2002)

Martinique
  AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Mauritania
  AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Mauritius
  AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Mayotte
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mexico
  AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Moldova
  AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Monaco
  AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Mongolia
  AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Montserrat
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Morocco
  AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Mozambique
  AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Namibia
  AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nauru
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Nepal
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Netherlands
  AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Netherlands Antilles
  AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Caledonia
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Zealand
  AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Nicaragua
  AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Niger
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nigeria
  AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Niue
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Norfolk Island
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Northern Mariana Islands
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Norway
  AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Oman
  AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Pakistan
  AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Palau
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Panama
  AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Paraguay
  AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Peru
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Philippines
  AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 5
  note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the
  language of the target audience (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Poland
  AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Portugal
  AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Puerto Rico
  AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Qatar
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Reunion
  AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Romania
  AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Russia
  AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Rwanda
  AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a
  system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC
  program), shortwave 1 (2002)

Saint Helena
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Lucia
  AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Samoa
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

San Marino
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Senegal
  AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Seychelles
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Sierra Leone
  AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Singapore
  AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)

Slovakia
  AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Slovenia
  AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Solomon Islands
  AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Somalia
  AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1
  FM in Somaliland (2001)

South Africa
  AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sri Lanka
  AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sudan
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Suriname
  AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Svalbard
  AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Swaziland
  AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Sweden
  AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Switzerland
  AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2
  (1998)

Syria
  AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Taiwan
  AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Tajikistan
  AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Tanzania
  AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Thailand
  AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Togo
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Tokelau
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that
  broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Tonga
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Tunisia
  AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turkey
  AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Turkmenistan
  AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0
  (1998)

Tuvalu
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)

Uganda
  AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Ukraine
  AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

United Arab Emirates
  AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)

United Kingdom
  AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

United States
  AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Uruguay
  AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Vanuatu
  AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Venezuela
  AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Vietnam
  AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Virgin Islands
  AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Wake Island
  AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service
  provided by satellite (1998)

Wallis and Futuna
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

West Bank
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
  note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
  station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
  reported to be in operation (2000)

Western Sahara
  AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

World
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Yemen
  AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Zambia
  AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2015 Television broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  at least 10 (one government-run central television
  station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces;
  the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997,
  there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern
  Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Albania
  3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Algeria
  46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

American Samoa
  1 (1997)

Andorra
  0 (1997)

Angola
  6 (2000)

Anguilla
  1 (1997)

Antarctica
  1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces
  Antarctic Network-McMurdo)
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2 (1997)

Argentina
  42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Armenia
  3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters); (1998)

Aruba
  1 (1997)

Australia
  104 (1997)

Austria
  45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Azerbaijan
  2 (1997)

Bahamas, The
  1 (1997)

Bahrain
  4 (1997)

Bangladesh
  15 (1999)

Barbados
  1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Belarus
  47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Belgium
  25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Belize
  2 (1997)

Benin
  1;; (2001)

Bermuda
  3 (1997)

Bhutan
  0 (1997)

Bolivia
  48 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Botswana
  1 (2001)

Brazil
  138 (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (1997)

British Virgin Islands
  1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Brunei
  2 (1997)

Bulgaria
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Burkina Faso
  1 (2002)

Burma
  2 (1998)

Burundi
  1 (2001)

Cambodia
  6 (2003)

Cameroon
  1 (2002)

Canada
  80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Cape Verde
  1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Cayman Islands
  1 with cable system

Central African Republic
  1 (2001)

Chad
  1 (2002)

Chile
  63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

China
  3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television,
  31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city
  stations) (1997)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  1 (2002)

Cook Islands
  2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Costa Rica
  6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14 (1999)

Croatia
  36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Cuba
  58 (1997)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters)
  (September 1995);; Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters)
  (September 1995)

Czech Republic
  150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Denmark
  26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Djibouti
  1 (2002)

Dominica
  0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)

Dominican Republic
  25 (1997)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Egypt
  98 (September 1995)

El Salvador
  5 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
  1 (2002)

Eritrea
  1 (2000)

Estonia
  3 (2001)

Ethiopia
  1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Faroe Islands
  3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

France
  584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

French Guiana
  3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

French Polynesia
  7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Gabon
  4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Gambia, The
  1 (government-owned) (1997)

Gaza Strip
  2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation)
  (1997)

Georgia
  12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Germany
  373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Ghana
  10 (2001)

Gibraltar
  1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Greece
  36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the
  US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Greenland
  1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations,
  and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Grenada
  2 (1997)

Guadeloupe
  5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Guam
  5 (1997)

Guatemala
  26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Guernsey
  1 (1997)

Guinea
  6 low-power stations (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA (1997)

Guyana
  3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US
  satellite services) (1997)

Haiti
  2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  1 (1996)

Honduras
  11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Hong Kong
  4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Hungary
  35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Iceland
  14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

India
  562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480
  stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Indonesia
  41 (1999)

Iran
  28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Iraq
  13 (1997); note - unknown number were destroyed during the
  March-April 2003 war

Ireland
  4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Israel
  17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Italy
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Jamaica
  7 (1997)

Japan
  211 plus 7,341 repeaters
  note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV
  cable services (1999)

Jersey
  2 (1997)

Johnston Atoll
  commercial satellite television system, with 30
  channels (2002)

Jordan
  20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Kazakhstan
  12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Kenya
  8 (2002)

Kiribati
  1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Korea, North
  38 (1999)

Korea, South
  121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel
  American Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Kuwait
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay
  programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Laos
  4 (1999)

Latvia
  44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Lebanon
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Lesotho
  1 (2000)

Liberia
  1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Libya
  12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Liechtenstein
  NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Lithuania
  27
  note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
  have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Luxembourg
  5 (1999)

Macau
  1 (2003)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Madagascar
  1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Malawi
  1 (2001)

Malaysia
  1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Maldives
  1 (1997)

Mali
  1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Malta
  6 (2000)

Man, Isle of
  0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Marshall Islands
  2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Martinique
  11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Mauritania
  1 (2002)

Mauritius
  2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Mayotte
  3 (2001)

Mexico
  236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  2 (1997)

Moldova
  1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Monaco
  5 (1998)

Mongolia
  4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power
  repeaters) (1999)

Montserrat
  1 (1997)

Morocco
  35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Mozambique
  1 (2001)

Namibia
  8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nauru
  1 (1997)

Nepal
  1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Netherlands
  21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Netherlands Antilles
  3 (there is also a cable service, which
  supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and
  two Venezuelan channels) (1997)

New Caledonia
  6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

New Zealand
  41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650
  low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nicaragua
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Niger
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Nigeria
  3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations
  and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Niue
  1 (1997)

Norfolk Island
  1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that
  bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Northern Mariana Islands 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)

Norway
  360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Oman
  13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Pakistan
  22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Palau
  1 (1997)

Panama
  38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
  note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are
  planned (2002)

Paraguay
  4 (2001)

Peru
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Philippines
  75 (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
  0 (1997)

Poland
  179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Portugal
  62 (plus 166 repeaters)
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Puerto Rico
  18 (plus three stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and
  Television Service) (1997)

Qatar
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Reunion
  35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Romania
  48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Russia
  7,306 (1998)

Rwanda
  NA

Saint Helena
  0
  note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
  and distributed by cable (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Saint Lucia
  3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a
  community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (there are, however, two repeaters which
  rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Samoa
  2 (2002)

San Marino
  1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from
  Italy) (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  117 (1997)

Senegal
  1 (1997)

Serbia and Montenegro
  more than 771 (including 86 strong stations
  and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal
  networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and
  Vojvodina) (1997)

Seychelles
  2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Sierra Leone
  2 (1999)

Singapore
  6 (2000)

Slovakia
  38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)

Slovenia
  48 (2001)

Solomon Islands
  0 (1997)

Somalia 4 note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

South Africa
  556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)
  note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88
  repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Sri Lanka
  21 (1997)

Sudan
  3 (1997)

Suriname
  3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Sweden
  169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Switzerland
  115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Syria
  44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Taiwan
  29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tajikistan
  13 (2001)

Tanzania
  3 (1999)

Thailand
  5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Togo
  3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tonga
  2 (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4 (1997)

Tunisia
  26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Turkey
  635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Turkmenistan
  3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey)
  (1997)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are
  received; cable television is established) (1997)

Tuvalu
  0 (1997)

Uganda
  8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Ukraine
  at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from
  Russia) (1997)

United Arab Emirates
  15 (1997)

United Kingdom
  228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

United States
  more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations
  affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and
  PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Uruguay
  20 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1
  cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in
  regional capitals (2003)

Vanuatu
  1 (2002)

Venezuela
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Vietnam
  at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Virgin Islands
  2 (2002)

Wake Island
  0 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2000)

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Zambia
  9 (2002)

Zimbabwe
  16 (1997)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female)

Afghanistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Albania
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Algeria
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Andorra
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Angola
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Argentina
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Armenia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Aruba
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Australia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Austria
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.42 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Barbados
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Belarus
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Belgium
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Belize
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Benin
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Botswana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Brazil
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Brunei
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Burma
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Burundi
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Canada
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Chad
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Chile
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

China
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA (2003 est.)

Colombia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Comoros
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Croatia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cuba
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Denmark
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Dominica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

East Timor
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Egypt
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Estonia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Fiji
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Finland
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

France
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Gabon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Georgia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Germany
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Ghana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Greece
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Greenland
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Grenada
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guam
  at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Guyana
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Haiti
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Honduras
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Hungary
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Iceland
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

India
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Iran
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Iraq
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Ireland
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Israel
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Italy
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Japan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Jersey
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Jordan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Kenya
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Laos
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Latvia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Liberia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Libya
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Macau
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Malawi
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Maldives
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mali
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Malta
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Martinique
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mexico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Moldova
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Monaco
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Morocco
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Namibia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Nauru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Nepal
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Niger
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Norway
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Oman
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Palau
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Panama
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Peru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Philippines
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2003 est.)

Poland
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Portugal
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Qatar
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.36 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.9 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Reunion
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Romania
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Russia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Samoa
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

San Marino
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.37 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Senegal
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Singapore
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Somalia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

South Africa
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Spain
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Sudan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Suriname
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  NA (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Sweden
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Syria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Thailand
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Togo
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA (2003 est.)

Tonga
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Turkey
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Uganda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.56 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.47 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

United States
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

West Bank
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA (2003 est.)

World
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Yemen
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Zambia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2019 Heliports

Afghanistan
  5 (2002)

Albania
  1 (2002)

Algeria
  1 (2002)

Antarctica
  27 stations have helicopter landing facilities (helipads)
  (2002)

Austria
  1 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  1 (2002)

Bahrain
  1 (2002)

Belgium
  1 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5 (2002)

Brunei
  3 (2002)

Bulgaria
  1 (2002)

Burma
  1 (2002)

Cambodia
  2 (2002)

Canada
  12 (2002)

Colombia
  1 (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1 (2002)

Croatia
  1 (2002)

Cyprus
  10 (2002)

Czech Republic
  2 (2002)

East Timor
  1 (2002)

Ecuador
  1 (2002)

Egypt
  2 (2002)

El Salvador
  1 (2002)

France
  3 (2002)

Germany
  40 (2002)

Greece
  7 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  1 (2002)

Hong Kong
  2 (2002)

Hungary
  5 (2002)

India
  19 (2002)

Indonesia
  9 (2002)

Iran
  13 (2002)

Iraq
  5 (2002)

Israel
  3 (2002)

Italy
  4 (2002)

Japan
  15 (2002)

Jordan
  2 (2002)

Korea, South
  204 (2002)

Kuwait
  3 (2002)

Libya
  1 (2002)

Luxembourg
  1 (2002)

Malaysia
  1 (2002)

Mexico
  2 (2002)

Monaco
  1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
  France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002)

Morocco
  1 (2002)

Netherlands
  1 (2002)

New Caledonia
  5 (2002)

New Zealand
  1 (2002)

Nigeria
  1 (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (2002)

Oman
  1 (2002)

Pakistan
  13 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  2 (2002)

Philippines
  2 (2002)

Poland
  3 (2002)

Qatar
  1 (2002)

Romania
  1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  5 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  4 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  2 (2002)

Slovakia
  1 (2002)

Spain
  7 (2002)

Sudan
  2 (2002)

Sweden
  2 (2002)

Switzerland
  1 (2002)

Syria
  7 (2002)

Taiwan
  3 (2002)

Thailand
  2 (2002)

Turkey
  8 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  2 (2002)

United Kingdom
  11 (2002)

United States
  149 (2002)

Venezuela
  1 (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2020 Elevation extremes (m)

Afghanistan
  lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
  highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Albania
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m

Algeria
  lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
  highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

American Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Lata 966 m

Andorra
  lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
  highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Angola
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Anguilla
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Antarctica
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
  highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
  note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
  Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
  discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Arctic Ocean
  lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Argentina
  lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula
  Valdes)
  highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m

Armenia
  lowest point: Debed River 400 m
  highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Aruba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Atlantic Ocean
  lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico
  Trench -8,605 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Australia
  lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
  highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Austria
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Azerbaijan
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Bahamas, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Bahrain
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Baker Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Bangladesh
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Barbados
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Bassas da India
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Belarus
  lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
  highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Belgium
  lowest point: North Sea 0 m
  highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Belize
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Benin
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Bermuda
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Bhutan
  lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
  highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Bolivia
  lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
  highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Botswana
  lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
  m
  highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Bouvet Island
  lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Brazil
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

British Indian Ocean Territory
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

British Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Brunei
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Bulgaria
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Burkina Faso
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Burma
  lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Burundi
  lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
  highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m

Cambodia
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Cameroon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 m

Canada
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Cape Verde
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Cayman Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Central African Republic
  lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Chad
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Chile
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

China
  lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Christmas Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Clipperton Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Colombia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
  note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Comoros
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Congo, Democratic Republic of the lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Cook Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Coral Sea Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Costa Rica
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Croatia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Cuba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Cyprus
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Olympus 1,951 m

Czech Republic
  lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
  highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Denmark
  lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
  highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Djibouti
  lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
  highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Dominica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Dominican Republic
  lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
  highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

East Timor
  lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
  highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Ecuador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Egypt
  lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
  highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

El Salvador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Eritrea
  lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
  highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Estonia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Ethiopia
  lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
  highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Europa Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 24 m

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Faroe Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Fiji
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Finland
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Halti 1,328 m

France
  lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

French Guiana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

French Polynesia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Gabon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Gambia, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Gaza Strip
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Georgia
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Germany
  lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
  highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Ghana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Gibraltar
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Glorioso Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Greece
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Greenland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Grenada
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Guadeloupe
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Guam
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Guatemala
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Guernsey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
  country 300 m

Guyana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Haiti
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Holy See (Vatican City)
  lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
  highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Honduras
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Hong Kong
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Howland Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Hungary
  lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
  highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Iceland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

India
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Indian Ocean
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Indonesia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Iran
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Iraq
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
  Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Ireland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Israel
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Italy
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
  secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Jamaica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Jan Mayen
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Japan
  lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
  highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Jarvis Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Jersey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Johnston Atoll
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Jordan
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Juan de Nova Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Kazakhstan
  lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Kenya
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Kingman Reef
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Kiribati
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Korea, North
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Korea, South
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Kuwait
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
  highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Laos
  lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
  highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Latvia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Lebanon
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Lesotho
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers
  1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Liberia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Libya
  lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
  highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Liechtenstein
  lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
  highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Lithuania
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Luxembourg
  lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
  highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Macau
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  lowest point: Vardar
  River 50 m
  highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m

Madagascar
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi
  lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
  boundary with Mozambique 37 m
  highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
  Atoll 2.4 m

Mali
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Man, Isle of
  lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
  highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Marshall Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Martinique
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Mauritania
  lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
  highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Mauritius
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico
  lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
  highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Midway Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Moldova
  lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
  highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia
  lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
  highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montserrat
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
  complex) 914 m

Morocco
  lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
  highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal
  lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)

Netherlands
  lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger
  lowest point: Niger River 200 m
  highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean
  lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
  -10,924 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Palmyra Atoll
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Panama
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay
  lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
  highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines
  lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland
  lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
  highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
  the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Qatar
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Reunion
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Romania
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda
  lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
  highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Helena
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

San Marino
  lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
  highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia and Montenegro
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Seychelles
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore
  lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia
  lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
  highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic
  Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean
  lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
  South Sandwich Trench
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan
  lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
  highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname
  lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
  highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard
  lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland
  lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
  highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden
  lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
  Kristianstad -2.41 m
  highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland
  lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
  highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria
  lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
  highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan
  lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
  highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Togo
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tromelin Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Tunisia
  lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
  highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan
  lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -
  Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water
  level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
  Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
  highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda
  lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
  highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom
  lowest point: The Fens -4 m
  highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Uruguay
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan
  lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
  highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Wake Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

West Bank
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara
  lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
  highest point: unnamed location 463 m

World
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
  note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
  the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
  Ocean
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Yemen
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Zambia
  lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
  highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe
  lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
  highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2021 Natural hazards

Afghanistan
  damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
  flooding; droughts

Albania
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern
  coast; floods; drought

Algeria
  mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides
  and floods in rainy season

American Samoa
  typhoons common from December to March

Andorra
  avalanches

Angola
  locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla
  frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to
  October)

Antarctica
  katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the
  high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
  cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
  coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
  Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
  calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean
  ice islands occasionally break away from northern
  Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland
  and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
  ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
  icing from October to May

Argentina
  San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes
  subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can
  strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Armenia
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba
  lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  surrounded by shoals and reefs that can
  pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean
  icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
  the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have
  been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
  subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
  October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
  September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia
  cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan
  droughts

Bahamas, The
  hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
  flood and wind damage

Bahrain
  periodic droughts; dust storms

Baker Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be
  a maritime hazard

Bangladesh
  droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely
  inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Bassas da India
  maritime hazard since it is usually under water
  during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
  cyclones

Belarus
  NA

Belgium
  flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land,
  protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize
  frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and
  coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December
  to March

Bermuda
  hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan
  violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the
  country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;
  frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia
  flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  destructive earthquakes

Botswana
  periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
  west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
  visibility

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost
  in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October)

Brunei
  typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria
  earthquakes, landslides

Burkina Faso
  recurring droughts

Burma
  destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
  common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi
  flooding, landslides, drought

Cambodia
  monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional
  droughts

Cameroon
  volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases
  from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada
  continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
  development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
  result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
  North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
  snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde
  prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
  obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands
  hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect
  northern areas; floods are common

Chad
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic
  droughts; locust plagues

Chile
  severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China
  frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
  eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
  land subsidence

Christmas Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  cyclone season is October to April

Colombia
  highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
  Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the
  seasonal flooding

Cook Islands
  typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands
  occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica
  occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
  frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
  landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
  the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia
  destructive earthquakes

Cuba
  the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October
  (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other
  year); droughts are common

Cyprus
  moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic
  flooding

Denmark
  flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
  parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)
  that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti
  earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances
  from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
  can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
  subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
  periodic droughts

East Timor
  floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis,
  tropical cyclones

Ecuador
  frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
  periodic droughts

Egypt
  periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,
  landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
  dust storms, sandstorms

El Salvador
  known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes
  very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea
  violent windstorms, flash floods

Eritrea
  frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia
  geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Europa Island
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  strong winds persist throughout
  the year

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland
  NA

France
  flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest
  fires in south near the Mediterranean

French Guiana
  high frequency of heavy showers and severe
  thunderstorms; flooding

French Polynesia
  occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul
  are extinct volcanoes

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30
  years)

Gaza Strip
  droughts

Georgia
  earthquakes

Germany
  flooding

Ghana
  dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
  March; droughts

Gibraltar
  NA

Glorioso Islands
  periodic cyclones

Greece
  severe earthquakes

Greenland
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
  island

Grenada
  lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from
  June to November

Guadeloupe
  hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is
  an active volcano

Guam
  frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
  potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala
  numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
  earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
  other tropical storms

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during
  dry season

Guinea-Bissau
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
  during dry season; brush fires

Guyana
  flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is
  on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely
  susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean
  coast

Hong Kong
  occasional typhoons

Howland Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard

Iceland
  earthquakes and volcanic activity

India
  droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
  flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
  southern reaches

Indonesia
  occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
  volcanoes, forest fires

Iran
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
  along western border and in the northeast

Iraq
  dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Ireland
  NA

Israel
  sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;
  periodic earthquakes

Italy
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica
  hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen
  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
  volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Japan
  many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
  occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jarvis Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses
  a maritime hazard

Jersey
  NA

Johnston Atoll
  NA

Jordan
  droughts; periodic earthquakes

Juan de Nova Island
  periodic cyclones

Kazakhstan
  earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Kenya
  recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kingman Reef
  wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
  about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Kiribati
  typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
  occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
  very sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North
  late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
  occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South
  occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
  low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait
  sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
  heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
  storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March
  and August

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  floods, droughts

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho
  periodic droughts

Liberia
  dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
  March)

Libya
  hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
  four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  NA

Macau
  typhoons

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  high seismic risks

Madagascar
  periodic cyclones

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  flooding, landslides, forest fires

Maldives
  low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level
  rise

Mali
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
  recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  infrequent typhoons

Martinique
  hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average
  of one major natural disaster every five years)

Mauritania
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
  March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius
  cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
  by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte
  cyclones during rainy season

Mexico
  tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
  earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
  Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  typhoons (June to December)

Midway Islands
  NA

Moldova
  landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
  "zud", which is harsh winter conditions

Montserrat
  severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
  (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Morocco
  northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique
  severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in
  central and southern provinces

Namibia
  prolonged periods of drought

Nauru
  periodic droughts

Navassa Island
  NA

Nepal
  severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and
  famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the
  summer monsoons

Netherlands
  flooding

Netherlands Antilles
  Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean
  hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and
  Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

New Caledonia
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand
  earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
  volcanic activity

Nicaragua
  destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Niger
  recurring droughts

Nigeria
  periodic droughts; flooding

Niue
  typhoons

Norfolk Island
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway
  rockslides, avalanches

Oman
  summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
  interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean
  surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
  earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
  Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
  Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
  Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
  August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
  the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
  Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
  icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
  northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan
  frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
  north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
  August)

Palau
  typhoons (June to December)

Palmyra Atoll
  NA

Panama
  occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
  of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
  earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands
  typhoons

Paraguay
  local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
  poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
  activity

Philippines
  astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
  by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
  volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands
  typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland
  flooding

Portugal
  Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar
  haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Reunion
  periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de
  la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Romania
  earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
  structure and climate promote landslides

Russia
  permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
  development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
  earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
  summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
  Russia

Rwanda
  periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
  northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
  active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia
  hurricanes and volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  persistent fog throughout the year can be
  a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
  the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa
  occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal
  lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia and Montenegro
  destructive earthquakes

Seychelles
  lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
  short droughts possible

Sierra Leone
  dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
  (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  flooding and earthquakes

Solomon Islands
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
  active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Somalia
  recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
  in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa
  prolonged droughts

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the South Sandwich
  Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them
  difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active
  volcanism

Southern Ocean
  huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
  meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
  to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and
  with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
  floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
  high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
  May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
  rescue

Spain
  periodic droughts

Spratly Islands
  typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of
  numerous reefs and shoals

Sri Lanka
  occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan
  dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname
  NA

Svalbard
  ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
  point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
  of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland
  drought

Sweden
  ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
  of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland
  avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Syria
  dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan
  earthquakes and typhoons

Tajikistan
  earthquakes and floods

Tanzania
  flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
  drought

Thailand
  land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
  depletion of the water table; droughts

Togo
  hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
  winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau
  lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga
  cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
  on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago
  outside usual path of hurricanes and other
  tropical storms

Tromelin Island
  NA

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along
  an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu
  severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there
  were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive
  to changes in sea level

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom
  winter windstorms; floods

United States
  tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
  Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
  coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
  California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
  northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Uruguay
  seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
  occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
  pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
  which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
  vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan
  NA

Vanuatu
  tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
  causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela
  subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam
  occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
  flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands
  several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
  severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island
  occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  droughts

Western Sahara
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
  during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
  time, often severely restricting visibility

World
  large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),
  natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
  eruptions)

Yemen
  sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia
  periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe
  recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2022 People - note

Afghanistan
  large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on
  neighboring states

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the landing of illegal immigrants from
  Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem

Cuba
  illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
  depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
  smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans
  took to the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
  interdicted about 60% of these migrants; Cubans also use
  non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived
  overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2002

Ghana
  there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
  Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Rwanda
  Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Turks and Caicos Islands
  destination and transit point for illegal
  Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas,
  and US

United States
  data for the US are based on projections that do not
  take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2023 Area - comparative

Afghanistan
  slightly smaller than Texas

Albania
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria
  slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla
  about half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina
  slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean
  slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia
  slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria
  slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan
  slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Baker Island
  about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Bangladesh
  slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bassas da India
  about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Belarus
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium
  about the size of Maryland

Belize
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda
  about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan
  about half the size of Indiana

Bolivia
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana
  slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil
  slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory
  about 0.3 times the size of
  Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso
  slightly larger than Colorado

Burma
  slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia
  slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon
  slightly larger than California

Canada
  somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic
  slightly smaller than Texas

Chad
  slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile
  slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China
  slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island
  about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  about 24 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Colombia
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Comoros
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Congo, Republic of the
  slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands
  1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus
  about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark
  slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Djibouti
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

East Timor
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Ecuador
  slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt
  slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea
  slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia
  slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Europa Island
  about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands
  eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland
  slightly smaller than Montana

France
  slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

French Guiana
  slightly smaller than Indiana

French Polynesia
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Gabon
  slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The
  slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany
  slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands
  about eight times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Greece
  slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Guadeloupe
  10 times the size of Washington, DC

Guam
  three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala
  slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana
  slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  slightly more than two times the
  size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Honduras
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong
  six times the size of Washington, DC

Howland Island
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Hungary
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

India
  slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran
  slightly larger than Alaska

Iraq
  slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Israel
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy
  slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan
  slightly smaller than California

Jarvis Island
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Jersey
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Johnston Atoll
  about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Jordan
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Juan de Nova Island
  about seven times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Kazakhstan
  slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kingman Reef
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Kiribati
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North
  slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South
  slightly larger than Indiana

Kuwait
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos
  slightly larger than Utah

Latvia
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon
  about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya
  slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  slightly larger than
  Vermont

Madagascar
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Man, Isle of
  slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
  DC

Marshall Islands
  about the size of Washington, DC

Martinique
  slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania
  slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius
  almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four times the size of Washington,
  DC (land area only)

Midway Islands
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Moldova
  slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Montserrat
  about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco
  slightly larger than California

Mozambique
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Nepal
  slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand
  about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua
  slightly smaller than the state of New York

Niger
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean
  about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
  the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Pakistan
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau
  slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Palmyra Atoll
  about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Panama
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea
  slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  slightly smaller than California

Peru
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines
  slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland
  slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Reunion
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Romania
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia
  approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Helena
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia and Montenegro
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Seychelles
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore
  slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia
  about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia
  slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  slightly larger than
  Rhode Island

Southern Ocean
  slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain
  slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname
  slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden
  slightly larger than California

Switzerland
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria
  slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan
  slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan
  slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania
  slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand
  slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau
  about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Tromelin Island
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Tunisia
  slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey
  slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan
  slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu
  0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine
  slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates
  slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom
  slightly smaller than Oregon

United States
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
  size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
  larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a
  half times the size of Western Europe

Uruguay
  slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan
  slightly larger than California

Vanuatu
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara
  about the size of Colorado

World
  land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen
  slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia
  slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe
  slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2024 Military manpower - military age (years of age)

Afghanistan
  22 years of age (2003 est.)

Albania
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Algeria
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Angola
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Argentina
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Armenia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Australia
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Austria
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  15 years of age (2003 est.)

Belarus
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Belgium
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Belize
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Benin
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Botswana
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Brazil
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Brunei
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Burma
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Burundi
  16 years of age (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Canada
  16 years of age (2003 est.)

Chad
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Chile
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

China
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Colombia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Croatia
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Cuba
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Denmark
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

East Timor
  18-21 years of age (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Egypt
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Estonia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Fiji
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Finland
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

France
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Gabon
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Georgia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Germany
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ghana
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Greece
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Haiti
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Honduras
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Hungary
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

India
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Iran
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Iraq
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ireland
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Israel
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Italy
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Japan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Jordan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Laos
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Latvia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Libya
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 19 years of age (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  21 years of age (2003 est.)

Mexico
  18 years of age
  note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for
  military service (2003 est.)

Moldova
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Morocco
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Nepal
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and
  midshipmen) (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Niger
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Norway
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Oman
  14 years of age (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Peru
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Philippines
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Poland
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Portugal
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Qatar
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Reunion
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Romania
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Russia
  18 years of age (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Senegal
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

South Africa
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Spain
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Sudan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Sweden
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Syria
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  19 years of age (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Thailand
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Turkey
  20 years of age (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

United States
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  18 years of age (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  17 years of age (2003 est.)

Yemen
  14 years of age (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2025 Military manpower - fit for military service

Afghanistan
  males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.)

Albania
  males age 15-49: 742,837 (2003 est.)

Algeria
  males age 15-49: 5,646,418 (2003 est.)

Angola
  males age 15-49: 1,290,884 (2003 est.)

Argentina
  males age 15-49: 7,942,837 (2003 est.)

Armenia
  males age 15-49: 727,770 (2003 est.)

Australia
  males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.)

Austria
  males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 15-49: 1,727,340 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 15-49: 121,739 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)

Barbados
  males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.)

Belarus
  males age 15-49: 2,158,875 (2003 est.)

Belgium
  males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)

Belize
  males age 15-49: 39,337 (2003 est.)

Benin
  males age 15-49: 805,603
  females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 15-49: 283,493 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 15-49: 1,380,883 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 15-49: 897,856 (2003 est.)

Botswana
  males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.)

Brazil
  males age 15-49: 34,347,078 (2003 est.)

Brunei
  males age 15-49: 63,966 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 15-49: 1,551,485 (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 15-49: 1,506,944 (2003 est.)

Burma
  males age 15-49: 6,566,122
  females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)

Burundi
  males age 15-49: 723,516 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 15-49: 1,829,535 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 15-49: 1,928,285 (2003 est.)

Canada
  males age 15-49: 7,158,016 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)

Chad
  males age 15-49: 1,015,982 (2003 est.)

Chile
  males age 15-49: 3,070,140 (2003 est.)

China
  males age 15-49: 206 million (2003 est.)

Colombia
  males age 15-49: 7,403,433 (2003 est.)

Comoros
  males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 15-49: 6,267,752 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 15-49: 381,556 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)

Croatia
  males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)

Cuba
  males age 15-49: 1,923,967
  females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  males age 15-49: 138,336 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 15-49: 2,002,202 (2003 est.)

Denmark
  males age 15-49: 1,094,611 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 15-49: 63,459 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 15-49: 1,453,705 (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.)

Egypt
  males age 15-49: 12,867,160 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 15-49: 973,884 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 15-49: 59,110 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  males age 15-49: 283,278 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  males age 15-49: 8,040,381 (2003 est.)

Fiji
  males age 15-49: 129,432 (2003 est.)

Finland
  males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.)

France
  males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)

Gabon
  males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 15-49: 170,904 (2003 est.)

Georgia
  males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.)

Germany
  males age 15-49: 17,399,936 (2003 est.)

Ghana
  males age 15-49: 2,911,474 (2003 est.)

Greece
  males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 15-49: 2,167,270 (2003 est.)

Guinea
  males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)

Guyana
  males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)

Haiti
  males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.)

Honduras
  males age 15-49: 948,957 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  males age 15-49: 2,026,912 (2003 est.)

Iceland
  males age 15-49: 62,552 (2003 est.)

India
  males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 15-49: 38,290,550 (2003 est.)

Iran
  males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)

Iraq
  males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)

Ireland
  males age 15-49: 821,378 (2003 est.)

Israel
  males age 15-49: 1,279,277
  females age 15-49: 1,237,926 (2003 est.)

Italy
  males age 15-49: 12,349,356 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 15-49: 528,689 (2003 est.)

Japan
  males age 15-49: 25,405,779 (2003 est.)

Jordan
  males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 15-49: 3,658,815 (2003 est.)

Kenya
  males age 15-49: 5,017,501 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 15-49: 3,654,223 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 15-49: 1,026,063 (2003 est.)

Laos
  males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.)

Latvia
  males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)

Liberia
  males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)

Libya
  males age 15-49: 914,649 (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 15-49: 735,536 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 15-49: 93,994 (2003 est.)

Macau
  males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)

Malawi
  males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)

Maldives
  males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)

Mali
  males age 15-49: 1,400,711 (2003 est.)

Malta
  males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

Mexico
  males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Moldova
  males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Morocco
  males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)

Namibia
  males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)

Nauru
  males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 est.)

Nepal
  males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 15-49: 859,505 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)

Niger
  males age 15-49: 1,288,396 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 15-49: 18,259,696 (2003 est.)

Norway
  males age 15-49: 910,628 (2003 est.)

Oman
  males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 15-49: 23,328,575 (2003 est.)

Panama
  males age 15-49: 544,967 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 15-49: 757,421 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 15-49: 1,056,437 (2003 est.)

Peru
  males age 15-49: 5,045,619 (2003 est.)

Philippines
  males age 15-49: 15,428,043 (2003 est.)

Poland
  males age 15-49: 8,077,706 (2003 est.)

Portugal
  males age 15-49: 2,017,678 (2003 est.)

Qatar
  males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.)

Reunion
  males age 15-49: 101,116 (2003 est.)

Romania
  males age 15-49: 4,974,240 (2003 est.)

Russia
  males age 15-49: 24 million (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 15-49: 982,909 (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 15-49: 19,443 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 15-49: 3,431,281 (2003 est.)

Senegal
  males age 15-49: 1,256,973 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males age 15-49: 2,077,660 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 15-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)

Singapore
  males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.)

Somalia
  males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)

South Africa
  males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)

Spain
  males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 15-49: 4,172,921 (2003 est.)

Sudan
  males age 15-49: 5,558,462 (2003 est.)

Suriname
  males age 15-49: 72,039 (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 15-49: 165,005 (2003 est.)

Sweden
  males age 15-49: 1,800,376 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.)

Syria
  males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 15-49: 5,019,268 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)

Thailand
  males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)

Togo
  males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 15-49: 233,488 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 15-49: 1,629,241 (2003 est.)

Turkey
  males age 15-49: 11,801,267 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)

Uganda
  males age 15-49: 2,974,259 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 15-49: 9,597,172 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  males age 15-49: 12,353,942 (2003 est.)

United States
  NA

Uruguay
  males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 15-49: 14,366,732 (2003 est.)

Yemen
  males age 15-49: 2,493,612 (2003 est.)

Zambia
  males age 15-49: 1,279,846 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 15-49: 2,003,572 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually

Afghanistan
  males: 275,223 (2003 est.)

Albania
  males: 36,985 (2003 est.)

Algeria
  males: 412,545 (2003 est.)

Angola
  males: 109,752 (2003 est.)

Argentina
  males: 331,011 (2003 est.)

Armenia
  males: 37,209 (2003 est.)

Australia
  males: 142,377 (2003 est.)

Austria
  males: 49,090 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males: 82,925 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  males: 6,126 (2003 est.)

Belarus
  males: 86,654 (2003 est.)

Belgium
  males: 60,921 (2003 est.)

Belize
  males: 3,046 (2003 est.)

Benin males: 75,021 females: 78,998 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  males: 22,755 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  males: 96,003 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males: 29,861 (2003 est.)

Botswana
  males: 20,476 (2003 est.)

Brazil
  males: 1,744,148 (2003 est.)

Brunei
  males: 3,277 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  males: 54,107 (2003 est.)

Burma
  males: 453,420
  females: 455,422 (2003 est.)

Burundi
  males: 79,462 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  males: 165,395 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  males: 179,586 (2003 est.)

Canada
  males: 216,488 (2003 est.)

Chad
  males: 86,953 (2003 est.)

Chile
  males: 131,324 (2003 est.)

China
  males: 10,973,761 (2003 est.)

Colombia
  males: 392,468 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males: 31,644 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  males: 41,453 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males: 198,115 (2003 est.)

Croatia
  males: 30,096 (2003 est.)

Cuba
  males: 81,095
  females: 87,780 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  males: 6,638 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  males: 67,777 (2003 est.)

Denmark
  males: 28,198 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males: 89,073 (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  males: 137,433 (2003 est.)

Egypt
  males: 743,305 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  males: 69,534 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  males: 11,123 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  males: 714,165 (2003 est.)

Fiji
  males: 9,359 (2003 est.)

Finland
  males: 31,926 (2003 est.)

France
  males: 392,824 (2003 est.)

Gabon
  males: 12,853 (2003 est.)

Georgia
  males: 43,359 (2003 est.)

Germany
  males: 472,946 (2003 est.)

Ghana
  males: 239,742 (2003 est.)

Greece
  males: 74,650 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  males: 151,294 (2003 est.)

Haiti
  males: 94,349 (2003 est.)

Honduras
  males: 74,895 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  males: 47,477 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  males: 64,305 (2003 est.)

India
  males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  males: 2,213,727 (2003 est.)

Iran
  males: 870,711 (2003 est.)

Iraq
  males: 292,930 (2003 est.)

Ireland
  males: 31,437 (2003 est.)

Israel males: 51,080 females: 53,496 (2003 est.)

Italy
  males: 291,529 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  males: 27,398 (2003 est.)

Japan
  males: 725,281 (2003 est.)

Jordan
  males: 58,840 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males: 174,111 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  males: 180,875 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  males: 345,331 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  males: 18,885 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males: 54,445 (2003 est.)

Laos
  males: 67,260 (2003 est.)

Latvia
  males: 19,477 (2003 est.)

Libya
  males: 61,511 (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  males: 29,420 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  males: 2,636 (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  males: 17,909 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  males: 163,864 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  males: 218,216 (2003 est.)

Mexico
  males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Moldova
  males: 44,084 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Morocco
  males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Nepal
  males: 303,222 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  males: 94,034
  note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003
  est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males: 1,643 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  males: 26,803 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  males: 59,903 (2003 est.)

Niger
  males: 119,367 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  males: 1,418,099 (2003 est.)

Norway
  males: 27,249 (2003 est.)

Oman
  males: 29,485 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  males: 1,767,502 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  males: 61,706 (2003 est.)

Peru
  males: 281,717 (2003 est.)

Philippines
  males: 846,994 (2003 est.)

Poland
  males: 343,500 (2003 est.)

Portugal
  males: 67,816 (2003 est.)

Qatar
  males: 7,192 (2003 est.)

Reunion
  males: 6,795 (2003 est.)

Romania
  males: 157,840 (2003 est.)

Russia
  males: 1.243 million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males: 253,685 (2003 est.)

Senegal
  males: 116,688 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males: 81,547 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  males: 44,287 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  males: 13,704 (2003 est.)

South Africa
  males: 471,578 (2003 est.)

Spain
  males: 255,826 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males: 186,691 (2003 est.)

Sudan
  males: 429,334 (2003 est.)

Sweden
  males: 52,692 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  males: 42,761 (2003 est.)

Syria
  males: 210,941 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  males: 189,967 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

Thailand
  males: 520,472 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  males: 106,513 (2003 est.)

Turkey
  males: 679,882 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males: 53,825 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  males: 389,499 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  males: 26,636 (2003 est.)

United States
  males: 2,116,002 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males: 310,915 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  males: 249,319 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  males: 871,036 (2003 est.)

Yemen
  males: 249,292 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2028 Background

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and
  civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to
  withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied
  and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
  subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
  rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
  Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
  force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
  most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
  primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
  support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
  attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
  from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
  and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
  structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
  Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
  The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
  and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
  Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
  Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
  adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
  elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
  anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
  violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
  remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
  enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
  mines.

Albania
  Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
  Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
  transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to
  deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure,
  widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents.
  International observers judged legislative elections in 2001 to be
  acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified
  serious deficiencies that should be addressed through reforms in the
  Albanian electoral code.

Algeria
  After a century of rule by France, Algeria became
  independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the
  fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December
  1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS,
  and postpone the subsequent elections. The fundamentalist response
  has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the
  secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections
  featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. The
  FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January
  2000 and many armed militants of other groups surrendered under an
  amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation.
  Nevertheless, small numbers of armed militants persist in
  confronting government forces and carrying out isolated attacks on
  villages and other types of terrorist attacks. Other concerns
  include Berber unrest, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of
  housing, and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy.

American Samoa
  Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
  by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
  in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
  treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
  The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
  islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra
  For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
  unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the
  Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified
  with the titular heads of state retained, but the government
  transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and
  impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity
  since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants
  (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its
  lack of income taxes.

Angola
  Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from
  Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided
  for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government
  and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
  of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
  hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives
  may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The
  death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent
  cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.

Anguilla
  Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
  Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
  century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
  was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
  Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
  years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
  arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
  a separate British dependency.

Antarctica
  Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
  not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
  commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
  began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
  of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
  Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
  Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
  century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
  research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
  year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
  territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In
  order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
  continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
  nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
  1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
  The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
  islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib
  Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second
  voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were
  succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery,
  established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished
  in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British
  Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
  The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
  oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
  the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
  and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
  important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
  and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
  Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
  experienced periods of internal political conflict between
  conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military
  factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist
  authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was
  followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
  returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
  Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Armenia
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
  adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
  over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
  including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
  incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
  leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
  Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
  region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
  Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
  struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
  the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
  Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
  significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
  sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
  toward a peaceful resolution.

Aruba
  Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
  by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
  three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
  prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
  last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
  Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
  separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
  Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
  1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  These uninhabited islands came under
  Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
  later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
  habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
  Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
  world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
  Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
  (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
  Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
  are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
  International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
  delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
  of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Australia
  Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in
  1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to
  rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to
  make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and
  II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of
  the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
  especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
  Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British
  monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Austria
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
  Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
  World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
  subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
  status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
  ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
  unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
  declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
  Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part
  of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question
  since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the
  European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the
  European Monetary Union in 1999.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
  population - regained its independence after the collapse of the
  Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet
  to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
  Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan
  has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 800,000 refugees
  and internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
  Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from
  Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely
  unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
  Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
  Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
  British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
  a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
  The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
  and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
  a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
  shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
  migrants into the US.

Bahrain
  Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
  countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
  affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
  Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
  transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
  amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
  and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
  February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
  Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
  liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
  Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
  members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
  legislature, the National Assembly.

Baker Island
  The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
  guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
  second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
  colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
  Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
  Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
  Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
  of the west coast.

Bangladesh
  Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East
  Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of
  this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
  season, hampering economic development.

Barbados
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
  British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
  the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
  remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
  through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
  and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
  independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
  manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Bassas da India
  This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
  and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
  placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in
  Reunion in 1968.

Belarus
  After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
  Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
  political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
  Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
  union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
  integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
  accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.

Belgium
  Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
  was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
  in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
  European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
  Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
  Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
  amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Belize
  Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
  independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
  Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
  has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
  by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
  trade, and increased urban crime.

Benin
  Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
  African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
  a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
  as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
  in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
  establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
  A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
  free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
  president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
  from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
  elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
  alleged.

Bermuda
  Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
  colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
  American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
  continues to be important to the island's economy, although
  international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
  developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
  referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Bhutan
  In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
  under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
  ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set
  up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the
  British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and
  Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was
  assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
  Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
  British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
  defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
  refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
  90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese
  separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
  southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border
  incursions.

Bolivia
  Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
  broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
  has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
  Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s,
  but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty,
  social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
  foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving
  disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts,
  continuing the privatization program, and waging an anticorruption
  campaign.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
  sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of
  independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
  referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
  by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
  resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
  joining Serb-held areas to form a "greater Serbia." In March 1994,
  Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
  three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
  Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
  brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
  agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton
  Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
  and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
  national government was charged with conducting foreign, economic,
  and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government
  comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led
  Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were
  charged with overseeing internal functions. In 1995-96, a NATO-led
  international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in
  Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the
  agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization
  Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR
  remains in place although troop levels were reduced to approximately
  12,000 by the close of 2002.

Botswana
  Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
  adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
  uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
  significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
  economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
  dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
  to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
  preserves. Botswana has the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDS
  infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
  comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island
  This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
  covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
  in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
  No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
  1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
  the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
  adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
  1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
  island.

Brazil
  Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
  became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
  populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than
  half a century of military intervention in the governance of the
  country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development
  of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor
  pool, Brazil is today South America's leading economic power and a
  regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a
  pressing problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Established as a territory of the UK
  in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
  islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
  independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
  six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
  largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
  joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
  uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
  islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
  Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
  ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
  them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
  Diego Garcia.

British Virgin Islands
  First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the
  islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely
  tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west;
  the US dollar is the legal currency.

Brunei
  The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
  and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
  northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
  entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
  succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
  1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
  achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
  centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
  fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
  developing world.

Bulgaria
  The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
  local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
  Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
  the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
  end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
  Turks. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878, but having fought
  on the losing side in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet
  sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946.
  Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first
  multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious
  process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy
  while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime.
  Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward
  eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began
  accession negotiations in 2000.

Burkina Faso
  Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly
  Upper Volta) in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and
  1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s.
  Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources
  result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.
  Every year, several hundred thousand seasonal farm workers seek
  employment in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana and are adversely affected by
  instability in those regions.

Burma
  Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
  and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
  as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
  self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was
  attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
  1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as
  political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that
  resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory,
  the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition
  leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house
  arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention
  from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her
  supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.

Burundi
  Burundi's first democratically elected president was
  assassinated in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since
  then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often
  intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of
  thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in
  neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their
  borders, intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of
  the Congo in 1998. More recently, many of these troops have been
  redeployed back to Burundi to deal with periodic upsurges in rebel
  activity. A new transitional government, inaugurated on 1 November
  2001, was to be the first step toward holding national elections in
  three years. While the Government of Burundi signed a cease-fire
  agreement in December 2002 with three of Burundi's four Hutu rebel
  groups, implementation of the agreement has been problematic and one
  rebel group refuses to sign on, clouding prospects for a sustainable
  peace.

Cambodia
  Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge
  forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all
  cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from
  execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove
  the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off almost 20 years
  of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
  semblance of normalcy as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer
  Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after
  national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and
  the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces in 1998.

Cameroon
  The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
  merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
  enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
  agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
  Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains
  firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Canada
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
  became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
  British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
  developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
  an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to
  be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its
  French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of
  the country.

Cape Verde
  The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
  the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a
  trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
  resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
  independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
  Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
  until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
  to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
  Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
  significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
  Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
  Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands
  The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
  British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica
  since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the
  former became independent.

Central African Republic
  The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
  became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
  three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
  - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
  In March 2003 a military coup deposed the civilian government of
  President Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new
  government.

Chad
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
  three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
  a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
  eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
  groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
  to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
  presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997,
  respectively. In 1998, a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad,
  which continued to escalate throughout 2000. A peace agreement,
  signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels,
  provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their
  reintegration into the political system. Despite movement toward
  democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic
  oligarchy.

Chile
  A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by
  a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled
  until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound
  economic policies, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship,
  led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the
  country's commitment to democratic and representative government.

China
  For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing
  the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and
  early 20th centuries, China was beset by civil unrest, major
  famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
  II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that,
  while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over
  everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people.
  After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced
  market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision-making.
  Output quadrupled by 2000. Political controls remain tight while
  economic controls continue to be relaxed.

Christmas Island
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
  island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
  Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
  to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been
  declared a national park.

Clipperton Island
  This isolated island was named for John
  CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
  century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
  Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
  possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  There are 27 coral islands in the group.
  Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they
  remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
  1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
  The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split
  between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on
  Home Island.

Colombia
  Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
  the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
  Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
  Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
  from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
  swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
  movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
  overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
  has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
  the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such
  as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion
  over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert
  government control throughout the country, neighboring countries
  worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Comoros
  Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
  since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
  of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
  1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
  the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
  2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
  constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
  2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
  new union president was sworn in on May 26, 2002.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Since 1997, the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by
  ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow in 1994
  of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government
  of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led
  by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently
  challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998.
  Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to
  support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999
  by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and
  Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued.
  KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA
  was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new
  president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to
  withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, an agreement was
  signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set
  up a government of national unity.

Congo, Republic of the
  Upon independence in 1960, the former French
  region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
  century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
  democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
  war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
  ushered in a period of ethnically based unrest. Southern-based rebel
  groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of
  Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with
  significant potential for offshore development.

Cook Islands
  Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the
  islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
  administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
  residents chose self-government in free association with New
  Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
  government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands
  Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of
  ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia
  in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological
  staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and
  a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica
  Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
  late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred
  its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
  country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
  and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
  ownership is widespread.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
  development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
  made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
  African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25
  December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
  history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan
  BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but
  excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly
  rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular
  protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
  GBAGBO into power. GBAGBO spent his first two years in office trying
  to consolidate power to strengthen his weak mandate, but he was
  unable to appease his opponents, who launched a failed coup attempt
  in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the
  country and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a
  unity government. However, the central government has yet to exert
  control over the northern regions and tension remains high between
  GBAGBO and rebel leaders. Several thousand French and West African
  troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and help implement
  the peace accords.

Croatia
  In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom
  known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia
  became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand
  of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from
  Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often
  bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared
  from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held
  enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Cuba
  Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule
  has held the country together since then. Cuba's Communist
  revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin
  America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country
  is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990,
  following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
  billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
  the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
  to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified
  visas - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the
  crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
  apprehended about 60% of the individuals.

Cyprus
  Independence from the UK was approved in 1960, with
  constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the
  Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to
  seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey,
  which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the
  Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks
  between the two sides to reach a comprehensive settlement to the
  division of the island began in January 2002.

Czech Republic
  Following the First World War, the closely related
  Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to
  form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's
  leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of
  other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
  Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,
  a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of
  influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the
  efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule
  and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations
  the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the
  collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its
  freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,
  the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national
  components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO,
  the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a
  development that poses both opportunities and risks. In December
  2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the European Union
  (EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic will accede to the EU
  in 2004.

Denmark
  Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
  European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
  that is participating in the general political and economic
  integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the
  EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements
  of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and issues concerning certain
  justice and home affairs.

Djibouti
  The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
  Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian
  one-party state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year
  terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the
  1990's led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail
  Omar GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001
  ended the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels.
  Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth
  of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for
  goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH
  favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military
  presence in the country.

Dominica
  Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
  colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
  native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
  which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
  independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
  tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
  CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
  remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still
  living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining
  in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominican Republic
  Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first
  voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for
  Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In
  1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the
  island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by
  then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in
  1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it
  finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A
  legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its
  subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin
  BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for
  most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed
  elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
  regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
  candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
  one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
  decade.

East Timor
  The Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself
  independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and
  occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated
  into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. A
  campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during
  which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives.
  On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people
  of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. During
  1999-2001, pro-integrationist militias - supported by Indonesia -
  conducted indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was
  internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's
  newest democracy.

Ecuador
  The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
  that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
  being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
  territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
  war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Egypt
  The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,
  coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and
  west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great
  civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
  of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
  native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
  replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
  introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
  ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
  Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
  conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
  completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
  world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
  Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
  Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
  Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
  1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
  completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
  Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
  agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
  largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
  the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
  government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
  through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
  physical infrastructure.

El Salvador
  El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and
  from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,
  which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when
  the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
  military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea
  Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968
  after 190 years of Spanish rule. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has
  ruled the tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five
  inhabited islands and one of the smallest countries on the African
  continent, since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although
  nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002
  presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections -
  were widely seen as being flawed.

Eritrea
  Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
  federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
  later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
  with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
  overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
  border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
  auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
  peacekeeping operation that is monitoring the border region. An
  international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute,
  posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to
  Ethiopian objections.

Estonia
  After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian
  rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated
  into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the
  collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in
  1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties
  with Western Europe. Estonia received invitations to join NATO and
  the EU in 2002.

Ethiopia
  Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
  monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception
  being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta,
  the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930)
  and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
  wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
  finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
  People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
  constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
  elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
  Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
  demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
  objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
  surrender sensitive territory.

Europa Island
  A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily
  wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a
  weather station.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Although first sighted by an
  English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
  until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
  (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
  to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
  of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
  between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
  islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
  invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
  expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
  fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands
  The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
  descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
  islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
  century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Fiji
  Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
  British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
  coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
  dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
  brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
  constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
  heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
  difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
  Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
  Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
  an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
  of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
  provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
  mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Finland
  Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden
  from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of
  Russia after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917.
  During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom
  and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
  territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
  remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
  diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
  par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
  was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
  in January 1999.

France
  Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
  suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
  as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
  most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
  nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
  resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
  democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
  with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
  Europe, including the introduction of the euro in January 2002. At
  present, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to
  exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a
  more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.

French Guiana
  First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was
  the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
  Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

French Polynesia
  The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
  during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
  widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
  after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
  1996.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  The Southern Lands consist of
  two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic
  islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent
  inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native
  fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice
  of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in
  1840.

Gabon
  Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France
  in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution
  in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral
  process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small
  population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign
  support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
  African countries.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
  it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
  between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
  and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
  president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and
  presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997,
  completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook
  another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001
  and early 2002.

Gaza Strip
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
  Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
  September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
  five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
  and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
  powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
  includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
  1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
  the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
  May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
  in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
  September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
  Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
  October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
  el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
  responsibility during the transitional period for external and
  internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
  citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
  Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year
  hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that broke out
  in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability
  within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress
  toward a permanent agreement.

Georgia
  Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th
  century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the
  Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until
  the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia
  and South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny
  the government effective control over the entirety of the state's
  internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems, some
  progress on market reforms and democratization has been made. An
  attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in
  November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the
  resignation of President Eduard SHEVARDNADZE.

Germany
  As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation,
  Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political,
  and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed the
  country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th
  century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied
  powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the
  advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the
  western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German
  Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key
  Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became
  the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of
  the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of
  the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then,
  Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern
  productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 2002,
  Germany and 11 other EU countries introduced a common European
  currency, the euro.

Ghana
  Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast
  and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
  country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series
  of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and
  the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring
  multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head
  of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996,
  but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in
  2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice
  President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.

Gibraltar
  Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great
  Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
  was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967
  and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
  overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Glorioso Islands
  A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
  Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
  Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
  operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Greece
  Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
  1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half
  of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
  territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. Following the
  defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A
  military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political
  liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven
  years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a
  parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the
  European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).

Greenland
  The world's largest non-continental island, about 81%
  ice-capped, Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the
  Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year.
  Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Grenada
  One of the smallest independent countries in the western
  hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
  October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
  those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
  ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
  were reinstituted the following year.

Guadeloupe
  Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
  island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern
  portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands
  Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part
  of Guadeloupe

Guam
  Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
  Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
  military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
  important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala
  Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821.
  During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety
  of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla
  war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally
  ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000
  people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guernsey
  The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands
  represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy,
  which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the
  only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Guinea
  Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
  democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
  military government) was elected president of the civilian
  government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has
  spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a
  humanitarian emergency.

Guinea-Bissau
  In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal,
  the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential
  elections were held. An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil
  war in 1998 created hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. A
  military junta ousted the president in May 1999. An interim
  government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader
  Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent
  presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy
  will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in the civil
  war.

Guyana
  Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana
  had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to
  black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
  servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
  ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
  politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, but
  until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by socialist-oriented
  governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president, in what is
  considered the country's first free and fair election since
  independence. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by
  his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her
  successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.

Haiti
  The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
  Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
  virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
  early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
  and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
  island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
  sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
  Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
  and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
  century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
  L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
  republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
  by political violence for most of its history since then, and it is
  now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over
  three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in
  1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his
  term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return
  to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate
  to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president
  in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis
  stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet
  been resolved.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  These uninhabited, barren,
  sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in
  1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the
  islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Popes in their secular role ruled portions
  of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the
  mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the
  newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were
  further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between
  a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by
  three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
  Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
  In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain
  of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
  Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
  Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II,
  interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of
  church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1
  billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Honduras
  Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
  became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
  of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
  to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
  anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
  and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist
  guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
  which killed about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in
  damage.

Hong Kong
  Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
  by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
  in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
  the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
  agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
  systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
  imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
  autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
  next 50 years.

Howland Island
  Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the
  island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British
  companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day
  beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially
  destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is
  named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is
  administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National
  Wildlife Refuge.

Hungary
  Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,
  which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist
  rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced
  withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military
  intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968,
  Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called
  "goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in
  1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and
  is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1
  May 2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of
  joining the EU.

Iceland
  Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
  immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
  boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
  Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
  was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
  volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
  widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
  island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
  home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
  attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
  are first-rate by world standards.

India
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
  goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
  invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants
  created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in
  the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European
  traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century,
  Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands.
  Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI
  and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent
  was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim
  state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971
  resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of
  Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing
  dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
  environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and
  religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic
  investment and output.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
  five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
  than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
  access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
  (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
  Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
  Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
  ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
  south of 60 degrees south.

Indonesia
  Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved
  independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
  alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of
  the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected
  government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing
  charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police
  accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing
  separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.

Iran
  Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
  1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative
  clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with
  ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar.
  A group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4
  November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88,
  Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed
  territory. Over the past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the
  government, driven by demographic changes, restrictive social
  policies, and poor economic conditions, has created a powerful and
  enduring pressure for political reform.

Iraq
  Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by
  Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a
  League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
  the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
  1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
  of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest
  being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an
  inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990,
  Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces
  during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's
  liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap
  all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow
  UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC
  resolutions over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led
  invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn
  regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded
  infrastructure and facilitating the establishment of a freely
  elected government.

Ireland
  Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C.
  Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
  finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
  English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
  seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
  and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
  off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
  independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
  (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
  Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
  European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
  peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
  against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
  known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is
  currently being implemented.

Israel
  Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
  mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
  Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
  the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
  the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
  Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
  profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
  from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
  Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved
  in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition,
  on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon,
  which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework
  established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral
  negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian
  representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip)
  and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a
  permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of
  Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.

Italy
  Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of
  the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under
  King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a
  close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist
  dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to
  Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the
  monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter
  member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has
  been at the forefront of European economic and political
  unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent
  problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,
  high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of
  southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

Jamaica
  Jamaica gained full independence within the British
  Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
  1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections
  in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office.
  Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political
  violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Jan Mayen
  This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
  whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
  claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
  and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
  Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
  Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
  northernmost active volcano on earth.

Japan
  While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly
  absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th
  centuries. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to
  become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the
  emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual
  power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and
  business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown
  starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented
  growth.

Jarvis Island
  First discovered by the British in 1821, the
  uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in
  1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island
  in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The
  US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World
  War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge
  administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
  situated near the middle of the west coast.

Jersey
  The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
  the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
  in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Johnston Atoll
  Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed
  Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano
  deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in
  1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The
  site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and
  1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage
  and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now
  complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with
  completion anticipated in 2004.

Jordan
  For most of its history since independence from British
  administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
  A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
  from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
  Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several
  wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections
  and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal
  peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest
  son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following
  his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated
  his power and established his domestic priorities, including an
  aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World
  Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements
  with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade
  Association in 2001.

Juan de Nova Island
  Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
  navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
  since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
  Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
  station.

Kazakhstan
  Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
  who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
  as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
  century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
  1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
  were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
  This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
  deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
  non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of
  these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
  cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
  country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
  achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
  mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
  and other foreign powers.

Kenya
  Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
  led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
  Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
  The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
  the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
  legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
  for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
  opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
  and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
  having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
  MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
  elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
  united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
  KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
  campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Kingman Reef
  The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon
  served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa
  flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on
  the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant
  and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding
  the reef out to 12 NM around the reef were designated a US National
  Wildlife Refuge.

Kiribati
  The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
  1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
  Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
  Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
  Kiribati.

Korea, North
  Following World War II, Korea was split, with the
  northern half coming under Communist domination and the southern
  portion becoming Western-oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North
  Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM
  Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North
  relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population
  while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1
  million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research
  into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive
  conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
  community. In December 2002, North Korea repudiated a 1994 agreement
  that shut down its nuclear reactors and expelled UN monitors,
  further raising fears it would produce nuclear weapons.

Korea, South
  After World War II, a republic was set up in the
  southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style
  government was installed in the north. During the Korean War
  (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea
  from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was
  signed in 1953, splitting the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone
  at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid
  economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 20 times
  the level of North Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment
  to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic
  first North-South summit took place between the South's President
  KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Chong-il.

Kuwait
  Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
  Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
  Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
  several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
  ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
  days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
  damaged during 1990-91.

Kyrgyzstan
  A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
  proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;
  it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
  concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
  expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
  relations, and combating terrorism.

Laos
  In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the
  government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties
  to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to
  private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and
  the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia
  After a brief period of independence between the two World
  Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
  independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
  Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
  Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual
  integration into various Western European political and economic
  institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Lebanon
  Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
  institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil
  war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
  reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
  political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
  the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
  in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
  conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
  been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
  extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
  country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons.
  Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of
  Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was
  legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the
  Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in
  Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese
  Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the
  Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern
  Lebanon in May 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese
  Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as
  well.

Lesotho
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
  independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in
  1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years
  of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
  following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South
  African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since
  restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
  held in 2002.

Liberia
  Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997
  when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held.
  President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real
  political opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight of
  most businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A still
  unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of
  rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn
  country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds,
  along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials,
  for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.
  Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic
  activity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of
  2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)
  indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges.

Libya
  Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu
  Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a
  combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third
  International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he
  used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology
  outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to
  hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures
  failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou
  Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support
  for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
  Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Liechtenstein
  The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
  within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in
  1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,
  but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced
  Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with
  Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained
  neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic
  growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have
  resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for
  money laundering.

Lithuania
  Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was
  annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
  first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this
  proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991
  (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
  withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its
  economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions
  and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Luxembourg
  Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
  and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
  half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
  measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
  by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
  it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
  the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
  founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
  European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau
  Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
  first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
  signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
  Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
  1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
  formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
  Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
  matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  International recognition
  of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.)
  independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's
  objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic
  name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995,
  and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite
  continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia."
  F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed
  insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring
  Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Madagascar
  Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
  French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During
  1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were
  held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second
  presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
  1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential
  election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and
  Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.
  In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA
  the winner.

Malawi
  Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
  became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
  of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994
  under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the
  following year. National multiparty elections were held again in
  1999.

Malaysia
  Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the
  former British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East
  Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
  Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred
  by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to
  Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.

Maldives
  The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
  then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
  years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on
  the archipelago.

Mali
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
  in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
  few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
  Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
  transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
  presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
  President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
  economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
  two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
  succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Malta
  Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
  The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
  remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
  decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
  island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center,
  and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU
  membership.

Man, Isle of
  Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
  13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
  British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
  extinct Manx Celtic language.

Marshall Islands
  After almost four decades under US administration
  as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
  Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
  result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
  1962. The Marshall Islands have been home to the US Army Base
  Kwajalein (USAKA) since 1964.

Martinique
  Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently
  remained a French possession except for three brief periods of
  foreign occupation.

Mauritania
  Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
  southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
  1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
  Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
  Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in
  1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely
  seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections
  were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a
  one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions
  between its black minority population and the dominant Maur
  (Arab-Berber) populace.

Mauritius
  Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
  subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
  independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
  free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
  attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
  Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
  declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some
  protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte
  Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of
  the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
  that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
  independence.

Mexico
  The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
  under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
  early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
  threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
  in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
  recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real
  wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
  inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
  for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
  states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the
  1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
  government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
  of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
  as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Micronesia, Federated States of
  In 1979 the Federated States of
  Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
  constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
  Free Association with the US. Present concerns include large-scale
  unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands
  The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867.
  The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the
  islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947,
  Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The
  US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of
  the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve
  as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a
  national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to
  the public. It is now temporarily closed.

Moldova
  Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet
  Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the
  USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory
  east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
  population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
  "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe,
  Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as
  its president in 2001.

Monaco
  Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
  with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
  then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and
  gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and
  recreation center.

Mongolia
  The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
  Genghis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
  the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but
  these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually
  retired to their original steppe homelands and came under Chinese
  rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
  Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the
  ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually
  yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition
  (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over
  the next four years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to
  modernize the economy and to democratize the political system. The
  former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional
  restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP
  won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76
  seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues
  many of the reform policies, the MPRP has focused on social welfare
  and public order priorities.

Montserrat
  Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of
  the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
  Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Morocco
  Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended
  in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to
  the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western
  Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of
  the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the
  1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in
  1997.

Mozambique
  Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
  close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,
  economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a
  prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling
  party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the
  following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market
  economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the
  fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt
  the economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have
  encouraged recent foreign investment.

Namibia
  South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa
  during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
  World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
  South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
  launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named
  Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end
  its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
  region. Independence came in 1990 following multi-party elections
  and the establishment of a constitution. President NUJOMA is
  currently serving his third term as president.

Nauru
  Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
  century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
  Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
  1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
  independent republic.

Navassa Island
  This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857
  for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
  lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
  of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
  of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
  described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
  following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Nepal
  In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
  rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
  government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
  within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
  insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
  to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten
  members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then
  took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime
  minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
  parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of
  the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and
  his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the
  Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified
  future date.

Netherlands
  The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In
  1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
  remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and
  occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
  nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
  products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC (now
  the EU), and participated in the introduction of the Economic and
  Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
  the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
  1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
  the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
  service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of
  Saint Martin is shared with France; its northern portion is named
  Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is
  named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

New Caledonia
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first
  half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
  1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
  Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to
  have dissipated.

New Zealand
  The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.
  800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,
  the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
  Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
  British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
  land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
  peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
  dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
  New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
  lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
  address longstanding Maori grievances.

Nicaragua
  The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish
  colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from
  Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent
  republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first
  half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region
  in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
  manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
  resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
  Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
  rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
  contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,
  1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country
  has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by
  Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Niger
  Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did
  Niger hold it's first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord
  ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and
  1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation
  Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999.

Nigeria
  Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
  constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to
  civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting
  task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have
  been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
  institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO
  administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious
  tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth
  and political stability. Despite some irregularities the April 2003
  elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's
  history.

Niue
  Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
  differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
  of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
  The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
  in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2002), with substantial emigration to New
  Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
  penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
  1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
  the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands
  Under US administration as part of the UN
  Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
  Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
  forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
  began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
  union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and
  constitution went into effect in 1978.

Norway
  Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off
  following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in
  994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next
  several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with
  Denmark that was to last for more than four centuries. In 1814,
  Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and
  adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to
  let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union
  under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century
  led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway
  remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the
  outset of World War II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid a
  five-year occupation by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). In 1949,
  neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO.
  Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s
  boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on
  containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for
  the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in
  1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman
  In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has
  ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has
  opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a
  long-standing political and military relationship with the UK.
  Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain
  good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
  oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
  Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
  include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
  Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
  Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
  Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
  degrees south.

Pakistan
  The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim
  state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely
  Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between
  these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and
  becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state
  of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons
  testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.

Palau
  After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
  Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
  Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
  the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
  into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Palmyra Atoll
  The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and
  the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
  archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
  include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
  Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
  preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
  mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
  Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
  January 2001.

Panama
  With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and
  promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction
  of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of
  the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by
  the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
  1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
  from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
  Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
  in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
  deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
  Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
  or on 31 December 1999.

Papua New Guinea
  The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
  second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
  and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
  Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
  War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
  independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
  of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands
  The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive
  fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,
  French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
  Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.
  China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
  seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
  The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Paraguay
  In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
  Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its
  territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
  the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were
  won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
  STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
  political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular
  presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru
  Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
  civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
  captured by the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian
  independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces
  defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru
  returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic
  problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto
  FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic
  turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing
  guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing
  reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late
  1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI
  won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but
  international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by
  Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw
  new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro
  TOLEDO as the new head of government.

Philippines
  The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898
  following the Spanish-American War. They attained independence in
  1946 after Japanese occupation in World War II. The 21-year rule of
  Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion
  forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed its last military
  bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral
  presidential transitions since the removal of MARCOS. In January
  2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in
  view of mass resignations from his government and administered the
  oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his
  constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with
  Muslim insurgencies in the south.

Pitcairn Islands
  Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the
  British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become
  a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
  that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
  Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
  less than 50 today.

Poland
  Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the
  middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th
  century. During the following century, the strengthening of the
  gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation, until an
  agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
  Poland. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun
  by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet
  satellite state following the war, but its government was
  comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to
  the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over
  time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary
  elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the
  early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of
  the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low
  GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat
  in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single
  deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the
  Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade
  Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and is scheduled
  to accede to the European Union along with nine other states on 1
  May 2004.

Portugal
  Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
  16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
  destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
  Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
  A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
  decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
  left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
  following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
  colonies. Portugal entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Puerto Rico
  Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the
  island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus'
  second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial
  rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and
  African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a
  result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
  citizenship in 1917 and popularly elected governors have served
  since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for
  internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and
  1998 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar
  Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
  transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
  pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
  gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
  economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
  revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was
  overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
  in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its
  longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil
  and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income
  not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Reunion
  The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513.
  From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration,
  supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar
  Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez
  Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the
  East Indies trade route.

Romania
  Soviet occupation following World War II led to the
  formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the
  abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae
  CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state
  became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s.
  CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former
  Communists dominated the government until 1996, when they were swept
  from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. Currently,
  the Social Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government,
  which governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania. Bucharest must address rampant corruption,
  while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms, before
  Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union.

Russia
  Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War
  I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian
  Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the 300-year old Romanov
  Dynasty. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after
  and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53)
  strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens
  of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in
  the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV
  (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika
  (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his
  initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991
  splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then,
  Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political
  system and market economy to replace the strict social, political,
  and economic controls of the Communist period. A determined
  guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Rwanda
  In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the
  majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
  Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and
  some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The
  children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan
  Patriotic Front, and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with
  several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic
  tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly
  800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the
  Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2
  million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to
  neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most
  of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial
  international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's
  first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to
  struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster
  reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a
  nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two
  wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to
  hinder Rwanda's efforts.

Saint Helena
  Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
  1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
  century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's
  exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a
  port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
  Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield;
  Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  First settled by the British in 1623, the
  islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in
  1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in
  1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,
  a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell
  short of the two-thirds majority needed.

Saint Lucia
  The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
  was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
  early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
  ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
  independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  First settled by the French in the early
  17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
  France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Disputed between France and the
  United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the
  latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in
  1979.

Samoa
  New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
  at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
  the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
  when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
  independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
  from its name in 1997.

San Marino
  The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See
  and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According
  to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus
  in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of
  Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track
  closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe
  Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late
  15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee
  and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave
  labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although
  independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not
  instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections
  were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of
  continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup
  attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf
  of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's
  economy.

Saudi Arabia
  In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured
  Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian
  Peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the
  country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia
  accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while
  allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the
  liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population,
  aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum
  output and prices are all major governmental concerns.

Senegal
  Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The
  Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
  However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
  carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace
  talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with
  government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of
  participating in international peacekeeping.

Serbia and Montenegro
  The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was
  formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.
  Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various
  paramilitary bands that fought themselves as well as the invaders.
  The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German
  expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government
  successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations
  and the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early
  1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines:
  Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all
  declared their independence in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992.
  The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new
  "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in 1992 and, under President
  Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts
  to unite Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All
  of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive
  expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians
  living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the
  NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of NATO, Russian, and
  other peacekeepers in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000,
  brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav
  KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for
  his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for
  the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
  humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension was lifted, and it was
  once more accepted into UN organizations under the name of
  Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by the UN Interim
  Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June 1999, under the
  authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. In 2002, the
  Serbian and Montenegrin components of Yugoslavia began negotiations
  to forge a looser relationship. These talks became a reality in
  February 2003 when lawmakers restructured the country into a loose
  federation of two republics called Serbia and Montenegro. An
  agreement was also reached to hold a referendum in each republic in
  three years on full independence.

Seychelles
  A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
  the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
  Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
  with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
  presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001.
  President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected.

Sierra Leone
  Since 1991, civil war between the government and the
  Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands
  of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well
  over one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
  neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the
  11-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With
  the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the
  World Bank and international community, demobilization and
  disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has
  been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the
  government continues to slowly reestablish its authority.

Singapore
  Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
  It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
  later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
  world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
  links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita
  GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia
  In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
  form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
  Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
  Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
  more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
  peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and
  the EU in 2002.

Slovenia
  The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and
  Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in
  forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War
  II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
  though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
  with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
  succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
  10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
  a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
  modern state. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to
  join NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine
  other states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and
  EU membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66%
  in favor of joining NATO.

Solomon Islands
  The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
  Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II
  occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
  independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government
  malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil
  society.

Somalia
  The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
  factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for twelve years. In
  May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
  Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
  Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
  by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
  aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
  infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
  military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
  northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
  of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
  aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
  a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil
  strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it
  also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993,
  a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able
  to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
  having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
  restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
  created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expires in August 2003 and
  a new interim government was being created at peace talks held in
  Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control
  of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali
  links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

South Africa
  After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
  1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
  their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
  (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
  subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
  encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The
  resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid
  - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to
  apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  The islands lie
  approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been
  under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period
  in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,
  was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer
  Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated
  attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months
  later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
  successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
  Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
  is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
  the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
  populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
  marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
  exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.

Southern Ocean
  A decision by the International Hydrographic
  Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
  the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
  Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
  from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude,
  which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
  is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
  Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
  Arctic Ocean).

Spain
  Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
  ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
  failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
  the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
  and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
  but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
  second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
  the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
  Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
  terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Spratly Islands
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and
  potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their
  entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
  by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by
  China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about
  100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no
  outposts. (2002)

Sri Lanka
  The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century
  B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
  beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great
  civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from
  circa 200 B.C. to circa 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070
  to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power
  in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the
  Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century,
  the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony
  in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it
  became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in
  1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists
  erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in
  an ethnic war that continues to fester. After two decades of
  fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam began
  a ceasefire in December 2001, with Norway brokering peace
  negotiations.

Sudan
  Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
  dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
  Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this
  period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic,
  political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern
  Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects
  have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
  displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an
  Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern
  opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels
  and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace
  talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several
  accords, including a cease-fire agreement.

Suriname
  Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five
  years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
  regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule
  through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until
  1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic
  election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government,
  but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Svalbard
  First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
  islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
  18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
  years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland
  Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
  by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted
  1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the
  monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
  political reform and greater democracy.

Sweden
  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
  participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
  was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
  formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
  elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising
  maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets.
  Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic
  integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995,
  and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Switzerland
  Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
  honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland was not
  involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic
  integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as
  Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has
  strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the
  country did not officially become a UN member until 2002.
  Switzerland remains active in many UN and international
  organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

Syria
  Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
  I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946.
  In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
  Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon,
  ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and
  Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan
  Heights.

Taiwan
  In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
  Japan. It reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following
  the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
  Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
  1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
  decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
  incorporated the native population within the governing structure.
  In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from
  the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
  period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
  "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
  relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
  eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic
  reform.

Tajikistan
  Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government
  and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from
  the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997,
  and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total
  control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise
  and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international
  community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought
  increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs
  and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early
  stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined
  NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Tanzania
  Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged
  to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an
  end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country
  since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
  opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which
  the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of
  voting irregularities.

Thailand
  A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
  century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
  Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
  bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
  alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
  following the conflict.

Togo
  French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
  installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving
  head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
  in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by
  President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
  has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,
  Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human
  rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and
  multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Tokelau
  Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
  island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
  in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Tonga
  The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
  Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
  1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
  independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
  Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago
  The islands came under British control in the
  19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one
  of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum
  and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in
  Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island
  First explored by the French in 1776, the island
  came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
  serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
  meteorological station.

Tunisia
  Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
  BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
  country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
  establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
  recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
  its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
  pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey
  Present-day Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish
  remnants of the Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter, the country
  instituted secular laws to replace traditional religious fiats. In
  1945 Turkey joined the UN, and in 1952 it became a member of NATO.
  Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to protect Turkish
  Cypriots and prevent a Greek takeover of the island; the northern 37
  percent of the island remains under Turkish Cypriot control.
  Relations between the two countries remain strained, but have begun
  to improve over the past few years. In 1984, the Kurdistan Workers'
  Party (PKK), a Marxist-Leninist, separatist group, initiated an
  insurgency in southeast Turkey, often using terrorist tactics to try
  to attain its goal of an independent Kurdistan. The group - whose
  leader, Abdullah OCALAN, was captured in Kenya in February 1999 -
  has observed a unilateral cease-fire since September 1999, although
  there have been occasional clashes between Turkish military units
  and some of the 4,000-5,000 armed PKK militants, most of whom
  currently are encamped in northern Iraq. The PKK changed its name to
  the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK) in April 2002.

Turkmenistan
  Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan
  became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon
  the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains
  absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.
  Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to
  this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can
  be worked out.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
  colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
  colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
  oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
  islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
  was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
  are presently a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu
  In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
  Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
  Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
  Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
  British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
  Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
  for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Uganda
  Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The
  dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the
  deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights
  abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000
  lives. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party
  presidential and legislative elections.

Ukraine
  Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan
  Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and
  most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and
  Mongol invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy
  of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
  for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
  Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
  mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
  continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
  autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
  18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
  the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
  1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
  independence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
  brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
  and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
  and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
  deaths. Although independence was achieved in 1991 with the
  dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive, as many of
  the former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts at
  economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

United Arab Emirates
  The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
  granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
  century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
  Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
  form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by
  Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of
  leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
  its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a
  vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom
  Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
  power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
  parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
  its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
  earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
  strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
  witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
  into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
  permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
  NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
  foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
  integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
  remain outside the European Monetary Union for the time being.
  Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The
  Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the
  Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999.

United States
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother
  country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United
  States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
  19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13
  as the nation expanded across the North American continent and
  acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic
  experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
  the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars
  I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
  world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady
  growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in
  technology.

Uruguay
  A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros,
  launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to
  military control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the
  rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its
  hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
  1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
  on the continent.

Uzbekistan
  Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
  Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
  suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
  Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
  led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
  which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
  rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
  gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
  mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
  by Islamic militants, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment
  of human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu
  The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the
  19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
  administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Venezuela
  Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the
  collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and
  Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela
  was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted
  the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically
  elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns
  include: an embattled president who is losing his once solid support
  among Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along
  the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption,
  overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price
  fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are
  endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Vietnam
  France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was
  declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until
  1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH,
  who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to South
  Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
  government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
  cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese
  forces overran the South. Economic reconstruction of the reunited
  country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have
  only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
  An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
  December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held
  until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was
  developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and
  commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
  airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo
  planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700
  landings a year on the island.

Wallis and Futuna
  Although discovered by the Dutch and the British
  in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
  protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
  the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

West Bank
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
  Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
  September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
  five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
  and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
  powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
  includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
  1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
  the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
  May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
  in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
  September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
  Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
  October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
  el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
  responsibility during the transitional period for external security
  and for internal security and public order of settlements and
  Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent
  status of Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a
  three-year hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that
  broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and
  instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine
  progress toward a permanent agreement.

Western Sahara
  Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
  Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
  the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
  guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
  sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized
  referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

World
  Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
  world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
  vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
  from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
  the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
  alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
  standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
  concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
  of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air
  pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
  emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
  population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
  billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
  1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
  exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
  (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
  more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen
  North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
  The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
  port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
  South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
  Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
  Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
  hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
  unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
  movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
  Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Zambia
  The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
  South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in
  1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred
  development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon
  independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper
  prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991
  brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
  saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
  was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
  legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
  Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching
  anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the 2003 arrest
  of the previous president Frederick CHILUBA and many of his
  supporters. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in
  the National Assembly.

Zimbabwe
  The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
  Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored
  whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
  independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
  complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
  (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
  finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
  in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
  the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
  the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
  redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
  farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
  of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
  rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
  Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
  pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
  brutal repression of regime opponents.

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2030 Airports - with paved runways

Afghanistan total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Albania total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Algeria
  total: 54
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

American Samoa
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Angola
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Anguilla total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Argentina total: 145 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Armenia
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Australia
  total: 294
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 126
  914 to 1,523 m: 134
  under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Austria
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 14 (2002)

Azerbaijan
  total: 27
  over 3.047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  total: 30
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Belarus
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Belgium
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Belize
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Benin
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Bermuda
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Bolivia
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Botswana total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Brazil
  total: 665
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 155
  914 to 1,523 m: 435
  under 914 m: 45 (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Brunei total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Bulgaria
  total: 128
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 92 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Burma
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Cambodia total: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Cameroon
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Canada
  total: 507
  over 3,047 m: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 149
  914 to 1,523 m: 245
  under 914 m: 80 (2002)

Cape Verde total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002)

Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Central African Republic total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Chad
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Chile
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 15 (2002)

China
  total: 351
  over 3,047 m: 32
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 108
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 143
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Christmas Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Colombia
  total: 96
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
  914 to 1,523 m: 36
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Cook Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Costa Rica total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Croatia
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Cuba
  total: 70
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Cyprus
  total: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Czech Republic
  total: 44
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Denmark
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Dominican Republic total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

East Timor total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,427 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Ecuador
  total: 61
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 18
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Egypt
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

El Salvador total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Eritrea
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Estonia
  total: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Ethiopia total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Faroe Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Fiji
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Finland
  total: 74
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

France
  total: 273
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
  914 to 1,523 m: 80
  under 914 m: 57 (2002)

French Guiana total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

French Polynesia
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 22
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Gabon
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Gambia, The
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Georgia
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Germany
  total: 328
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 54
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 63
  914 to 1,523 m: 69
  under 914 m: 131 (2002)

Ghana
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Gibraltar
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Greece
  total: 66
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Greenland
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Grenada
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Guam
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Guatemala total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Guernsey total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Guinea
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Guyana
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Haiti
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Honduras total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Hong Kong total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)

Hungary
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Iceland total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

India
  total: 232
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 47
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
  914 to 1,523 m: 73
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Indonesia
  total: 153
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 46
  914 to 1,523 m: 48
  under 914 m: 43 (2002)

Iran
  total: 122
  over 3,047 m: 39
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Iraq
  total: 77
  over 3,047 m: 21
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Ireland
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Israel
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Italy
  total: 96
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 30
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Jamaica
  total: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Japan
  total: 141
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 32 (2002)

Jersey
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Johnston Atoll
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Jordan
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Kazakhstan
  total: 60
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Kenya
  total: 19
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Kiribati total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Korea, North
  total: 34
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Korea, South
  total: 69
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 21 (2002)

Kuwait total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Kyrgyzstan total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Laos
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Latvia
  total: 22
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Lebanon
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Lesotho total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Libya
  total: 58
  over 3,047 m: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Lithuania
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Luxembourg
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Macau
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Madagascar total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Malawi
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Malaysia
  total: 35
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Maldives
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Mali
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Malta
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Man, Isle of
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Marshall Islands total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Martinique total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Mauritania
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2002)

Mauritius
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Mayotte
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Mexico
  total: 231
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 83
  914 to 1,523 m: 82
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Midway Islands
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Moldova
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Mongolia
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Morocco
  total: 26
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Mozambique
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Namibia
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Nauru
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Nepal
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)

Netherlands
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2038 to 3047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

New Caledonia total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

New Zealand total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Niger
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Nigeria
  total: 36
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Niue
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Norfolk Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Norway
  total: 66
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 26 (2002)

Oman
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Pakistan
  total: 87
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Palau
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Panama
  total: 41
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 21 (2002)

Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Paraguay total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Peru
  total: 49
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Philippines
  total: 82
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Poland
  total: 88
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Portugal
  total: 40
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Puerto Rico total: 19 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Qatar total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Reunion total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Romania total: 26 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)

Russia
  total: 471
  over 3,047 m: 56
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 178
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
  914 to 1,523 m: 69
  under 914 m: 92 (2002)

Rwanda
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Saint Helena total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Saint Lucia
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Samoa
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia total: 71 over 3,047 m: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Senegal total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Seychelles total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Singapore
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Slovakia
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Slovenia
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Somalia total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

South Africa
  total: 143
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
  914 to 1,523 m: 67
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Spain
  total: 93
  over 3,047 m: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Spratly Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Sri Lanka
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)

Sudan
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)

Suriname
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Svalbard
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)

Swaziland
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Sweden
  total: 145
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
  914 to 1,523 m: 24
  under 914 m: 25 (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 41
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 14 (2002)

Syria
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Taiwan
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Tajikistan total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Tanzania
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Thailand
  total: 62
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Togo
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Tonga
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Tunisia
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Turkey
  total: 86
  over 3,047 m: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Turkmenistan total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Uganda total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Ukraine
  total: 182
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 81 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

United Kingdom
  total: 334
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
  914 to 1,523 m: 83
  under 914 m: 59 (2002)

United States
  total: 5,131
  over 3,047 m: 185
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 222
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,365
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,390
  under 914 m: 969 (2002)

Uruguay
  total: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  total: 27
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,523 to 2,437 m: 5
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Vanuatu
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1524 to 2437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Venezuela
  total: 127
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 61
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Vietnam
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Virgin Islands
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Wake Island
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

West Bank total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Western Sahara total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)

Yemen
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Zambia
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Zimbabwe total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2031 Airports - with unpaved runways

Afghanistan total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Albania
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Algeria
  total: 82
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 38
  under 914 m: 19 (2002)

American Samoa
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Angola
  total: 211
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
  914 to 1,523 m: 95
  under 914 m: 80 (2002)

Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Antarctica total: 19 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Argentina total: 1,197 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 572 under 914 m: 571 (2002)

Armenia
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Australia
  total: 150
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 116
  under 914 m: 14 (2002)

Austria
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Azerbaijan total: 44 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Bahamas, The total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Bahrain total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Bangladesh total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Belarus
  total: 96
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 67 (2002)

Belgium
  total: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 15 (2002)

Belize
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Benin
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Bolivia
  total: 1,069
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 64
  914 to 1,523 m: 225
  under 914 m: 776 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Botswana
  total: 76
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 55
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Brazil
  total: 2,925
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 70
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,384
  under 914 m: 1,471 (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Brunei
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Bulgaria
  total: 88
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 74 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Burma
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Burundi total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Cambodia
  total: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Cameroon
  total: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Canada
  total: 882
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
  914 to 1,523 m: 363
  under 914 m: 446 (2002)

Cape Verde
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Central African Republic total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Chad
  total: 43
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Chile
  total: 292
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 216 (2002)

China
  total: 149
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 48
  under 914 m: 71 (2002)

Colombia
  total: 954
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
  914 to 1,523 m: 315
  under 914 m: 587 (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 205
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 95
  under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Cook Islands
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Costa Rica
  total: 121
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 93 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 29
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Croatia
  total: 43
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Cuba
  total: 91
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 63 (2002)

Cyprus
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Czech Republic
  total: 100
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 36
  under 914 m: 62 (2002)

Denmark
  total: 76
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 71 (2002)

Djibouti
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Dominican Republic
  total: 17
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

East Timor
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Ecuador
  total: 144
  914 to 1,523 m: 31
  under 914 m: 113 (2002)

Egypt
  total: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

El Salvador total: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 61 (2002)

Equatorial Guinea total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Eritrea
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Estonia
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Ethiopia
  total: 69
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 32
  under 914 m: 21 (2002)

Europa Island
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Fiji
  total: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Finland
  total: 76
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 72 (2002)

France
  total: 204
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 74
  under 914 m: 128 (2002)

French Guiana
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

French Polynesia
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Gabon
  total: 47
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Georgia
  total: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Germany
  total: 223
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 31
  under 914 m: 189 (2002)

Ghana
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Glorioso Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Greece total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Guam
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Guatemala total: 455 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 330 (2002)

Guinea
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Guyana
  total: 43
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Haiti
  total: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Honduras total: 103 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 83 (2002)

Hungary
  total: 32
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Iceland
  total: 73
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 21
  under 914 m: 49 (2002)

India
  total: 102
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 48 (2002)

Indonesia total: 478 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 450 (2002)

Iran
  total: 187
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 138
  under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Iraq
  total: 73
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Ireland
  total: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Israel
  total: 24
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Italy
  total: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 18
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Jamaica total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Jan Mayen total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Japan
  total: 31
  over 3047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 26 (2002)

Jordan
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Juan de Nova Island
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Kazakhstan total: 428 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 103 under 914 m: 251 (2002)

Kenya
  total: 211
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 113
  under 914 m: 83 (2002)

Kiribati total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Korea, North total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Korea, South
  total: 33
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Kuwait
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Kyrgyzstan total: 50 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Laos
  total: 42
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 26 (2002)

Latvia
  total: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Lebanon
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Lesotho
  total: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Liberia
  total: 45
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Libya
  total: 78
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Lithuania total: 65 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 57 (2002)

Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Madagascar
  total: 92
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 46
  under 914 m: 44 (2002)

Malawi
  total: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Malaysia
  total: 79
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 72 (2002)

Maldives
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Mali
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Martinique total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Mauritania total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Mauritius total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Mexico
  total: 1,592
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
  914 to 1,523 m: 454
  under 914 m: 1,067 (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Moldova
  total: 28
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Mongolia
  total: 40
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Morocco
  total: 37
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Mozambique
  total: 143
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 35
  under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Namibia
  total: 114
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Nepal
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 28 (2002)

Netherlands
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

New Caledonia
  total: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 9 (2002)

New Zealand
  total: 67
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 26
  under 914 m: 39 (2002)

Nicaragua
  total: 165
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 141 (2002)

Niger
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Nigeria
  total: 34
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 18 (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Norway
  total: 36
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 29 (2002)

Oman
  total: 133
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 55
  914 to 1,523 m: 37
  under 914 m: 32 (2002)

Pakistan total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Palau
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Palmyra Atoll
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Panama
  total: 62
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 50 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 470
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 56
  under 914 m: 403 (2002)

Paraguay
  total: 868
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
  914 to 1,523 m: 323
  under 914 m: 518 (2002)

Peru
  total: 184
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 61
  under 914 m: 100 (2002)

Philippines
  total: 175
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 99 (2002)

Poland
  total: 62
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 43 (2002)

Portugal
  total: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 25 (2002)

Puerto Rico
  total: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Qatar
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Romania
  total: 39
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 25 (2002)

Russia
  total: 2,272
  over 3,047 m: 28
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 118
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 204
  914 to 1,523 m: 324
  under 914 m: 1,598 (2002)

Rwanda
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Samoa
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia total: 138 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 79 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Senegal
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Seychelles
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Slovakia
  total: 17
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Slovenia
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Solomon Islands
  total: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Somalia
  total: 54
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 30
  under 914 m: 3 (2002)

South Africa
  total: 584
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
  914 to 1,523 m: 298
  under 914 m: 252 (2002)

Spain
  total: 59
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 43 (2002)

Spratly Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Sri Lanka total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Sudan
  total: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 24
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Suriname
  total: 41
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 35 (2002)

Svalbard total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Swaziland
  total: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Sweden
  total: 100
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 90 (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 25
  1524 to 2437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Syria
  total: 68
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 55 (2002)

Taiwan
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Tajikistan total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Tanzania
  total: 112
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Thailand
  total: 49
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Togo
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Tonga
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Tromelin Island total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Tunisia
  total: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Turkey
  total: 34
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Turkmenistan
  total: 63
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 41 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Tuvalu total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Uganda
  total: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Ukraine
  total: 608
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 466 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 19
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 5 (2002)

United Kingdom total: 136 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 112 (2002)

United States total: 9,670 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158 914 to 1,523 m: 1,702 under 914 m: 7,802 (2002)

Uruguay
  total: 49
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Uzbekistan total: 246 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 211 (2002)

Vanuatu total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2002)

Venezuela total: 246 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 139 (2002)

Vietnam
  total: 23
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Western Sahara total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Yemen
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Zambia
  total: 98
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 63
  under 914 m: 30 (2002)

Zimbabwe total: 413 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197 under 914 m: 212 (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2032 Environment - current issues

Afghanistan
  limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;
  deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
  fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water
  pollution

Albania
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
  and domestic effluents

Algeria
  soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
  practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
  refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
  pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
  particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
  fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

American Samoa
  limited natural fresh water resources; the water
  division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
  few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Andorra
  deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
  to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
  disposal

Angola
  overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable
  to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
  rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
  timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
  biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
  siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Anguilla
  supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
  demand largely because of poor distribution system

Antarctica
  in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic
  ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
  kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
  light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
  antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
  to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
  areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Antigua and Barbuda
  water management - a major concern because of
  limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the
  clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to
  run off quickly

Arctic Ocean
  endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
  fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
  disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Argentina
  environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an
  industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation,
  desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
  note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse
  gas targets

Armenia
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy
  crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
  firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
  draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
  source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
  Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
  seismically active zone

Aruba
  NA

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  NA

Atlantic Ocean
  endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
  sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the
  decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;
  municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and
  eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
  Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste
  and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
  Mediterranean Sea

Australia
  soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
  urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
  to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
  agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
  animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
  coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
  increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Austria
  some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;
  soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
  pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
  stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
  between northern and southern Europe

Azerbaijan
  local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
  Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
  the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
  air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
  spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic
  defoliants used in the production of cotton

Bahamas, The
  coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Bahrain
  desertification resulting from the degradation of limited
  arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
  degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
  resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,
  oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater
  resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all
  water needs

Baker Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Bangladesh
  many people are landless and forced to live on and
  cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in
  surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results
  from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by
  naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of
  falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the
  country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe
  overpopulation

Barbados
  pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
  soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination
  of aquifers

Bassas da India
  NA

Belarus
  soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the
  country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident
  at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Belgium
  the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
  activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
  extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
  pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
  uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
  resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Belize
  deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial
  effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Benin
  inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens
  wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Bermuda
  asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open
  space; sustainable development

Bhutan
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bolivia
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
  international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
  deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
  methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
  loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
  for drinking and irrigation

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  air pollution from metallurgical plants;
  sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and
  destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife

Botswana
  overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and
  endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the
  area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water
  pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large
  cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper
  mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources (except
  for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
  islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Brunei
  seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Bulgaria
  air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted
  from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest
  damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil
  contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and
  industrial wastes

Burkina Faso
  recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
  agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;
  overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Burma
  deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
  inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Burundi
  soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
  agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
  remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
  loss threatens wildlife populations

Cambodia
  illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip
  mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand
  have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in
  particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural
  fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the
  population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste
  delivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)
  in December 1998

Cameroon
  water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;
  overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Canada
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting
  lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,
  and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest
  productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to
  agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Cape Verde
  soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted
  in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has
  threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
  extraction; overfishing

Cayman Islands
  no natural fresh water resources; drinking water
  supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Central African Republic
  tap water is not potable; poaching has
  diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
  desertification; deforestation

Chad
  inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal
  in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
  desertification

Chile
  widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural
  resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage

China
  air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)
  from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages,
  particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;
  deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land
  since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;
  desertification; trade in endangered species

Christmas Island
  NA

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fresh water resources are limited to
  rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Colombia
  deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse
  of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
  emissions

Comoros
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation
  on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Congo, Republic of the
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;
  deforestation

Cook Islands
  NA

Coral Sea Islands
  no permanent fresh water resources

Costa Rica
  deforestation and land use change, largely a result of
  the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil
  erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste
  management; air pollution

Cote d'Ivoire
  deforestation (most of the country's forests - once
  the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water
  pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Croatia
  air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid
  rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of
  infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Cuba
  air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Cyprus
  water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,
  seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's
  largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution
  from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of
  wildlife habitats from urbanization

Czech Republic
  air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia
  and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid
  rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code
  should improve domestic pollution

Denmark
  air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant
  emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;
  drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and
  pesticides

Djibouti
  inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
  desertification; endangered species

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  water shortages; soil eroding into the sea
  damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage

East Timor
  widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
  deforestation and soil erosion

Ecuador
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
  pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically
  sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown
  sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;
  desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and
  marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,
  raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh
  water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water
  source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and
  natural resources

El Salvador
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;
  contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Equatorial Guinea
  tap water is not potable; deforestation

Eritrea
  deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;
  loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Estonia
  air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning
  power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted
  to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
  than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
  water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
  connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
  pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
  natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
  areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
  locations

Ethiopia
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
  management

Europa Island
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  deforestation; soil erosion

Finland
  air pollution from manufacturing and power plants
  contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

France
  some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage
  occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air
  pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
  from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  NA

Gabon
  deforestation; poaching

Gambia, The
  deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases
  prevalent

Gaza Strip
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage
  treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and
  contamination of underground water resources

Georgia
  air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of
  Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable
  water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Germany
  emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries
  contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur
  dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea
  from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern
  Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a
  mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15
  years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature
  preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat
  directive

Ghana
  recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural
  activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and
  habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Gibraltar
  limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or
  natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for
  drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Glorioso Islands
  NA

Greece
  air pollution; water pollution

Greenland
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the
  Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  extirpation of native bird population by the rapid
  proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Guatemala
  deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water
  pollution

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
  overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
  environmental damage

Guinea-Bissau
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Guyana
  water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
  chemicals; deforestation

Haiti
  extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land
  is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  urban population expanding; deforestation results from
  logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further
  land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled
  development and improper land use practices such as farming of
  marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the
  country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers
  and streams, with heavy metals

Hong Kong
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Howland Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Hungary
  the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste
  management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution
  with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large
  investments

Iceland
  water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate
  wastewater treatment

India
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
  pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
  water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
  population is overstraining natural resources

Indian Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
  turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,
  and Red Sea

Indonesia
  deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest
  fires

Iran
  air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle
  emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;
  deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the
  Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
  (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution
  from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Iraq
  government water control projects have drained most of the
  inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
  the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
  Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
  displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
  serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
  rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
  Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
  erosion; desertification

Ireland
  water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural
  runoff

Israel
  limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose
  serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial
  and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Italy
  air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur
  dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and
  agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate
  industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Jamaica
  heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by
  industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air
  pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Jan Mayen
  NA

Japan
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
  acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
  threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
  fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
  resources in Asia and elsewhere

Jarvis Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Jersey
  NA

Johnston Atoll
  no natural fresh water resources

Jordan
  limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Juan de Nova Island
  NA

Kazakhstan
  radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its
  former defense industries and test ranges throughout the country
  pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is
  severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into
  the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
  leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
  salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown
  into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil
  pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from
  poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Kenya
  water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation
  of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;
  water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil
  erosion; desertification; poaching

Kingman Reef
  none

Kiribati
  heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to
  heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon
  latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Korea, North
  water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Korea, South
  air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water
  pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
  drift net fishing

Kuwait
  limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's
  largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much
  of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Kyrgyzstan
  water pollution; many people get their water directly
  from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne
  diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty
  irrigation practices

Laos
  unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of
  the population does not have access to potable water

Latvia
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
  industries after the country regained independence; the main
  environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
  and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and
  reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession
  negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of
  EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution
  in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial
  wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho
  population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas
  results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
  desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
  redirects water to South Africa

Liberia
  tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
  biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
  sewage

Libya
  desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;
  the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development
  scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large
  aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum
  products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg
  air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of
  farmland

Macau
  NA

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  air pollution from
  metallurgical plants

Madagascar
  soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
  desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
  other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
  the island are endangered

Malawi
  deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from
  agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
  spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia
  air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from
  Indonesian forest fires

Maldives
  depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
  global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; poaching

Malta
  very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing
  reliance on desalination

Man, Isle of
  waste disposal (both household and industrial);
  transboundary air pollution

Marshall Islands
  inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of
  Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing
  vessels

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated
  by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural
  fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only
  perennial river

Mauritius
  water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to
  urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted
  in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
  southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
  urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
  deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
  the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
  subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
  note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
  deforestation national security issues

Micronesia, Federated States of
  overfishing, climate change,
  pollution

Midway Islands
  NA

Moldova
  heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned
  pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater;
  extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the
  policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
  industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
  burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
  environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
  deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
  agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
  desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
  the environment

Montserrat
  land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for
  cultivation

Morocco
  land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting
  from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of
  vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of
  reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Mozambique
  a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands
  have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and
  coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
  desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
  poaching for ivory is a problem

Namibia
  very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
  wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Nauru
  limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks
  collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging
  desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90
  years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the
  central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining
  land resources

Navassa Island
  NA

Nepal
  deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of
  alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes,
  agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife
  conservation; vehicular emissions

Netherlands
  water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic
  compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air
  pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Zealand
  deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
  hard-hit by species introduced from outside

Nicaragua
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Niger
  overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification;
  wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and
  lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Nigeria
  soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
  pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
  has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
  rapid urbanization

Niue
  increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter
  loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  contamination of groundwater on Saipan may
  contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
  endangered species conflicts with development

Norway
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely
  affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle
  emissions

Oman
  rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very
  limited natural fresh water resources

Pacific Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, sea
  lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in
  Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Pakistan
  water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
  agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
  majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Palau
  inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to
  the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
  practices, and overfishing

Palmyra Atoll
  NA

Panama
  water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery
  resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
  and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution
  in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Papua New Guinea
  rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of
  growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
  projects; severe drought

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste
  disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of
  wetlands

Peru
  deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing
  of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;
  desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and
  coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Philippines
  uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil
  erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of
  coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Pitcairn Islands
  deforestation (only a small portion of the original
  forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Poland
  situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy
  industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist
  governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of
  sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the
  resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from
  industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal
  of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as
  industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European
  Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government

Portugal
  soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and
  vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Puerto Rico
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Qatar
  limited natural fresh water resources are increasing
  dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution
  in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
  wetlands

Russia
  air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired
  electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial,
  municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and
  seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from
  improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of
  sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater
  contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management;
  abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Rwanda
  deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for
  fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the
  northern region

Saint Pierre and Miquelon recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Samoa
  soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Saudi Arabia
  desertification; depletion of underground water
  resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies
  has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination
  facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Senegal
  wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Serbia and Montenegro
  pollution of coastal waters from sewage
  outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air
  pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
  pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
  into the Danube

Seychelles
  water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Sierra Leone
  rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
  overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and
  slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil
  exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Singapore
  industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water
  resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal
  problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
  Indonesia

Slovakia
  air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human
  health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Slovenia
  Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste;
  pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals;
  forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at
  metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Solomon Islands
  deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding
  coral reefs are dead or dying

Somalia
  famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human
  health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

South Africa
  lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires
  extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water
  usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff
  and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil
  erosion; desertification

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  NA

Southern Ocean
  increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from
  the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary
  productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA
  of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent
  years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
  Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
  affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
  mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
  note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
  comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Spain
  pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and
  effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality
  and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation;
  desertification

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations
  threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from
  mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources
  being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste
  disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Sudan
  inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
  periodic drought

Suriname
  deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of
  inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
  degradation; soil erosion

Sweden
  acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North
  Sea and the Baltic Sea

Switzerland
  air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air
  burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
  agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Syria
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes;
  inadequate potable water

Taiwan
  air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
  sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
  endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Tajikistan
  inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of
  soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Tanzania
  soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
  destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent
  droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by
  illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Thailand
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from
  organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife
  populations threatened by illegal hunting

Togo
  deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and
  the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards
  and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban
  areas

Tokelau
  very limited natural resources and overcrowding are
  contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Tonga
  deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared
  for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from
  starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting
  threatens native sea turtle populations

Trinidad and Tobago
  water pollution from agricultural chemicals,
  industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;
  deforestation; soil erosion

Tromelin Island
  NA

Tunisia
  toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses
  health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh
  water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

Turkey
  water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air
  pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for
  oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Turkmenistan
  contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural
  chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor
  irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large
  share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to
  that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Turks and Caicos Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources,
  private cisterns collect rainwater

Tuvalu
  since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
  potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
  storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
  desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
  because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
  clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
  reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
  very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
  and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
  underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
  Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
  should make evacuation necessary

Uganda
  draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
  Victoria; poaching is widespread

Ukraine
  inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water
  pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast
  from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

United Arab Emirates
  lack of natural freshwater resources
  compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
  from oil spills

United Kingdom
  continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met
  Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and
  intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a
  domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the
  government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial
  waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to
  recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to
  33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling
  increased from 8.8% to 10.3%

United States
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US
  and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide
  from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
  pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water
  resources in much of the western part of the country require careful
  management; desertification

Uruguay
  water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
  inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Uzbekistan
  shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing
  concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these
  substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and
  contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial
  wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause
  of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil
  contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural
  chemicals, including DDT

Vanuatu
  a majority of the population does not have access to a
  potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

Venezuela
  sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban
  pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation;
  urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean
  coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining
  operations

Vietnam
  logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute
  to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and
  overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater
  contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban
  industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading
  environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  lack of natural freshwater resources

Wake Island
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  deforestation (only small portions of the original
  forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as
  the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,
  the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
  there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
  natural fresh water resources

West Bank
  adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara
  sparse water and lack of arable land

World
  large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,
  pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of
  vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
  wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Yemen
  very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia
  air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
  extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;
  poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and
  large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
  lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe
  deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and
  water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
  concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
  reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste
  and heavy metal pollution

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2033 Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan
  party to: Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Albania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Algeria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Andorra
  party to: Hazardous Wastes
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Angola
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Antigua and Barbuda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Argentina
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Armenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Australia
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Austria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

Azerbaijan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahamas, The
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahrain
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bangladesh
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Barbados
  party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Belarus
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Belgium
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto
  Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Belize
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Benin
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bhutan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bolivia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Botswana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brazil
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brunei
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bulgaria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol

Burkina Faso
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Burma
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burundi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Cambodia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Cameroon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Canada
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Cape Verde
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Central African Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Chad
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Chile
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

China
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Colombia
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping

Comoros
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Congo, Democratic Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Congo, Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cook Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Costa Rica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Cote d'Ivoire
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Croatia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cuba
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Cyprus
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Czech Republic
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Denmark
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea

Djibouti
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominican Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Egypt
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

El Salvador
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Equatorial Guinea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of
  the Sea, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Eritrea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Estonia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Ethiopia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Fiji
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Finland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

France
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Gabon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gambia, The
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Georgia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Germany
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Ghana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Greece
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
  Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Grenada
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guatemala
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Guinea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea-Bissau
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guyana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Haiti
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Holy See (Vatican City)
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Honduras
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Hong Kong
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship
  Pollution (associate member)

Hungary
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Law of the Sea

Iceland
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Environmental Protection through Criminal Law, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Oil Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

India
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Indonesia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Iran
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Iraq
  party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ireland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation

Israel
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
  Conservation

Italy
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Jamaica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Japan
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling

Jordan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kazakhstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kenya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kiribati
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Korea, North
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
  the Sea

Korea, South
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kuwait
  party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine
  Dumping

Kyrgyzstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Laos
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Latvia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Lebanon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Lesotho
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping

Liberia
  party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental
  Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation

Libya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Liechtenstein
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Lithuania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Luxembourg
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  party to: Air Pollution,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Madagascar
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malawi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Malaysia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Maldives
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mali
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

Malta
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Marshall Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Mauritania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritius
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mexico
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Micronesia, Federated States of
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Moldova
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Monaco
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Mongolia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Morocco
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Mozambique
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Namibia
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nauru
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nepal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Netherlands
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling

New Zealand
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Nicaragua
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Niger
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
  Sea

Nigeria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Niue
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Norway
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Oman
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Pakistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Palau
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Panama
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Papua New Guinea
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol

Paraguay
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Peru
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Philippines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Poland
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Portugal
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
  Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Qatar
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Romania
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Russia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Persistent Organic Pollutants

Rwanda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Lucia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Samoa
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

San Marino
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Nuclear Test Ban
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Sao Tome and Principe
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saudi Arabia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Senegal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Serbia and Montenegro
  party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Seychelles
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Sierra Leone
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Singapore
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovakia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

Slovenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Solomon Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Somalia
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

South Africa
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is subject to all international
  agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject
  to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International
  Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees
  south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
  west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
  sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources (regulates fishing)
  note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
  exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
  (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
  Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
  cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
  north

Spain
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Sri Lanka
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sudan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Suriname
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Swaziland
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
  Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Sweden
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Switzerland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Syria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Taiwan
  party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
  international status
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
  Taiwan's international status

Tajikistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tanzania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Thailand
  party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Law of the Sea

Togo
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tonga
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Trinidad and Tobago
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
  Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tunisia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Turkey
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Environmental Modification

Turkmenistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tuvalu
  party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Uganda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ukraine
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol

United Arab Emirates
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

United Kingdom
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

United States
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Uruguay
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
  Nuclear Test Ban

Uzbekistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Vanuatu
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Venezuela
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
  Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Vietnam
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
  Test Ban

Western Sahara
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Yemen
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Zambia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
  Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Zimbabwe
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%)

Afghanistan
  7.7% (FY02)

Albania
  1.49% (FY02)

Algeria
  4.1% (FY99)

Angola
  5.4% (FY02)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA%

Argentina
  1.3% (FY00)

Armenia
  6.5% (FY01)

Australia
  2.9% (FY02)

Austria
  0.8% (FY01/02)

Azerbaijan
  2.6% (FY99)

Bahamas, The
  0.7% (FY99)

Bahrain
  6.7% (FY01)

Bangladesh
  1.8% (FY96)

Barbados
  NA%

Belarus
  1.4% (FY02)

Belgium
  1.4% (FY01/02)

Belize
  1.87% (FY00/01)

Benin
  2.7% (FY02)

Bermuda
  0.11% (FY00/01)

Bhutan
  1.9% (FY02)

Bolivia
  1.8% (FY99)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4.5% (FY02)

Botswana
  3.5% (FY02)

Brazil
  1.9% (FY99)

Brunei
  5% (FY02)

Bulgaria
  2.7% (FY02)

Burkina Faso
  1.4% (FY02)

Burma
  2.1% (FY97)

Burundi
  5.3% (FY02)

Cambodia
  3% (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
  1.4% (FY98)

Canada
  1.1% (FY01/02)

Cape Verde
  1.6% (FY02)

Central African Republic
  1.1% (FY02)

Chad
  1.9% (FY02)

Chile
  3.1% (FY99)

China
  4.3% (FY02)

Colombia
  3.4% (FY01)

Comoros
  3% (FY02)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4.6% (FY97)

Congo, Republic of the
  2.8% (FY01)

Costa Rica
  1.6% (FY99)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.4% (FY02)

Croatia
  2.39% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  roughly 4% (FY95 est.)

Cyprus
  3.8% (FY02)

Czech Republic
  2.1% (FY01)

Denmark
  1.4% (FY99/00)

Djibouti
  4.4% (FY02)

Dominica
  NA%

Dominican Republic
  1.1% (FY98)

East Timor
  NA%

Ecuador
  3.4% (FY98)

Egypt
  4.1% (FY99)

El Salvador
  0.7% (FY99)

Equatorial Guinea
  2.5% (FY02)

Eritrea
  12% (FY02)

Estonia
  2% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  12.6% (FY00)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  2.2% (FY02)

Finland
  2% (FY98/99)

France
  2.57% (2002)

French Guiana
  NA%

Gabon
  2% (FY02)

Gambia, The
  0.3% (FY02)

Gaza Strip
  NA%

Georgia
  0.59% (FY00)

Germany
  1.38% (2002)

Ghana
  0.6% (FY02)

Greece
  4.91% (FY99/00 est.)

Grenada
  NA%

Guatemala
  0.6% (FY99)

Guinea
  3.3% (FY02)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.8% (FY02)

Guyana
  NA%

Haiti
  1.3% (FY00)

Honduras
  0.6% (FY99)

Hong Kong
  NA% (FY02)

Hungary
  1.75% (2002 est.)

India
  2.3% (FY02)

Indonesia
  1.3% (FY98)

Iran
  3.1% (FY00)

Iraq
  NA%

Ireland
  0.9% (FY00/01)

Israel
  8.75% (FY02)

Italy
  1.64% (2002)

Jamaica
  NA%

Japan
  1% (FY02)

Jordan
  8.6% (FY01)

Kazakhstan
  0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
  1.8% (FY02)

Kiribati
  NA%

Korea, North
  33.9% (FY02)

Korea, South
  2.8% (FY02)

Kuwait
  5.5% (FY01)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.4% (FY01)

Laos
  4.2% (FY96)

Latvia
  1.2% (FY01)

Lebanon
  4.8% (FY99)

Lesotho
  NA%

Liberia
  1.3% (FY02)

Libya
  3.9% (FY99)

Lithuania
  1.9% (FY01)

Luxembourg
  0.8% (FY01/02)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  6% (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
  1.2% (FY02)

Malawi
  0.7% (FY02)

Malaysia
  2.03% (FY00)

Maldives
  8.6% (FY02)

Mali
  15% (FY02)

Malta
  1.7% (2000)

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Mauritania
  3.7% (FY02)

Mauritius
  0.2% (FY02)

Mexico
  1% (FY99)

Moldova
  0.4% (FY02)

Mongolia
  2.2% (FY02)

Morocco
  4% (FY99)

Mozambique
  1% (2000 est.)

Namibia
  2.4% (FY02)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  1.1% (FY02)

Netherlands
  1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

New Caledonia
  5.3% (FY96)

New Zealand
  1% (FY02)

Nicaragua
  1.2% (FY98)

Niger
  1.1% (FY02)

Nigeria
  1% (FY02)

Norway
  2.13% (2002)

Oman
  12.2% (FY01)

Pakistan
  4.6% (FY02)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  1.3% (FY99)

Papua New Guinea
  1.4% (FY02)

Paraguay
  1.4% (FY98)

Peru
  1.8% (FY01)

Philippines
  1.5% (FY98)

Poland
  1.71% (2002)

Portugal
  2.2% (FY99/00)

Qatar
  10% (FY00)

Romania
  2.47% (2002)

Russia
  NA%

Rwanda
  3% (FY02)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA%

Samoa
  NA%

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  0.8% (FY01)

Saudi Arabia
  13% (FY00)

Senegal
  1.4% (FY02)

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA%

Seychelles
  1.8% (FY02)

Sierra Leone
  1.5% (FY02)

Singapore
  4.9% (FY01)

Slovakia
  1.89% (2002)

Slovenia
  1.7% (FY00)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  0.9% (FY02)

South Africa
  1.7% (FY02)

Spain
  1.15% (2002)

Sri Lanka
  4.2% (FY98)

Sudan
  2.5% (1999)

Suriname
  1.6% (FY97 est.)

Swaziland
  4.75% (FY00)

Sweden
  2.1% (FY01)

Switzerland
  1% (FY01)

Syria
  5.9% (FY00)

Taiwan
  2.7% (FY02)

Tajikistan
  3.9% (FY01)

Tanzania
  0.2% (FY02)

Thailand
  1.4% (FY00)

Togo
  1.8% (FY02)

Tonga
  NA%

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.4% (1999)

Tunisia
  1.5% (FY99)

Turkey
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  3.4% (FY99)

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  2.1% (FY02)

Ukraine
  1.4% (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
  3.1% (FY00)

United Kingdom
  2.32% (2002)

United States
  3.2% (FY99 est.)

Uruguay
  1.1% (2000)

Uzbekistan
  2% (FY97)

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  0.9% (FY99)

Vietnam
  2.5% (FY98)

West Bank
  NA%

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Yemen
  5.2% (FY01)

Zambia
  0.9% (FY02)

Zimbabwe
  3.2% (FY02)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2038 Electricity - production (kWh)

Afghanistan
  334.8 million kWh (2001)

Albania
  5.289 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
  24.69 billion kWh (2001)

American Samoa
  130 million kWh (2001)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  1.45 billion kWh (2001)

Anguilla
  NA (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  105.3 million kWh (2001)

Argentina
  97.17 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
  6.479 billion kWh (2001)

Aruba
  531.9 million kWh (2001)

Australia
  198.2 billion kWh (2001)

Austria
  58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
  18.23 billion kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
  1.56 billion kWh (2001)

Bahrain
  6.257 billion kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
  15.33 billion kWh (2001)

Barbados
  780 million kWh (2001)

Belarus
  24.4 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
  74.28 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
  199.5 million kWh (2001)

Benin
  274.3 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
  643.7 million kWh (2001)

Bhutan
  1.896 billion kWh (2001)

Bolivia
  3.901 billion kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  9.979 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
  409.8 million kWh (2001)

Brazil
  321.2 billion kWh (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied
  by the US military

British Virgin Islands
  38.1 million kWh (2001)

Brunei
  2.497 billion kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
  41.38 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
  279.2 million kWh (2001)

Burma
  6.139 billion kWh (2001)

Burundi
  155.4 million kWh (2001)

Cambodia
  119 million kWh (2001)

Cameroon
  3.613 billion kWh (2001)

Canada
  566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
  42.03 million kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
  381.9 million kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
  106 million kWh (2001)

Chad
  94.04 million kWh (2001)

Chile
  41.66 billion kWh (2001)

China
  1.42 trillion kWh (2001)

Christmas Island
  NA kWh

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA kWh

Colombia
  42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Comoros
  21.27 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  5.243 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  358.1 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
  27.43 million kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
  6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.605 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
  12.12 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
  14.38 billion kWh (2001)

Cyprus
  3.401 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
  70.04 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
  35.47 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
  180 million kWh (2001)

Dominica
  72.41 million kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
  9.186 billion kWh (2001)

East Timor
  NA kWh (2001)

Ecuador
  75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Egypt
  75.23 billion kWh (2001)

El Salvador
  3.729 billion kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  23.56 million kWh (2001)

Eritrea
  220.5 million kWh (2001)

Estonia
  7.937 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
  1.713 billion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  16.33 million kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
  160.4 million kWh (2001)

Fiji
  520.1 million kWh (2001)

Finland
  71.2 billion kWh (2001)

France
  520.1 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
  455 million kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
  428.3 million kWh (2001)

Gabon
  798.4 million kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
  85.33 million kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Georgia
  7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Germany
  544.8 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
  8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
  100 million kWh (2001)

Greece
  49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
  245 million kWh (2001)

Grenada
  138 million kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
  1.155 billion kWh (2001)

Guam
  830 million kWh (2001)

Guatemala
  6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  790.6 million kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  55 million kWh (2001)

Guyana
  852 million kWh (2001)

Haiti
  580 million kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
  30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
  34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
  7.894 billion kWh (2001)

India
  533.3 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
  95.78 billion kWh (2001)

Iran
  124.6 billion kWh (2001)

Iraq
  36.01 billion kWh (2001)

Ireland
  23.53 billion kWh (2001)

Israel
  42.24 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
  258.8 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
  6.272 billion kWh (2001)

Japan
  1.037 trillion kWh (2001)

Johnston Atoll
  44.2 million kWh; note - approximate annual
  production; there are six 25,000 kWh generators operated by the base
  operating support contractor (1999)

Jordan
  7.091 billion kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
  52.43 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
  4.033 billion kWh (2001)

Kiribati
  7 million kWh (2001)

Korea, North
  30.01 billion kWh (2001)

Korea, South
  290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Kuwait
  31.49 billion kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  13.45 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
  1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Latvia
  4.365 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
  6.728 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
  0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2001)

Liberia
  468.8 million kWh (2001)

Libya
  20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Lithuania
  14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
  457 million kWh (2001)

Macau
  1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Madagascar
  830.2 million kWh (2001)

Malawi
  769.2 million kWh (2001)

Malaysia
  68.34 billion kWh (2001)

Maldives
  117 million kWh (2001)

Mali
  480.2 million kWh (2001)

Malta
  1.768 billion kWh (2001)

Martinique
  1.151 billion kWh (2001)

Mauritania
  157.4 million kWh (2001)

Mauritius
  1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Mayotte
  NA kWh

Mexico
  198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA kWh

Moldova
  3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Mongolia
  2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Montserrat
  2.5 million kWh (2001)

Morocco
  13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
  7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
  26.95 million kWh (2001)

Nauru
  30 million kWh (2001)

Nepal
  1.755 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands
  88.32 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  1.061 billion kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
  1.613 billion kWh (2001)

New Zealand
  37.51 billion kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
  2.549 billion kWh (2001)

Niger
  242 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
  15.67 billion kWh (2001)

Niue
  3 million kWh (2001)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA kWh

Norway
  120.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
  9.274 billion kWh (2001)

Pakistan
  66.96 billion kWh (2001)

Panama
  4.039 billion kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  1.496 billion kWh (2001)

Paraguay
  44.89 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
  20.59 billion kWh (2001)

Philippines
  45.21 billion kWh (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a
  small diesel-powered generator

Poland
  135 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
  44.32 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
  20.9 billion kWh (2001)

Qatar
  9.264 billion kWh (2001)

Reunion
  1.08 billion kWh (2001)

Romania
  50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
  846.5 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
  96.78 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
  5 million kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  100.3 million kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
  120.2 million kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  42.03 million kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  92.48 million kWh (2001)

Samoa
  105.1 million kWh (2001)

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  17 million kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  122.4 billion kWh (2001)

Senegal
  1.518 billion kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  31.71 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
  160 million kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
  250.1 million kWh (2001)

Singapore
  30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Slovakia
  30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
  13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
  32 million kWh (2001)

Somalia
  245.1 million kWh (2001)

South Africa
  195.6 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
  222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
  6.36 billion kWh (2001)

Sudan
  2.389 billion kWh (2001)

Suriname
  1.959 billion kWh (2001)

Svalbard
  NA kWh

Swaziland
  348.3 million kWh (2001)

Sweden
  152.9 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
  68.68 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
  23.26 billion kWh (2001)

Taiwan
  151.1 billion kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
  14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
  2.906 billion kWh (2001)

Thailand
  97.6 billion kWh (2001)

Togo
  101.6 million kWh (2001)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  27.27 million kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  5.315 billion kWh (2001)

Tunisia
  10.48 billion kWh (2001)

Turkey
  116.6 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
  10.18 billion kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  5 million kWh (2001)

Uganda
  1.928 billion kWh (2001)

Ukraine
  164.7 billion kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  37.74 billion kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
  360.9 billion kWh (2001)

United States
  3.719 trillion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
  7.963 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
  44.49 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
  43.46 million kWh (2001)

Venezuela
  87.6 billion kWh (2001)

Vietnam
  29.8 billion kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
  1.03 billion kWh (2001)

Wake Island
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
  Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
  Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
  the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
  Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
  municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
  electricity from small power plants

Western Sahara
  90 million kWh (2001)

World
  14.85 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Yemen
  3.01 billion kWh (2001)

Zambia
  7.751 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
  6.735 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh)

Afghanistan
  511.4 million kWh (2001)

Albania
  5.898 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
  22.9 billion kWh (2001)

American Samoa
  120.9 million kWh (2001)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  1.348 billion kWh (2001)

Anguilla
  42.6 million kWh

Antigua and Barbuda
  97.89 million kWh (2001)

Argentina
  92.12 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
  5.784 billion kWh (2001)

Aruba
  494.7 million kWh (2001)

Australia
  184.4 billion kWh (2001)

Austria
  54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
  16.65 billion kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
  1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Bahrain
  5.819 billion kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
  14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Barbados
  725.4 million kWh (2001)

Belarus
  26.69 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
  78.18 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
  185.5 million kWh (2001)

Benin
  631.1 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
  598.6 million kWh (2001)

Bhutan
  379.5 million kWh (2001)

Bolivia
  3.634 billion kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.116 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
  1.564 billion kWh (2001)

Brazil
  335.9 billion kWh (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh

British Virgin Islands
  35.43 million kWh (2001)

Brunei
  2.322 billion kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
  32.52 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
  259.6 million kWh (2001)

Burma
  5.709 billion kWh (2001)

Burundi
  177.5 million kWh (2001)

Cambodia
  110.6 million kWh (2001)

Cameroon
  3.36 billion kWh (2001)

Canada
  504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
  39.08 million kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
  355.2 million kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
  98.63 million kWh (2001)

Chad
  87.46 million kWh (2001)

Chile
  40.13 billion kWh (2001)

China
  1.312 trillion kWh (2001)

Christmas Island
  NA kWh

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA kWh

Colombia
  39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Comoros
  19.78 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  3.839 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  633 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
  25.51 million kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
  6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.983 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
  14.27 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
  13.38 billion kWh (2001)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 3.163 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area:
  NA kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
  55.6 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
  32.41 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
  167.4 million kWh (2001)

Dominica
  67.35 million kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
  8.543 billion kWh (2001)

East Timor
  NA kWh (2001)

Ecuador
  69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Egypt
  69.96 billion kWh (2001)

El Salvador
  3.777 billion kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  21.91 million kWh (2001)

Eritrea
  205.1 million kWh (2001)

Estonia
  6.192 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
  1.594 billion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  15.19 million kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
  149.1 million kWh (2001)

Fiji
  483.7 million kWh (2001)

Finland
  76.18 billion kWh (2001)

France
  415.3 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
  423.2 million kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
  398.3 million kWh (2001)

Gabon
  742.5 million kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
  79.36 million kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh

Georgia
  7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Germany
  506.8 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
  8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
  93 million kWh (2001)

Greece
  48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
  227.9 million kWh (2001)

Grenada
  128.3 million kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
  1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Guam
  771.9 million kWh (2001)

Guatemala
  5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  735.2 million kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  51.15 million kWh (2001)

Guyana
  792.4 million kWh (2001)

Haiti
  539.4 million kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
  37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
  35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
  7.341 billion kWh (2001)

India
  497.2 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
  89.08 billion kWh (2001)

Iran
  115.9 billion kWh (2001)

Iraq
  33.49 billion kWh (2001)

Ireland
  21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Israel
  37.82 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
  289.1 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
  5.833 billion kWh (2001)

Japan
  964.2 billion kWh (2001)

Johnston Atoll
  2.002 million kWh; note - approximate annual
  consumption

Jordan
  6.86 billion kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
  48.36 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
  3.981 billion kWh (2001)

Kiribati
  6.51 million kWh (2001)

Korea, North
  27.91 billion kWh (2001)

Korea, South
  270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Kuwait
  29.29 billion kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  10.46 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
  824.7 million kWh (2001)

Latvia
  6.046 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
  7.44 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
  40 million kWh (2001)

Liberia
  435.9 million kWh (2001)

Libya
  18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Liechtenstein
  NA kWh

Lithuania
  8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
  6.07 billion kWh (2001)

Macau
  1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Madagascar
  772.1 million kWh (2001)

Malawi
  715.3 million kWh (2001)

Malaysia
  63.48 billion kWh (2001)

Maldives
  108.8 million kWh (2001)

Mali
  446.6 million kWh (2001)

Malta
  1.644 billion kWh (2001)

Martinique
  1.07 billion kWh (2001)

Mauritania
  146.3 million kWh (2001)

Mauritius
  1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Mayotte
  NA kWh

Mexico
  186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA kWh

Moldova
  3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Monaco
  NA kWh

Mongolia
  2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Montserrat
  2.325 million kWh (2001)

Morocco
  14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
  1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
  603.1 million kWh (2001)

Nauru
  27.9 million kWh (2001)

Nepal
  1.764 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands
  99.42 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  986.8 million kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
  1.5 billion kWh (2001)

New Zealand
  34.88 billion kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
  2.388 billion kWh (2001)

Niger
  325.1 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
  14.55 billion kWh (2001)

Niue
  2.79 million kWh (2001)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA kWh

Norway
  115.3 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
  8.625 billion kWh (2001)

Pakistan
  62.27 billion kWh (2001)

Panama
  3.681 billion kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  1.391 billion kWh (2001)

Paraguay
  2.637 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
  19.15 billion kWh (2001)

Philippines
  42.04 billion kWh (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA kWh

Poland
  118.8 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
  41.48 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
  19.44 billion kWh (2001)

Qatar
  8.616 billion kWh (2001)

Reunion
  1.005 billion kWh (2001)

Romania
  46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
  773 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
  140 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
  4.65 million kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  93.26 million kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
  111.8 million kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  39.08 million kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  86 million kWh (2001)

Samoa
  97.74 million kWh (2001)

San Marino
  NA (2000)

Sao Tome and Principe
  15.81 million kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  113.8 billion kWh (2001)

Senegal
  1.412 billion kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  32.37 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
  148.8 million kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
  232.6 million kWh (2001)

Singapore
  28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Slovakia
  24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
  13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
  29.76 million kWh (2001)

Somalia
  227.9 million kWh (2001)

South Africa
  181.2 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
  210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
  5.915 billion kWh (2001)

Sudan
  2.222 billion kWh (2001)

Suriname
  1.822 billion kWh (2001)

Svalbard
  NA kWh

Swaziland
  962.9 million kWh (2001)

Sweden
  134.9 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
  53.43 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
  21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Taiwan
  140.5 billion kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
  14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
  2.752 billion kWh (2001)

Thailand
  90.91 billion kWh (2001)

Togo
  614.5 million kWh (2001)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  25.36 million kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4.943 billion kWh (2001)

Tunisia
  9.748 billion kWh (2001)

Turkey
  112.6 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
  8.509 billion kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.65 million kWh (2001)

Uganda
  1.62 billion kWh (2001)

Ukraine
  152.4 billion kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  35.1 billion kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
  346.1 billion kWh (2001)

United States
  3.602 trillion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
  6.152 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
  47.07 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
  40.42 million kWh (2001)

Venezuela
  81.47 billion kWh (2001)

Vietnam
  27.71 billion kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
  957.9 million kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  NA kWh

Western Sahara
  83.7 million kWh (2001)

World
  13.93 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Yemen
  2.8 billion kWh (2001)

Zambia
  5.458 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
  9.813 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2043 Electricity - imports (kWh)

Afghanistan
  200 million kWh (2001)

Albania
  1.2 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
  275 million kWh (2001)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2001)

Andorra
  NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and
  France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Angola
  0 kWh (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2001)

Argentina
  7.417 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
  463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from
  Iran (2001)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2001)

Australia
  0 kWh (2001)

Austria
  14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
  400 million kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2001)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2001)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2001)

Belarus
  4.3 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
  15.82 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
  0 kWh (2001)

Benin
  376 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2001)

Bhutan
  16 million kWh (2001)

Bolivia
  9 million kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.405 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
  1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Brazil
  37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
  830 million kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2001)

Burma
  0 kWh (2001)

Burundi
  33 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic
  of the Congo (2001)

Cambodia
  0 kWh (2001)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2001)

Canada
  16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2001)

Chad
  0 kWh (2001)

Chile
  1.386 billion kWh (2001)

China
  1.55 billion kWh (2001)

Colombia
  40 million kWh (2001)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  60 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  300 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
  128 million kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 kWh (2001)

Croatia
  3.386 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2001)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
  9.38 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
  8.199 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2001)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2001)

East Timor
  0 kWh (2001)

Ecuador
  0 kWh (2001)

Egypt
  0 kWh (2001)

El Salvador
  353 million kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Eritrea
  0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Estonia
  0 kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2001)

Finland
  11.77 billion kWh (2001)

France
  4.2 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
  0 kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2001)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Georgia
  850 million kWh (2001)

Germany
  44 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
  950 million kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2001)

Greece
  3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2001)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
  0 kWh (2001)

Guam
  0 kWh (2001)

Guatemala
  95 million kWh (2001)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2001)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2001)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Honduras
  308 million kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
  10.36 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
  10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2001)

India
  1.54 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2001)

Iran
  0 kWh (2001)

Iraq
  0 kWh (2001)

Ireland
  38 million kWh (2001)

Israel
  0 kWh (2001)

Italy
  48.93 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2001)

Japan
  0 kWh (2001)

Jersey
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Jordan
  267 million kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
  3.2 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
  230 million kWh (2001)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2001)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2001)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2001)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  200 million kWh (2001)

Laos
  0 kWh (2001)

Latvia
  2.69 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
  1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
  40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2001)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2001)

Libya
  0 kWh (2001)

Liechtenstein
  0 kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
  6.389 billion kWh (2001)

Macau
  193 million kWh (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  100 million kWh (2001)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2001)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2001)

Malaysia
  0 kWh (2001)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2001)

Mali
  0 kWh (2001)

Malta
  0 kWh (2001)

Martinique
  0 kWh (2001)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2001)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2001)

Mexico
  2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Moldova
  60 million kWh (2001)

Monaco
  NA kWh
  note: electricity supplied by France

Mongolia
  196 million kWh (2001)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2001)

Morocco
  2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
  500 million kWh (2001)

Namibia
  578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2001)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2001)

Nepal
  227 million kWh (2001)

Netherlands
  21.49 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2001)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
  17 million kWh (2001)

Niger
  100 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
  0 kWh (2001)

Niue
  0 kWh (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh

Norway
  10.76 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
  0 kWh (2001)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2001)

Panama
  43 million kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Paraguay
  0 kWh (2001)

Peru
  0 kWh (2001)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2001)

Poland
  4.306 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
  3.743 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2001)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2001)

Reunion
  0 kWh (2001)

Romania
  400 million kWh (2001)

Russia
  7 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
  50 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2001)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2001)

San Marino 0 kWh note: electricity supplied by Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2001)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  3.33 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2001)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2001)

Slovakia
  1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
  4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2001)

South Africa
  6.2 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
  7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2001)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2001)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2001)

Swaziland
  639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
  Africa (2001)

Sweden
  11.14 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
  24.1 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
  0 kWh (2001)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
  5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
  50 million kWh (2001)

Thailand
  350 million kWh (2001)

Togo
  520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2001)

Tunisia
  1 million kWh (2001)

Turkey
  4.579 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
  20 million kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Uganda
  1 million kWh (2001)

Ukraine
  0 kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
  10.66 billion kWh (2001)

United States
  38.48 billion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
  123 million kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
  9.7 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2001)

Venezuela
  0 kWh (2001)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

West Bank
  NA kWh

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2001)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2001)

Zambia
  0 kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
  3.55 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2044 Electricity - exports (kWh)

Afghanistan
  0 kWh (2001)

Albania
  221 million kWh (2001)

Algeria
  340 million kWh (2001)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2001)

Andorra
  0 kWh (2002)

Angola
  0 kWh (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2001)

Argentina
  5.662 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
  704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to
  Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
  (2001)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2001)

Australia
  0 kWh (2001)

Austria
  14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
  700 million kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2001)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2001)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2001)

Belarus
  300 million kWh (2001)

Belgium
  6.712 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
  0 kWh (2001)

Benin
  0 kWh (2001)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2001)

Bhutan
  1.4 billion kWh (2001)

Bolivia
  3 million kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2.569 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
  0 kWh (2001)

Brazil
  0 kWh (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
  6.79 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2001)

Burma
  0 kWh (2001)

Burundi
  0 kWh (2001)

Cambodia
  0 kWh (2001)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2001)

Canada
  38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2001)

Chad
  0 kWh (2001)

Chile
  0 kWh (2001)

China
  10.3 billion kWh (2001)

Colombia
  210 million kWh (2001)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.097 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
  379 million kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.3 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
  386 million kWh (2001)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2001)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
  18.92 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
  8.775 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2001)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2001)

East Timor
  0 kWh (2001)

Ecuador
  0 kWh (2001)

Egypt
  0 kWh (2001)

El Salvador
  44 million kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Eritrea
  0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Estonia
  1.19 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2001)

Finland
  1.81 billion kWh (2001)

France
  72.6 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
  0 kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2001)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
  0 kWh (2001)

Georgia
  0 kWh (2001)

Germany
  43.9 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
  300 million kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2001)

Greece
  1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2001)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
  0 kWh (2001)

Guam
  0 kWh (2001)

Guatemala
  336 million kWh (2001)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2001)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2001)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 kWh

Honduras
  0 kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
  1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
  7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2001)

India
  321 million kWh (2001)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2001)

Iran
  0 kWh (2001)

Iraq
  0 kWh (2001)

Ireland
  285 million kWh (2001)

Israel
  1.457 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
  556 million kWh (2001)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2001)

Japan
  0 kWh (2001)

Jordan
  2 million kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
  3.6 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
  0 kWh (2001)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2001)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2001)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2001)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.25 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
  400 million kWh (2001)

Latvia
  703 million kWh (2001)

Lebanon
  0 kWh (2001)

Lesotho
  0 kWh (2001)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2001)

Libya
  0 kWh (2001)

Liechtenstein
  0 kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
  744 million kWh (2001)

Macau
  1 million kWh (2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  0 kWh (2001)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2001)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2001)

Malaysia
  75 million kWh (2001)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2001)

Mali
  0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
  electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)

Malta
  0 kWh (2001)

Martinique
  0 kWh (2001)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2001)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2001)

Mexico
  77 million kWh (2001)

Moldova
  0 kWh (2001)

Mongolia
  25 million kWh (2001)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2001)

Morocco
  0 kWh (2001)

Mozambique
  5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
  0 kWh (2001)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2001)

Nepal
  95 million kWh (2001)

Netherlands
  4.209 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2001)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
  0 kWh (2001)

Niger
  0 kWh (2001)

Nigeria
  20 million kWh (2001)

Niue
  0 kWh (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh

Norway
  7.162 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
  0 kWh (2001)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2001)

Panama
  118 million kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2001)

Paraguay
  39.11 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
  0 kWh (2001)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2001)

Poland
  11.04 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
  3.479 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2001)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2001)

Reunion
  0 kWh (2001)

Romania
  1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
  21.16 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2001)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2001)

San Marino 0 kWh note: electric power supplied by Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2001)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  446 million kWh (2001)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2001)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2001)

Slovakia
  5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
  3 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2001)

South Africa
  6.91 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
  4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2001)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2001)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2001)

Swaziland
  0 kWh (2001)

Sweden
  18.45 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
  34.54 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
  0 kWh (2001)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
  3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
  0 kWh (2001)

Thailand
  200 million kWh (2001)

Togo
  0 kWh (2001)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2001)

Tunisia
  0 kWh (2001)

Turkey
  433 million kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
  980 million kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Uganda
  174 million kWh (2001)

Ukraine
  800 million kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
  264 million kWh (2001)

United States
  18.17 billion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
  1.377 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
  3.998 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2001)

Venezuela
  0 kWh (2001)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2001)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2001)

Zambia
  1.75 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
  0 kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2045 Electricity - production by source (%)

Afghanistan
  fossil fuel: 36.3%
  hydro: 63.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Albania
  fossil fuel: 2.9%
  hydro: 97.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Algeria
  fossil fuel: 99.7%
  hydro: 0.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

American Samoa
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Andorra
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Angola
  fossil fuel: 36.4%
  hydro: 63.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Anguilla
  fossil fuel: NA%
  hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Antigua and Barbuda
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Argentina
  fossil fuel: 52.2%
  hydro: 40.8%
  nuclear: 6.7%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Armenia
  fossil fuel: 42.3%
  hydro: 27%
  nuclear: 30.7%
  other: 0% (2001)

Aruba
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Australia
  fossil fuel: 90.8%
  hydro: 8.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.9% (2001)

Austria
  fossil fuel: 29.3%
  hydro: 67.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 3.5% (2001)

Azerbaijan
  fossil fuel: 89.7%
  hydro: 10.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bahamas, The
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bahrain
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bangladesh
  fossil fuel: 93.7%
  hydro: 6.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Barbados
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Belarus
  fossil fuel: 99.5%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Belgium
  fossil fuel: 38.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 59.3%
  other: 1.8% (2001)

Belize
  fossil fuel: 59.9%
  hydro: 40.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Benin
  fossil fuel: 14.2%
  hydro: 85.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bermuda
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bhutan
  fossil fuel: 0.1%
  hydro: 99.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bolivia
  fossil fuel: 44.4%
  hydro: 54%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.5% (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  fossil fuel: 53.5%
  hydro: 46.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Botswana
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Brazil
  fossil fuel: 8.3%
  hydro: 82.7%
  nuclear: 4.4%
  other: 4.6% (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Brunei
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bulgaria
  fossil fuel: 47.8%
  hydro: 8.1%
  nuclear: 44.1%
  other: 0% (2001)

Burkina Faso
  fossil fuel: 69.9%
  hydro: 30.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Burma
  fossil fuel: 44.4%
  hydro: 55.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Burundi
  fossil fuel: 0.6%
  hydro: 99.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cambodia
  fossil fuel: 65%
  hydro: 35%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cameroon
  fossil fuel: 2.7%
  hydro: 97.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Canada
  fossil fuel: 28%
  hydro: 57.9%
  nuclear: 12.9%
  other: 1.3% (2001)

Cape Verde
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cayman Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Central African Republic
  fossil fuel: 19.8%
  hydro: 80.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Chad
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Chile
  fossil fuel: 47%
  hydro: 51.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.4% (2001)

China
  fossil fuel: 80.2%
  hydro: 18.5%
  nuclear: 1.2%
  other: 0.1% (2001)

Christmas Island
  fossil fuel: NA%
  hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fossil fuel: NA%
  hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Colombia
  fossil fuel: 26%
  hydro: 72.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.3% (2001)

Comoros
  fossil fuel: 90.6%
  hydro: 9.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  fossil fuel: 1.8%
  hydro: 98.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  fossil fuel: 0.3%
  hydro: 99.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cook Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Costa Rica
  fossil fuel: 1.5%
  hydro: 81.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 16.6% (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  fossil fuel: 61.9%
  hydro: 38.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Croatia
  fossil fuel: 33.6%
  hydro: 66%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Cuba
  fossil fuel: 93.9%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 5.4% (2001)

Cyprus
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Czech Republic
  fossil fuel: 76.1%
  hydro: 2.9%
  nuclear: 20%
  other: 1% (2001)

Denmark
  fossil fuel: 82.7%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.3% (2001)

Djibouti
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Dominica
  fossil fuel: 47.1%
  hydro: 52.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Dominican Republic
  fossil fuel: 92%
  hydro: 7.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

East Timor
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Ecuador
  fossil fuel: 81%
  hydro: 19%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Egypt
  fossil fuel: 81%
  hydro: 19%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

El Salvador
  fossil fuel: 44%
  hydro: 30.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 25.1% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  fossil fuel: 94.3%
  hydro: 5.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Eritrea
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Estonia
  fossil fuel: 99.8%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Ethiopia
  fossil fuel: 1.3%
  hydro: 97.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.2% (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Faroe Islands
  fossil fuel: 62.4%
  hydro: 37.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Fiji
  fossil fuel: 18.5%
  hydro: 81.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Finland
  fossil fuel: 39%
  hydro: 18.7%
  nuclear: 30.4%
  other: 11.8% (2001)

France
  fossil fuel: 8.2%
  hydro: 14%
  nuclear: 77.1%
  other: 0.7% (2001)

French Guiana
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

French Polynesia
  fossil fuel: 60.7%
  hydro: 39.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001)

Gabon
  fossil fuel: 34.5%
  hydro: 65.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Gambia, The
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Georgia
  fossil fuel: 19.7%
  hydro: 80.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Germany
  fossil fuel: 61.8%
  hydro: 4.2%
  nuclear: 29.9%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Ghana
  fossil fuel: 5%
  hydro: 95%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Gibraltar
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Greece
  fossil fuel: 94.5%
  hydro: 3.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Greenland
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%
  note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil
  fuel to hydropower production (2001)

Grenada
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guadeloupe
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guam
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guatemala
  fossil fuel: 51.9%
  hydro: 35.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 12.9% (2001)

Guernsey
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Guinea
  fossil fuel: 45.5%
  hydro: 54.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guyana
  fossil fuel: 99.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Haiti
  fossil fuel: 60.3%
  hydro: 39.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Honduras
  fossil fuel: 50.2%
  hydro: 49.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Hong Kong
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Hungary
  fossil fuel: 60.1%
  hydro: 0.5%
  nuclear: 39%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Iceland
  fossil fuel: 0.1%
  hydro: 82.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.5% (2001)

India
  fossil fuel: 81.7%
  hydro: 14.5%
  nuclear: 3.4%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Indonesia
  fossil fuel: 86.9%
  hydro: 10.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2.5% (2001)

Iran
  fossil fuel: 97.1%
  hydro: 2.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Iraq
  fossil fuel: 98.4%
  hydro: 1.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Ireland
  fossil fuel: 95.9%
  hydro: 2.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Israel
  fossil fuel: 99.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Italy
  fossil fuel: 78.6%
  hydro: 18.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 3% (2001)

Jamaica
  fossil fuel: 96.8%
  hydro: 1.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.5% (2001)

Japan
  fossil fuel: 60%
  hydro: 8.4%
  nuclear: 29.8%
  other: 1.8% (2001)

Jordan
  fossil fuel: 99.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kazakhstan
  fossil fuel: 84.3%
  hydro: 15.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kenya
  fossil fuel: 71%
  hydro: 17.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 11.3% (2001)

Kiribati
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Korea, North
  fossil fuel: 29%
  hydro: 71%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Korea, South
  fossil fuel: 62.4%
  hydro: 0.8%
  nuclear: 36.6%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Kuwait
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  fossil fuel: 7.6%
  hydro: 92.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Laos
  fossil fuel: 1.4%
  hydro: 98.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Latvia
  fossil fuel: 29.1%
  hydro: 70.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Lebanon
  fossil fuel: 97.2%
  hydro: 2.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Liberia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Libya
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Liechtenstein
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2002)

Lithuania
  fossil fuel: 16.5%
  hydro: 5.7%
  nuclear: 77.7%
  other: 0% (2001)

Luxembourg
  fossil fuel: 57.3%
  hydro: 25.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.5% (2001)

Macau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  fossil fuel: 83.7%
  hydro: 16.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Madagascar
  fossil fuel: 36.1%
  hydro: 63.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malawi
  fossil fuel: 3.3%
  hydro: 96.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malaysia
  fossil fuel: 89.5%
  hydro: 10.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Maldives
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mali
  fossil fuel: 41.7%
  hydro: 58.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malta
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Marshall Islands
  fossil fuel: 99%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1% (solar)

Martinique
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mauritania
  fossil fuel: 85.9%
  hydro: 14.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mauritius
  fossil fuel: 90.8%
  hydro: 9.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mayotte
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Mexico
  fossil fuel: 78.7%
  hydro: 14.2%
  nuclear: 4.2%
  other: 2.9% (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Moldova
  fossil fuel: 90.6%
  hydro: 9.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mongolia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Montserrat
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Morocco
  fossil fuel: 95.4%
  hydro: 4.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mozambique
  fossil fuel: 2.9%
  hydro: 97.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Namibia
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Nauru
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Nepal
  fossil fuel: 8.5%
  hydro: 91.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Netherlands
  fossil fuel: 89.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 4.3%
  other: 5.7% (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

New Caledonia
  fossil fuel: 76.3%
  hydro: 23.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

New Zealand
  fossil fuel: 31.6%
  hydro: 57.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 10.7% (2001)

Nicaragua
  fossil fuel: 83.9%
  hydro: 7.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 8.4% (2001)

Niger
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Nigeria
  fossil fuel: 61.9%
  hydro: 38.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Niue
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Norfolk Island
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2002)

Norway
  fossil fuel: 0.4%
  hydro: 99.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Oman
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Pakistan
  fossil fuel: 68.8%
  hydro: 28.2%
  nuclear: 3%
  other: 0% (2001)

Palau
  0%

Panama
  fossil fuel: 37%
  hydro: 61.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  fossil fuel: 54.1%
  hydro: 45.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Paraguay
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 99.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.1% (2001)

Peru
  fossil fuel: 14.5%
  hydro: 84.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.8% (2001)

Philippines
  fossil fuel: 55.6%
  hydro: 17.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 26.9% (2001)

Poland
  fossil fuel: 98.1%
  hydro: 1.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Portugal
  fossil fuel: 64.5%
  hydro: 31.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Puerto Rico
  fossil fuel: 99.2%
  hydro: 0.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Qatar
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Reunion
  fossil fuel: 55.5%
  hydro: 44.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Romania
  fossil fuel: 62.5%
  hydro: 27.6%
  nuclear: 9.9%
  other: 0% (2001)

Russia
  fossil fuel: 64.3%
  hydro: 20.5%
  nuclear: 14.8%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Rwanda
  fossil fuel: 2.3%
  hydro: 97.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Helena
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  fossil fuel: 69.3%
  hydro: 30.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Samoa
  fossil fuel: 58%
  hydro: 42%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

San Marino
  fossil fuel: 41.18%
  hydro: 58.82%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Sao Tome and Principe
  fossil fuel: 41.2%
  hydro: 58.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Senegal
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  fossil fuel: 62.9%
  hydro: 37.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Seychelles
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sierra Leone
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Singapore
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Slovakia
  fossil fuel: 30.3%
  hydro: 16%
  nuclear: 53.6%
  other: 0% (2001)

Slovenia
  fossil fuel: 35.2%
  hydro: 27.3%
  nuclear: 36.8%
  other: 0.7% (2001)

Solomon Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Somalia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

South Africa
  fossil fuel: 93.5%
  hydro: 1.1%
  nuclear: 5.5%
  other: 0% (2001)

Spain
  fossil fuel: 50.4%
  hydro: 18.2%
  nuclear: 27.2%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Sri Lanka
  fossil fuel: 51.7%
  hydro: 48.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sudan
  fossil fuel: 52.1%
  hydro: 47.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Suriname
  fossil fuel: 25.2%
  hydro: 74.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Svalbard
  fossil fuel: 58%
  hydro: 42%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Swaziland
  fossil fuel: 58%
  hydro: 42%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sweden
  fossil fuel: 4%
  hydro: 50.8%
  nuclear: 43%
  other: 2.3% (2001)

Switzerland
  fossil fuel: 1.3%
  hydro: 59.5%
  nuclear: 37.1%
  other: 2% (2001)

Syria
  fossil fuel: 57.6%
  hydro: 42.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Taiwan
  fossil fuel: 71.4%
  hydro: 6%
  nuclear: 22.6%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tajikistan
  fossil fuel: 1.9%
  hydro: 98.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tanzania
  fossil fuel: 18.9%
  hydro: 81.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Thailand
  fossil fuel: 91.3%
  hydro: 6.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2.4% (2001)

Togo
  fossil fuel: 98.7%
  hydro: 1.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tokelau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tonga
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  fossil fuel: 99.8%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Tunisia
  fossil fuel: 99.5%
  hydro: 0.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Turkey
  fossil fuel: 79.3%
  hydro: 20.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Turkmenistan
  fossil fuel: 99.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tuvalu
  fossil fuel: NA%
  hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Uganda
  fossil fuel: 0.9%
  hydro: 99.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Ukraine
  fossil fuel: 48.6%
  hydro: 7.9%
  nuclear: 43.5%
  other: 0% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

United Kingdom
  fossil fuel: 73.8%
  hydro: 0.9%
  nuclear: 23.7%
  other: 1.6% (2001)

United States
  fossil fuel: 71.4%
  hydro: 5.6%
  nuclear: 20.7%
  other: 2.3% (2001)

Uruguay
  fossil fuel: 0.7%
  hydro: 99.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Uzbekistan
  fossil fuel: 88.2%
  hydro: 11.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Vanuatu
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Venezuela
  fossil fuel: 31.7%
  hydro: 68.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Vietnam
  fossil fuel: 43.7%
  hydro: 56.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Virgin Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

West Bank
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Western Sahara
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

World
  fossil fuel: NA%
  hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Yemen
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Zambia
  fossil fuel: 0.5%
  hydro: 99.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Zimbabwe
  fossil fuel: 47%
  hydro: 53%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2046 Population below poverty line (%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  30% (2001 est.)

Algeria
  23% (1999 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  NA%

Anguilla
  NA%

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA%

Argentina
  37% (2001 est.)

Armenia
  50% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  NA%

Australia
  NA%

Austria
  NA%

Azerbaijan
  49% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA%

Bahrain
  NA%

Bangladesh
  35.6% (FY 95/96 est.)

Barbados
  NA%

Belarus
  22% (1995 est.)

Belgium
  4%

Belize
  33% (1999 est.)

Benin
  37% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA%

Bhutan
  NA%

Bolivia
  70% (1999 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA%

Botswana
  47%

Brazil
  22% (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  NA%

Bulgaria
  12.6% (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  45% (2001 est.)

Burma
  25% (2000 est.)

Burundi
  70% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  36% (1997 est.)

Cameroon
  48% (2000 est.)

Canada
  NA%

Cape Verde
  30% (2000)

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  NA%

Chad
  80% (2001 est.)

Chile
  21% (1998 est.)

China
  10% (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  55% (2001)

Comoros
  60% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  NA%

Cook Islands
  NA%

Costa Rica
  20.6% (1999 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  37% (1995)

Croatia
  NA%

Cuba
  NA%

Cyprus
  NA%

Czech Republic
  NA%

Denmark
  NA%

Djibouti
  50% (2001 est.)

Dominica
  30% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  25%

East Timor
  42% (2002 est.)

Ecuador
  70% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  22.9% (FY 95/96 est.)

El Salvador
  48% (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA%

Eritrea
  53% (1993/94)

Estonia
  NA% (2000)

Ethiopia
  45% (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  25.5% (1990-91)

Finland
  NA%

France
  6.4% (1999)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  NA%

Gambia, The
  NA%

Gaza Strip
  60% (2002 est.)

Georgia
  54% (2001 est.)

Germany
  NA%

Ghana
  31.4% (1992 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  NA%

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  32% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  23% (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  75% (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  40% (1994 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA%

Guyana
  NA%

Haiti
  80% (2002 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA%

Honduras
  53% (1993 est.)

Hong Kong
  NA%

Hungary
  8.6% (1993 est.)

Iceland
  NA%

India
  25% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  27% (1999)

Iran
  40% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  10% (1997 est.)

Israel
  18% (2001 est.)

Italy
  NA%

Jamaica
  34.2% (1992 est.)

Japan
  NA%

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  26% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  50% (2000 est.)

Kiribati
  NA%

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  4% (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  NA%

Kyrgyzstan
  55% (2001 est.)

Laos
  40% (2002 est.)

Latvia
  NA%

Lebanon
  28% (1999 est.)

Lesotho
  49% (1999)

Liberia
  80%

Libya
  NA%

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  NA%

Luxembourg
  NA%

Macau
  NA%

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  24% (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  71% (1999 est.)

Malawi
  54% (FY 90/91 est.)

Malaysia
  8% (1998 est.)

Maldives
  NA%

Mali
  64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas;
  70% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Malta
  NA%

Man, Isle of
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  50% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  10% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  40% (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  26.7%

Moldova
  80% (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  36% (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  19% (1999 est.)

Mozambique
  70% (2001 est.)

Namibia
  50% (2002 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  42% (1995-96)

Netherlands
  NA%

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  NA%

Nicaragua
  50% (2001 est.)

Niger
  63% (1993 est.)

Nigeria
  60% (2000 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  NA%

Oman
  NA%

Pakistan
  35% (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  37% (1999 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  37% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  36% (2001 est.)

Peru
  50% (2000 est.)

Philippines
  40% (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  18.4% (2000 est.)

Portugal
  NA%

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  NA%

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  44.5% (2000)

Russia
  25% (37622 est.)

Rwanda
  60% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA%

Samoa
  NA%

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA%

Saudi Arabia
  NA%

Senegal
  54% (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  30%

Seychelles
  NA%

Sierra Leone
  68% (1989 est.)

Singapore
  NA%

Slovakia
  NA%

Slovenia
  NA%

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  50% (2000 est.)

Spain
  NA%

Sri Lanka
  22% (1997 est.)

Sudan
  NA%

Suriname
  70% (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  40% (1995)

Sweden
  NA%

Switzerland
  NA%

Syria
  15%-25%

Taiwan
  1% (2000 est.)

Tajikistan
  60% (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  36% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  12.5% (1998 est.)

Togo
  32% (1989 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  NA%

Trinidad and Tobago
  21% (1992 est.)

Tunisia
  6% (2000 est.)

Turkey
  NA%

Turkmenistan
  34.4% (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  35% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  29% (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA%

United Kingdom
  17%

United States
  12.7% (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  6% (1997)

Uzbekistan
  NA%

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  47% (1998 est.)

Vietnam
  37% (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  60% (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  86% (1993)

Zimbabwe
  70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%)

Afghanistan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Albania
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Algeria
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

American Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Andorra
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Angola
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Anguilla
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Argentina
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Armenia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

Aruba
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Australia
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Austria
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Azerbaijan
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Bahamas, The
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bahrain
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bangladesh
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Barbados
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Belarus
  lowest 10%: 5.1%
  highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Belgium
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Belize
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Benin
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bermuda
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bhutan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bolivia
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Botswana
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Brazil
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 48% (1998)

British Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Brunei
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bulgaria
  lowest 10%: 4.5%
  highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Burkina Faso
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Burma
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Burundi
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Cambodia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Cameroon
  lowest 10%: 1.9%
  highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Canada
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Cape Verde
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cayman Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Central African Republic
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Chad
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Chile
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 45.6% (1998)

China
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Christmas Island
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Colombia
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Comoros
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cook Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Costa Rica
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Croatia
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Cuba
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cyprus
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Czech Republic
  lowest 10%: 4.3%
  highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Denmark
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Djibouti
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Dominica
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Dominican Republic
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

East Timor
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Ecuador
  lowest 10%: 2.2%
  highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Egypt
  lowest 10%: 4.4%
  highest 10%: 25% (1995)

El Salvador
  lowest 10%: 1.4%
  highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Eritrea
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Estonia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Ethiopia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Faroe Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Fiji
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Finland
  lowest 10%: 4.2%
  highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

France
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

French Guiana
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

French Polynesia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gabon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gambia, The
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gaza Strip
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Georgia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Germany
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Ghana
  lowest 10%: 2.2%
  highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Gibraltar
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Greece
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Greenland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Grenada
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guadeloupe
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guam
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guatemala
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Guernsey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guinea
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Guyana
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Haiti
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Honduras
  lowest 10%: 0.6%
  highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Hong Kong
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Hungary
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Iceland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

India
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Indonesia
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Iran
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Iraq
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Ireland
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Israel
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Italy
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Jamaica
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Japan
  lowest 10%: 4.8%
  highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Jersey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Jordan
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Kazakhstan
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)

Kenya
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Kiribati
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Korea, North
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Korea, South
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)

Kuwait
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 27.7% (1999)

Laos
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Latvia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Lebanon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Lesotho
  lowest 10%: 0.9%
  highest 10%: 43.4%

Liberia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Libya
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Liechtenstein
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Lithuania
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Luxembourg
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Macau
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Madagascar
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Malawi
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Malaysia
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 38.4% (1997 est.)

Maldives
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mali
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Malta
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Man, Isle of
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Marshall Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Martinique
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mauritania
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Mauritius
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mayotte
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mexico
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Moldova
  lowest 10%: 2.2%
  highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Monaco
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mongolia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Montserrat
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Morocco
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Mozambique
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Namibia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Nauru
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Nepal
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Netherlands
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

New Caledonia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

New Zealand
  lowest 10%: 0.3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Nicaragua
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Niger
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Nigeria
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Niue
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Norfolk Island
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Norway
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Oman
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Pakistan
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 27.6% (1996-97)

Palau
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Panama
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Paraguay
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Peru
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)

Philippines
  lowest 10%: 1.5%
  highest 10%: 39.3% (1998)

Pitcairn Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Poland
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Portugal
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Puerto Rico
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Qatar
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Reunion
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Romania
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 25% (1998)

Russia
  lowest 10%: 5.9%
  highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Rwanda
  lowest 10%: 4.2%
  highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Saint Helena
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Lucia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

San Marino
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saudi Arabia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Senegal
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Serbia and Montenegro
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Seychelles
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Sierra Leone
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Singapore
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Slovakia
  lowest 10%: 5.1%
  highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Slovenia
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Solomon Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Somalia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

South Africa
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Spain
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Sri Lanka
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Sudan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Suriname
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Svalbard
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Swaziland
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Sweden
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Switzerland
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Syria
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Taiwan
  lowest 10%: 6.4%
  highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Tanzania
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Thailand
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Togo
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tokelau
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tonga
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tunisia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Turkey
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 32.3% (1994)

Turkmenistan
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tuvalu
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Uganda
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Ukraine
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

United Arab Emirates
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

United Kingdom
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 27.7% (1995)

United States
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Uruguay
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Uzbekistan
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Vanuatu
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Venezuela
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Vietnam
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

West Bank
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Western Sahara
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

World
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Yemen
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Zambia
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Zimbabwe
  lowest 10%: 1.97%
  highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2048 Labor force - by occupation (%)

Afghanistan
  agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)

Albania
  agriculture 50%, industry and services 50%

Algeria
  government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public
  works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.)

American Samoa
  government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Andorra
  agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Angola
  agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (1997 est.)

Anguilla
  commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%,
  transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%,
  agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% (2000 est,)

Antigua and Barbuda commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)

Argentina
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Armenia
  agriculture 45%, services 30%, industry 25% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,
  followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Australia
  services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Austria
  services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and
  forestry 4% (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52%
  (2001)

Bahamas, The
  tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%,
  agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Bahrain
  industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%,
  agriculture 1% (1997 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY 95/96)

Barbados
  services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)

Belarus
  industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%,
  services NA%

Belgium
  services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)

Belize
  agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and
  technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%,
  agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Bolivia
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  services 53%, agriculture 23%, industry 24%

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Brunei
  government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and
  construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Burma
  agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Burundi
  NA

Cambodia
  agriculture 80% (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Canada
  services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture
  3%, other 3% (2000)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Chad
  agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
  fishing)

Chile
  agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.)

China
  agriculture 50%, industry 22%, services 28% (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Colombia
  services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Comoros
  agriculture 80%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
  note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Costa Rica
  agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture 13.2% NA, industry 25.4% NA, services 46.4% NA
  (2002)

Cuba
  agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture
  5% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%,
  agriculture 20.8% (1998)

Czech Republic
  agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.)

Denmark
  services 79%, industry 17%, agriculture 4% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  NA%

Dominica
  agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Dominican Republic
  services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%,
  agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  agriculture 29%, industry 22%, services 49% (2000 est.)

El Salvador
  agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Estonia
  industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Ethiopia
  agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and
  services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture 95% (mostly
  sheepherding and fishing)

Faroe Islands
  fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%,
  construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Fiji
  agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Finland
  public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance,
  insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%,
  transport and communications 8%, construction 6%

France
  services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)

French Guiana
  services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry
  21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

French Polynesia
  agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Gabon
  agriculture 60%, services 25%, industry 15%

Gambia, The
  agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%,
  government 6%

Gaza Strip
  services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Georgia
  industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Germany
  industry 33.4%, agriculture 2.8%, services 63.8% (1999)

Ghana
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
  services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%

Greece
  industry 20%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Grenada
  services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%,
  other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Haiti
  agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Holy See (Vatican City) essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Honduras
  agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%,
  financing, insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social
  services 12%, manufacturing 6%, transport and communications 6%,
  construction 5%, other 25% (2002 est.)

Hungary
  services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)

Iceland
  agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%,
  manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999)

India
  agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17% (1999)

Indonesia
  agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Iran
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Iraq
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Ireland
  agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)

Israel
  public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and
  business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and
  other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%,
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)

Italy
  services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001)

Jamaica
  services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)

Japan
  services 70%, industry 25%, agriculture 5% (2002 est.)

Jordan
  services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  agriculture 75% 75%-80%

Korea, North
  agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Korea, South
  services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001)

Kuwait
  agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Laos
  agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Lebanon
  services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%

Lesotho
  86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
  agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in
  South Africa

Liberia
  agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Libya
  services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Liechtenstein
  industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3%
  (37256 est.)

Lithuania
  industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Luxembourg
  services 90.1%, industry 8%, agriculture 1.9% (1999 est.)

Macau
  restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services
  and agriculture 68% (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  agriculture NA%, industry
  NA%, services NA%

Malawi
  agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Malaysia
  local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%,
  agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government
  10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)

Maldives
  agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Mali
  agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Malta
  industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Man, Isle of
  agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing
  11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
  retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
  public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
  entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Marshall Islands
  agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Martinique
  agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Mauritania
  agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture
  and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and
  communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Mexico
  agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  two-thirds are government employees

Moldova
  agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Mongolia
  primarily herding/agricultural

Montserrat
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Morocco
  agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Nauru
  employed in mining phosphates, public administration,
  education, and transportation

Nepal
  agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%

Netherlands
  services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

New Zealand
  services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995)

Nicaragua
  services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Niger
  agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Nigeria
  agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Niue
  most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
  government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island
  tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  services 74%, industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and
  fishing 4% (1995)

Oman
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Pakistan
  agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Palau
  agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA% (1990)

Panama
  agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture 85%, industry NA%, services NA%

Paraguay
  agriculture 45%

Peru
  agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction,
  transport, services

Philippines
  agriculture 45%, industry 15%, services 40% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Poland
  industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999)

Portugal
  services 60%, industry 30%, agriculture 10% (1999 est.)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Reunion
  agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Romania
  agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)

Russia
  agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  agriculture 90%

Saint Helena
  agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly
  construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  agriculture 21.7%, services 53.6%, industry, commerce,
  and manufacturing 24.7% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fishing 18%, industry (mainly
  fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture 26%, industry 17%,
  services 57% (1980 est.)

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  services 57%, industry 42%, agriculture 1% (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers

Saudi Arabia
  agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Senegal
  agriculture 70%

Serbia and Montenegro
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Seychelles
  industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Singapore
  financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing
  21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%

Slovakia
  industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%,
  transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Slovenia
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Solomon Islands
  agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000
  est.)

Somalia
  agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and
  services 29%

South Africa
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Spain
  services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%,
  agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)

Sudan
  agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13%
  (1998 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Switzerland
  services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998)

Syria
  agriculture, industry, services NA (2002)

Taiwan
  services 58%, industry 35%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000
  est.)

Tanzania
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Togo
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Tonga
  agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing,
  mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997
  est.)

Tunisia
  services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture 39.7%, services 37.9%, industry 22.4% (3rd
  quarter, 2001)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  about 33% in government and 20% in
  agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
  and other services

Tuvalu
  people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea,
  reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly
  workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Uganda
  agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Ukraine
  industry 32%, agriculture 24%, services 44% (1996)

United Arab Emirates services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture 1%, industry 25%, services 74% (1999)

United States
  managerial and professional 31%, technical, sales and
  administrative support 28.9%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining,
  transportation, and crafts 24.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.4%
  note: figures exclude the unemployed (2001)

Uruguay
  agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Uzbekistan
  agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Vanuatu
  agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.)

Vietnam
  agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)

Wallis and Futuna agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

West Bank
  services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Western Sahara
  animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

World
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Yemen
  most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services,
  construction, industry, and commerce account for less than
  one-fourth of the labor force

Zambia
  agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Zimbabwe
  agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2049 Exports - commodities

Afghanistan
  opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,
  hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Albania
  textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores,
  crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

American Samoa
  canned tuna 93%

Andorra
  tobacco products, furniture

Angola
  crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,
  sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Anguilla
  lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Antigua and Barbuda
  petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%,
  machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%,
  other 8%

Argentina
  edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor
  vehicles

Armenia
  diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Aruba
  live animals and animal products, art and collectibles,
  machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Australia
  coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
  machinery and transport equipment

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
  paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
  foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Bahamas, The
  fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and
  vegetables

Bahrain
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Bangladesh
  garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and
  seafood (2001)

Barbados
  sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,
  chemicals, electrical components

Belarus
  machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals,
  metals; textiles, foodstuffs

Belgium
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and
  metal products, foodstuffs

Belize
  sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses,
  wood

Benin
  cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Bermuda
  reexports of pharmaceuticals

Bhutan
  electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,
  handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Bolivia
  soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  metals, clothing, wood products

Botswana
  diamonds 90%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Brazil
  transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee,
  autos

British Virgin Islands
  rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Brunei
  crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Bulgaria
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and
  equipment, fuels

Burkina Faso
  cotton, livestock, gold

Burma
  gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Burundi
  coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Cambodia
  timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Cameroon
  crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans,
  aluminum, coffee, cotton

Canada
  motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
  telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
  pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Cape Verde
  fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Cayman Islands
  turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Central African Republic
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Chad
  cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Chile
  copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals

China
  machinery and equipment; textiles and clothing, footwear, toys
  and sporting goods; mineral fuels

Christmas Island
  phosphate

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra

Colombia
  petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Comoros
  vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  diamonds, copper, crude oil,
  coffee, cobalt

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,
  coffee, diamonds

Cook Islands
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;
  fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Costa Rica
  coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic
  components, medical equipment

Cote d'Ivoire
  cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
  pineapples, palm oil, fish

Croatia
  transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Cuba
  sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals,
  cement, clothing and cigarettes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus,
  potatoes, textiles

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate
  manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Denmark
  machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy
  products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Djibouti
  reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Dominica
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Dominican Republic
  ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,
  tobacco, meats, consumer goods

East Timor
  coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil
  and vanilla exports

Ecuador
  petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish

Egypt
  crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal
  products, chemicals

El Salvador
  offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp,
  textiles, chemicals, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Eritrea
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles
  14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Ethiopia
  coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  wool, hides, meat

Faroe Islands
  fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Fiji
  sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Finland
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper,
  pulp (1999)

France
  machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

French Guiana
  shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

French Polynesia cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Gabon
  crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Gambia, The
  peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels,
  re-exports

Gaza Strip
  citrus, flowers

Georgia
  scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus
  fruits, tea, wine

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Ghana
  gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
  diamonds

Gibraltar
  (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods
  41%, other 8%

Greece
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
  chemicals, textiles

Greenland
  fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Guadeloupe
  bananas, sugar, rum

Guam
  mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products;
  construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Guatemala
  coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom,
  meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Guernsey
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
  vegetables

Guinea
  bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
  products

Guinea-Bissau
  cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Guyana
  sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
  timber

Haiti
  manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Honduras
  coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Hong Kong
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,
  footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%,
  food products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9%
  (2001)

Iceland
  fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum,
  diatomite, ferrosilicon

India
  textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
  leather manufactures

Indonesia
  oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles,
  rubber

Iran
  petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel,
  chemicals

Iraq
  crude oil

Ireland
  machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products (1999)

Israel
  machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
  products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Italy
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production
  machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food,
  beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Jamaica
  alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Japan
  motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Jersey
  light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Jordan
  phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products,
  manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Kazakhstan
  oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals
  5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Kenya
  tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
  cement

Kiribati
  copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Korea, North
  minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures
  (including armaments); textiles and fishery products

Korea, South
  electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor
  vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Kuwait
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Kyrgyzstan
  cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium,
  natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Laos
  wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Latvia
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  textiles, foodstuffs

Lebanon
  foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious
  stones, metal products, electrical products, jewelry, paper products

Lesotho
  manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool
  and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Liberia
  rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Libya
  crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Liechtenstein
  small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and
  video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared
  foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Lithuania
  mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery
  and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%,
  foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
  machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals,
  rubber products, glass

Macau
  clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  food, beverages, tobacco;
  miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth,
  chromite, petroleum products

Malawi
  tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood
  products, apparel

Malaysia
  electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas,
  wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals (2000)

Maldives
  fish, clothing

Mali
  cotton, gold, livestock

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Man, Isle of
  tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Marshall Islands
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Martinique
  refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
  (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Mauritius
  clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Mayotte
  ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts,
  coffee, cinnamon

Mexico
  manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
  vegetables, coffee, cotton

Micronesia, Federated States of
  fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Moldova
  foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Mongolia
  copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
  fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Montserrat
  electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot
  peppers, live plants, cattle

Morocco
  clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude
  minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products,
  fruits, vegetables

Mozambique
  aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber;
  bulk electricity

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle,
  processed fish, karakul skins

Nauru
  phosphates

Nepal
  carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Netherlands
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Netherlands Antilles
  petroleum products

New Caledonia
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

New Zealand
  dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,
  machinery

Nicaragua
  coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas,
  beef, sugar, gold

Niger
  uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Nigeria
  petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Niue
  canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
  products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Norfolk Island
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
  Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Northern Mariana Islands
  garments

Norway
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment,
  metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Oman
  petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Pakistan
  textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather,
  sports goods, and carpets and rugs

Palau
  shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Panama
  bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Papua New Guinea oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Paraguay
  soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity

Peru
  fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and
  byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Philippines
  electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment,
  garments, coconut products, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands
  fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%,
  food and live animals 8.5% (1999)

Portugal
  clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
  products, hides

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
  beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Qatar
  petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Reunion
  sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster
  3%, (1993)

Romania
  textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery
  and equipment, minerals and fuels

Russia
  petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
  products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
  military manufactures

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Saint Helena
  fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna),
  coffee, handicrafts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, food, electronics, beverages,
  tobacco

Saint Lucia
  bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,
  coconut oil

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish and fish products, soybeans, animal
  feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen
  (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Samoa
  fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
  garments, beer

San Marino
  building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked
  goods, hides, ceramics

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Senegal
  fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates,
  cotton

Serbia and Montenegro
  manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw
  materials

Seychelles
  canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
  products (reexports)

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Singapore
  machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer
  goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Slovakia
  machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%,
  chemicals 8% (1999)

Slovenia
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  chemicals, food

Solomon Islands
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Somalia
  livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

South Africa
  gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals,
  machinery and equipment (1998 est.)

Spain
  machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Sri Lanka
  textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products,
  petroleum products

Sudan
  oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock,
  groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Suriname
  alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Swaziland
  soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
  refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Sweden
  machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood,
  iron and steel products, chemicals

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural
  products

Syria
  crude oil 70%, petroleum products 7%, fruits and vegetables
  5%, cotton fiber 4%, clothing 3%, meat and live animals 2% (2000
  est.)

Taiwan
  machinery and electrical equipment 54%, metals, textiles,
  plastics, chemicals (2002)

Tajikistan
  aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil,
  textiles

Tanzania
  gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Thailand
  computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice (2000)

Togo
  reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Tokelau
  stamps, copra, handicrafts

Tonga
  squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Tunisia
  textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals,
  agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Turkey
  apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Tuvalu
  copra, fish

Uganda
  coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
  horticultural products

Ukraine
  ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

United Arab Emirates
  crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
  fish, dates

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,
  beverages, tobacco

United States
  capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and
  raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products

Uruguay
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, vehicles, dairy products

Uzbekistan
  cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral
  fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles
  (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Venezuela
  petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,
  agricultural products, basic manufactures

Vietnam
  crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,
  garments, shoes

Virgin Islands
  refined petroleum products

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

West Bank
  olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Western Sahara
  phosphates 62%

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services

Yemen
  crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Zambia
  copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Zimbabwe
  tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2050 Exports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
  Pakistan 26.8%, India 26.5%, Finland 5.8%, Germany 5.1%,
  UAE 4.4%, Belgium 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2002)

Albania
  Italy 76.6%, Germany 5.6%, Greece 2.7% (2002)

Algeria
  Italy 18.9%, Spain 13.1%, France 13%, US 12.1%, Netherlands
  6%, Brazil 5.9%, Canada 5.7%, Turkey 5.3%, Belgium 5.1% (2002)

American Samoa
  Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia
  6.7% (2002)

Andorra
  Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)

Angola
  US 41.2%, China 13.7%, France 8%, Belgium 6.3%, Taiwan 6.3%,
  Japan 4.9%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Anguilla
  UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  France 68.5%, Germany 26.4%, Italy 1.2% (2002)

Argentina
  Brazil 23.6%, US 10.9%, Chile 9.7%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Armenia
  Belgium 21.5%, Russia 14.6%, Israel 10.3%, Iran 9.4%, US
  8.2%, Switzerland 6.8%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Aruba
  Netherlands 28.6%, Colombia 21.7%, Panama 16.8%, US 12.1%,
  Netherlands Antilles 8.3%, Venezuela 7.6% (2002)

Australia
  Japan 18.5%, US 9.6%, South Korea 8.3%, China 6.9%, New
  Zealand 6.5%, UK 4.7%, Singapore 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2002)

Austria
  Germany 31.5%, Italy 9.3%, Switzerland 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK
  4.9%, France 4.7%, Hungary 4.3% (2002)

Azerbaijan
  Italy 28.7%, Germany 17.7%, Israel 10.6%, France 8.4%,
  Georgia 6.7%, Russia 4.7% (2002)

Bahamas, The
  US 39.1%, Germany 15.4%, Spain 10.8%, France 7.4%,
  Poland 4.6%, Switzerland 4.3% (2002)

Bahrain
  US 4.5%, India 3.2%, Saudi Arabia 2.1% (2002)

Bangladesh
  US 27.6%, Germany 10.4%, UK 9.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 4%
  (2002)

Barbados
  US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%,
  Saint Lucia 4.7% (2002)

Belarus
  Russia 50.8%, Latvia 7.3%, Ukraine 6.3%, Lithuania 4.1%,
  Germany 4.1% (2002)

Belgium
  Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 9.6%, US
  7.9%, Italy 5.4% (2002)

Belize
  US 40.5%, UK 23.2%, Peru 8.3% (2002)

Benin
  India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand
  6.7%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002)

Bermuda
  France 77.4%, UK 2.8%, US 2.4% (2002)

Bhutan
  US 24.1%, UK 23.9%, Pakistan 23.1%, France 13.9% (2002)

Bolivia
  Brazil 24.3%, Switzerland 15.7%, US 14.1%, Venezuela 12.8%,
  Colombia 10.2%, Peru 5.4% (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Italy 31.6%, Croatia 18%, Germany 12.9%,
  Austria 10.1%, Slovenia 6.9%, Greece 4.3% (2002)

Botswana
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern
  African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
  US 23.8%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 5%, China 4.3%, Netherlands
  4.2% (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
  Japan 40.3%, South Korea 12.3%, Thailand 12.1%, Australia
  9.2%, US 8.1%, China 6.4%, Singapore 5.7% (2002)

Bulgaria
  Italy 15.5%, Germany 9.6%, Turkey 9.4%, Greece 9.2%, France
  5.3%, US 4.8% (2002)

Burkina Faso
  Singapore 14.7%, Italy 11.3%, Colombia 8.6%, France
  7.7%, India 6.9%, Ghana 6%, Japan 4.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2002)

Burma
  Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002)

Burundi
  Switzerland 28.8%, Germany 20.2%, Belgium 9.4%, Kenya 7.8%,
  Rwanda 6.5%, Netherlands 4.6% (2002)

Cambodia
  US 60.2%, Germany 9.1%, UK 7.1%, Singapore 4.4% (2002)

Cameroon
  Italy 16.7%, Spain 16%, France 12.8%, US 8.3%, Netherlands
  8.2%, Taiwan 7.7%, China 5.2%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Canada
  US 87.7%, Japan 2%, UK 1.1% (2002)

Cape Verde
  Portugal 38.5%, UK 26.4%, France 23.1%, US 8.2% (2002)

Cayman Islands
  mostly US

Central African Republic
  Belgium 66.8%, Spain 6.4%, Kazakhstan 4%
  (2002)

Chad
  Portugal 28.3%, Germany 13.6%, US 7.8%, Czech Republic 6.5%,
  France 5.8%, Nigeria 5.8%, Poland 5.5%, Spain 5.2%, Morocco 4.5%
  (2002)

Chile
  US 19.1%, Japan 10.5%, China 6.7%, Mexico 5%, Italy 4.7%, UK
  4.4% (2002)

China
  US 21.5%, Hong Kong 18%, Japan 14.9%, South Korea 4.8% (2002)

Christmas Island
  Australia, NZ

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia (1999)

Colombia
  US 44.8%, Venezuela 9.4%, Ecuador 6.8% (2002)

Comoros
  France 32.4%, Germany 19.4%, US 17.6%, Singapore 11.5%,
  Netherlands 6.5% (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Belgium 64.4%, US 13.4%, Zimbabwe
  6.7%, Finland 4.9% (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  Taiwan 28.1%, South Korea 20.4%, China 9.3%,
  US 8.4%, Germany 6.6%, France 5.2% (2002)

Cook Islands
  Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Costa Rica
  US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  France 14.5%, Netherlands 12.9%, US 7.6%, Germany
  5.4%, Mali 4.6%, Belgium 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Croatia
  Italy 22.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.4%, Germany 12.5%,
  Slovenia 8%, Austria 7.3% (2002)

Cuba
  Netherlands 19.1%, Russia 18.1%, Canada 14.3%, Spain 9.5%,
  China 7.3% (2002)

Cyprus
  UK 28.2%, Greece 7%, UAE 5.3%, France 5.2% (2002)

Czech Republic
  Germany 40.2%, Slovakia 7.1%, Austria 5.8%, UK 5.1%,
  Poland 5%, France 4% (2002)

Denmark
  Germany 17.1%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 7.8%, US 6.8%, France 5.8%,
  Norway 5.7%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Djibouti
  Somalia 56.7%, Yemen 24.4%, Pakistan 4.8%, Ethiopia 4.4%,
  UAE 4.1% (2002)

Dominica
  UK 36.1%, Jamaica 18%, US 7.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%,
  Guyana 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2002)

Dominican Republic
  US 85%, Canada 1.6%, UK 1.6% (2002)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  US 39%, Colombia 5.6%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5%, Italy
  4.4% (2002)

Egypt
  US 18.3%, Italy 13.7%, UK 8.4% (2002)

El Salvador
  US 63.3%, Guatemala 12%, Honduras 6.8%, Nicaragua 4.5%
  (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  US 28.3%, Spain 25.3%, China 17.4%, Canada 10.6%,
  France 4.9% (2002)

Eritrea
  Italy 36.9%, Germany 16.7%, France 10.3%, US 5.4%,
  Netherlands 5.2% (2002)

Estonia
  Finland 19.2%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 10.6%, Latvia 7.4%, Germany
  7.2% (2002)

Ethiopia
  UK 16.2%, Djibouti 10.9%, Germany 7.6%, Italy 7.2%, Japan
  6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, US 4.4% (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1%
  (2002)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 39.9%, UK 32.1%, Norway 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1%
  (2002)

Fiji
  US 25.1%, Australia 19.5%, UK 10.6%, Japan 6.3%, Samoa 5.5%
  (2002)

Finland
  Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%,
  Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002)

France
  Germany 15%, UK 9.8%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, US 7.8%, Belgium
  6.9% (2002)

French Guiana
  France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

French Polynesia
  France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002)

Gabon
  US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8%
  (2002)

Gambia, The
  France 21.9%, UK 19.1%, Malaysia 11.8%, Italy 11.1%,
  Germany 7.3%, Belgium 6.3%, South Africa 4.2% (2002)

Gaza Strip
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
  Turkey 23%, Italy 12.1%, Russia 11.4%, Greece 8.5%,
  Netherlands 7.5%, Spain 5.9%, Turkmenistan 4.7%, Ukraine 4.3% (2002)

Germany
  France 10.7%, US 10.3%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.3%, Netherlands
  6.1%, Austria 5.1%, Belgium 4.8%, Spain 4.6%, Switzerland 4.2% (2002)

Ghana
  Netherlands 14.8%, UK 9.9%, US 7%, Germany 6.6%, France 5.8%,
  Nigeria 4.8%, Belgium 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Gibraltar
  UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%,
  Spain 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002)

Greece
  Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 6.3%, Bulgaria 5.4%, US 5.3%,
  Cyprus 4.7% (2002)

Greenland
  Denmark 60.3%, Japan 15.5%, US 6%, Thailand 5%, Germany 4%
  (2002)

Grenada
  Germany 14%, US 13.6%, Bangladesh 9.7%, Netherlands 8.6%,
  Saint Lucia 6.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

Guadeloupe
  France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Guam
  Japan 81.7%, South Korea 6.1%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Guatemala
  US 58.7%, El Salvador 9.3%, Nicaragua 3.1% (2002)

Guernsey
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
  South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%,
  US 9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  India 51.5%, Uruguay 19.5%, Thailand 19.4% (2002)

Guyana
  Canada 21.1%, US 17.9%, Netherlands Antilles 12.9%, UK 10.4%,
  Jamaica 5.3%, Portugal 4.2% (2002)

Haiti
  US 83.9%, Dominican Republic 6.6%, Canada 2.4% (2002)

Honduras
  US 69.5%, El Salvador 3%, Guatemala 2% (2002)

Hong Kong
  China 34%, US 19.5%, UK 5.5%, Japan 4.8% (2002)

Hungary
  Germany 34.3%, Austria 8.5%, Italy 5.5%, France 5.4%, US
  4.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

Iceland
  Germany 18.5%, UK 17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain
  5.2%, Denmark 4.6%, Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2% (2002)

India
  US 22.5%, UK 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Germany 4.3%,
  China 4.1% (2002)

Indonesia
  Japan 21.1%, US 13.2%, Singapore 9.4%, South Korea 7.2%,
  China 5.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)

Iran
  Japan 17.4%, China 8.6%, UAE 7.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea
  4.9%, South Africa 4.4% (2002)

Iraq
  US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands
  6.4%, Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002)

Ireland
  UK 23.3%, US 16.7%, Belgium 14.6%, Germany 7.3%, France 5%
  (2002)

Israel
  US 39.2%, Belgium 6.5%, Germany 4.4%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Italy
  Germany 13.7%, France 12.2%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9%, Spain 6.4%
  (2002)

Jamaica
  US 28.1%, Canada 12.2%, Norway 10.7%, UK 10.5%, Germany 7%,
  Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Japan
  US 28.8%, China 9.6%, South Korea 6.9%, Taiwan 6.2%, Hong Kong
  6.1% (2002)

Jersey
  UK

Jordan
  Iraq 20.1%, US 14.5%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, Israel
  4.4% (2002)

Kazakhstan
  Russia 16.2%, Bermuda 12.1%, China 11.3%, Germany 8.8%,
  Italy 5.5%, Ukraine 4.9%, France 4% (2002)

Kenya
  Uganda 18.3%, UK 12.9%, US 8%, Netherlands 7.6%, Pakistan
  4.9%, Tanzania 4.4%, Egypt 4.1% (2002)

Kiribati
  Japan 56.7%, Thailand 16.6%, South Korea 16.3% (2002)

Korea, North
  China 23.5%, Japan 19.9%, Costa Rica 12.4%, Brazil 6.5%
  (2002)

Korea, South
  US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002)

Kuwait
  Japan 24.4%, South Korea 12.9%, US 11.9%, Singapore 10.1%,
  Taiwan 7%, Netherlands 4.5%, Pakistan 4.4% (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  Switzerland 19.9%, Russia 16.5%, UAE 14.2%, China 8.5%,
  Kazakhstan 7.6%, US 7.4%, Uzbekistan 5.7% (2002)

Laos
  Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002)

Latvia
  UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania
  5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002)

Lebanon
  Switzerland 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 9%, UAE 8.6%, US 6.7%,
  Jordan 4.6%, Turkey 4.3% (2002)

Lesotho
  US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)

Liberia
  Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy
  4.5%, US 4.2% (2002)

Libya
  Italy 42.6%, Germany 14.1%, Spain 13.6%, Turkey 6.9%,
  Switzerland 4.4% (2002)

Liechtenstein
  EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%,
  Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Lithuania
  Latvia 12.8%, Germany 12%, UK 7.6%, Poland 6.3%, US 5.9%,
  France 5.8%, Russia 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Denmark 4.3% (2002)

Luxembourg
  Germany 23.9%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.5%, UK 8.7%,
  Italy 6.1%, Spain 4.5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Macau
  US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4%
  (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Germany 19.2%, Italy
  9.2%, US 6.7%, Croatia 5.5%, Greece 4.6% (2002)

Madagascar
  France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%,
  Mauritius 4% (2002)

Malawi
  US 17.3%, Germany 13.6%, South Africa 10.2%, Egypt 6.2%,
  Japan 6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 4.8%, UK 4.3% (2002)

Malaysia
  US 21%, Singapore 17.4%, Japan 10.9%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong
  5%, Thailand 4% (2002)

Maldives
  US 51.7%, Sri Lanka 16.2%, Thailand 9.3%, Japan 7.6%, UK
  4.6% (2002)

Mali
  Thailand 13.9%, Italy 9.8%, India 7.7%, Brazil 5.5%, Germany
  5%, Spain 4.9%, Portugal 4.3%, Taiwan 4.3% (2002)

Malta
  Singapore 17.3%, US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9%, France 7.2%,
  China 6.5%, Italy 6% (2002)

Man, Isle of
  UK (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands
  US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Martinique
  France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Mauritania
  Italy 14.3%, France 14%, Spain 11.7%, Germany 10.9%,
  Belgium 9.9%, Japan 7.1% (2002)

Mauritius
  UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium
  5% (2002)

Mayotte
  France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Mexico
  US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Moldova
  Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania
  5.7%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)

Mongolia
  China 43.8%, US 33.6%, Russia 9.6% (2002)

Montserrat
  US, Antigua and Barbuda

Morocco
  France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy
  5.6%, US 4.8% (2002)

Mozambique
  Belgium 24.3%, South Africa 9.1%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Namibia
  EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Nauru
  India 46.1%, South Korea 18.3%, Australia 10.6%, New Zealand
  7.8%, Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Nepal
  India 47.5%, US 27.6%, Germany 7.5% (2002)

Netherlands
  Germany 25.1%, Belgium 12.7%, UK 10.7%, France 10.2%,
  Italy 6%, US 4.6% (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  US 20.9%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 10.5%,
  Guyana 6.6%, Singapore 4.4%, Cuba 4% (2002)

New Caledonia
  Japan 20.6%, France 20.4%, Taiwan 16.3%, South Africa
  11.3%, Spain 7.7%, South Korea 5.4%, Australia 5.4%, Italy 5.3%
  (2002)

New Zealand
  Australia 20.3%, US 15.5%, Japan 11.5%, UK 4.8%, China
  4.6%, South Korea 4.4% (2002)

Nicaragua
  US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002)

Niger
  France 39%, Nigeria 33.2%, Japan 17.1% (2002)

Nigeria
  US 32.3%, Brazil 8.3%, Spain 7.2%, Indonesia 5.9%, France
  5.6%, India 4.6% (2002)

Niue
  NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Norfolk Island
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
  Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
  US (2000)

Norway
  UK 18.1%, Germany 13.8%, France 11%, US 9.2%, Netherlands
  8.2%, Sweden 8% (2002)

Oman
  Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%,
  UAE 9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Pakistan
  US 24.5%, UAE 8.5%, UK 7.2%, Germany 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8%
  (2002)

Palau
  US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Panama
  US 47.8%, Sweden 5.8%, Costa Rica 4.8%, Honduras 4.4% (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 23.7%, Japan 9.3%, China 5.3% (2002)

Paraguay
  Brazil 25.1%, Argentina 23%, Chile 5.5%, Bermuda 4% (2002)

Peru
  US 28.1%, China 10.5%, UK 7%, Switzerland 6.1%, Japan 5.6%
  (2002)

Philippines
  US 26.2%, Japan 14.9%, China 7.4%, Taiwan 5.8%,
  Singapore 5.7%, Hong Kong 5.3%, Malaysia 5.3%, Netherlands 5%,
  Germany 4.6%, South Korea 4.3% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2000)

Poland
  Germany 33%, Italy 5.7%, France 5%, UK 4.8%, Czech Republic
  4.3% (2002)

Portugal
  Spain 20.3%, Germany 18.4%, France 12.6%, UK 10.5%, US
  5.8%, Italy 4.8%, Belgium 4.5% (2002)

Puerto Rico
  US 88.2%, UK 1.5%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2001)

Qatar
  Japan 40.1%, South Korea 16.6%, Singapore 8.2%, US 4.1% (2002)

Reunion
  France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Romania
  Italy 24.4%, Germany 15.5%, France 7.7%, UK 5.4%, US 5%,
  Turkey 4.4% (2002)

Russia
  Germany 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.7%, China 6.3%, US
  6.1%, Ukraine 5.5%, Belarus 5.4%, Switzerland 5% (2002)

Rwanda
  Indonesia 30.8%, Germany 14.6%, Hong Kong 9%, South Africa
  5.5% (2002)

Saint Helena
  US 23.7%, Japan 20.5%, Netherlands 16%, Tanzania 15.4%,
  Spain 6.4%, UK 5.1%, Indonesia 4.5% (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  US 66.5%, UK 7.6%, Canada 6.8%, Portugal 6%
  (2002)

Saint Lucia
  UK 48.6%, US 27.8%, Barbados 7.6% (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  US 33.3%, Zambia 30.3%, Ecuador 16.2%,
  France 5.1%, Canada 4%, Spain 4% (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  France 25.2%, Greece 19.1%, Spain
  16.4%, UK 9.5%, US 7.1% (2002)

Samoa
  Australia 66.1%, US 10%, Japan 3.7% (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Netherlands 30.1%, Poland 11.8%, Canada 9.7%,
  Germany 7.5%, Philippines 7.5%, Spain 7.5%, Belgium 6.5%, France
  4.3%, Portugal 4.3% (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  US 18.6%, Japan 15.6%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore
  5.1%, China 4.6% (2002)

Senegal
  India 20.7%, France 13%, Mali 8.9%, Greece 7.7%, Italy 4.4%
  (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Italy 32%, Germany 19.5%, Greece 7%, Austria
  6.1%, France 4.6% (2002)

Seychelles
  UK 28.6%, France 20%, Italy 8.7%, US 8.4%, Spain 6.7%,
  Japan 6.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, Thailand 6.4% (2002)

Sierra Leone
  Belgium 41.9%, Germany 28.1%, UK 3.6% (2002)

Singapore
  Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%,
  China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (2002)

Slovakia
  Germany 30.1%, Czech Republic 16.4%, Austria 10.7%, Italy
  7.2%, Poland 5.7%, Hungary 4.6% (2002)

Slovenia
  Germany 23.9%, Italy 12.7%, Austria 9.5%, Croatia 8%,
  France 7.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4% (2002)

Solomon Islands
  Japan 21.2%, China 18.8%, South Korea 16.3%,
  Philippines 8.9%, Thailand 7.6%, Singapore 4.1% (2002)

Somalia
  UAE 45.6%, Yemen 24.3%, Oman 9.5% (2002)

South Africa
  UK 12.8%, US 12.7%, Germany 9%, Japan 8.8%, Italy 5.8%
  (2002)

Spain
  France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%,
  US 4.6% (2002)

Sri Lanka
  US 39.1%, UK 12.9%, Belgium 4.7%, Germany 4.5% (2002)

Sudan
  China 55.7%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2002)

Suriname
  US 25.3%, Norway 20.4%, France 8.2%, Trinidad and Tobago
  6.4%, Iceland 6%, Canada 5.9%, Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Swaziland
  South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5%, UK
  (1999)

Sweden
  US 11.6%, Germany 10.1%, Norway 9%, UK 8.2%, Denmark 5.9%,
  Finland 5.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 5.1%, Belgium 4.7% (2002)

Switzerland
  Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 8.9%, UK
  7.7% (2002)

Syria
  Germany 19.1%, Italy 17.5%, Turkey 7.8%, France 7.5%, Lebanon
  5.2% (2002)

Taiwan
  Hong Kong 23.9%, US 20.8%, Japan 9.3%, China 7.7% (2002)

Tajikistan
  Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan
  9.9%, Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)

Tanzania
  India 15.2%, Japan 12.4%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.8%,
  Belgium 6.5%, Kenya 5.9%, Germany 4.8% (2002)

Thailand
  US 19.6%, Japan 14.5%, Singapore 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%,
  China 5.2%, Malaysia 4.1% (2002)

Togo
  Ghana 17.7%, Benin 13.3%, Burkina Faso 8.2%, Philippines 4.9%,
  Niger 4.1% (2002)

Tokelau
  NZ (2000)

Tonga
  Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 56.9%, Jamaica 7.3%, France 4.4% (2002)

Tunisia
  France 31.3%, Italy 21.6%, Germany 11.5%, Spain 4.8%, Libya
  4.7%, Belgium 4.3% (2002)

Turkey
  Germany 16.6%, US 9.2%, UK 8.5%, Italy 6.4%, France 6% (2002)

Turkmenistan
  Ukraine 49.7%, Italy 18%, Iran 13.1%, Turkey 6.2% (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US, UK

Tuvalu
  UK 58.3%, Italy 16.7%, Denmark 8.3%, Fiji 8.3% (2002)

Uganda
  Belgium 16.2%, Netherlands 13.7%, Germany 7.5%, Spain 5.5%,
  Hong Kong 4.9%, US 4.6%, UK 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Portugal 4.1% (2002)

Ukraine
  Russia 18.6%, Italy 7.4%, Turkey 5.6%, Germany 4.1%, China
  4.1% (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  Japan 27.8%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 3.8%
  (2002)

United Kingdom
  US 15.5%, Germany 11.2%, France 9.4%, Ireland 8%,
  Netherlands 7.1%, Belgium 5.2%, Italy 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

United States
  Canada 23.2%, Mexico 14.1%, Japan 7.4%, UK 4.8% (2002)

Uruguay
  Brazil 21%, Argentina 15%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.1%, Italy 4%
  (2002)

Uzbekistan
  Russia 17.7%, Ukraine 11%, Italy 7.6%, Tajikistan 6.8%,
  Poland 5.1%, South Korea 5%, Kazakhstan 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002)

Vanuatu
  India 32.5%, Thailand 22.8%, South Korea 10.5%, Indonesia
  6.3%, Japan 4.9% (2002)

Venezuela
  US 53.4%, Netherlands Antilles 17.3%, Canada 2.9% (2002)

Vietnam
  US 15.2%, Japan 14.9%, Australia 7.6%, China 6.6%, Germany
  6.5%, Singapore 5.5%, UK 4.3% (2002)

Virgin Islands
  US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
  Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

West Bank
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
  trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

World
  US 17.4%, Germany 7.6%, UK 5.4%, France 5.1%, Japan 4.8%,
  China 4% (2002)

Yemen
  India 21.1%, Thailand 16.9%, South Korea 11.2%, China 11.1%,
  Malaysia 7.7%, US 6.7%, Singapore 4% (2002)

Zambia
  Malawi 10.3%, Thailand 9.2%, Japan 9.1%, Saint Pierre and
  Miquelon 9.1%, Taiwan 8.5%, South Africa 7.8%, Egypt 6.4%, China
  6.3%, Netherlands 5.5%, Tanzania 4.5% (2002)

Zimbabwe
  China 6%, South Africa 5.7%, Germany 5.4%, UK 4.8%, Japan
  4.7%, Netherlands 4.4%, US 4.1% (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2051 Administrative divisions

Afghanistan
  32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,
  Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr,
  Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar,
  Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan,
  Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and
  Zabol

Albania
  12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku
  i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku
  i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes,
  Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Algeria
  48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla,
  Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,
  Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,
  El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
  Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,
  Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi
  Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
  Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern,
  Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Andorra
  7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la
  Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant
  Julia de Loria

Angola
  18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo,
  Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul,
  Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje,
  Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,
  Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint
  Peter, Saint Philip

Argentina
  23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1
  autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
  Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,
  Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,
  Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe,
  Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
  Atlantico Sur, Tucuman
  note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Armenia
  11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat,
  Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,
  Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital
  Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South
  Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Austria
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
  Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
  Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Azerbaijan
  59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities*
  (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar
  respublika); Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas
  Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara
  Rayonu, Baki Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu,
  Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan
  Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*,
  Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu,
  Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu,
  Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
  Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar
  Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax
  Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu,
  Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki
  Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu,
  Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar
  Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*,
  Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
  Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala
  Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Bahamas, The
  21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat
  Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green
  Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
  Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and
  Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador
  and Rum Cay

Bahrain
  12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd,
  Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al
  Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al
  Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar,
  Sitrah
  note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Bangladesh
  5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
  Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet

Barbados
  11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George,
  Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael,
  Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of
  Bridgetown may be given parish status

Belarus
  6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality*
  (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya
  (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya
  (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk); note - when using a
  place name with the adjectival ending 'skaya,' the word voblasts'
  should be added to the place name
  note: voblasti have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Belgium
  10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
  provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
  Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
  Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
  Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen

Belize
  6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,
  Toledo

Benin
  12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
  Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Bermuda
  9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton,
  Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,
  Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Bhutan
  18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang,
  Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
  Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
  Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
  note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Bolivia
  9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa
  Cruz, Tarija

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  there are two first-order administrative
  divisions and one internationally supervised district* - Brcko
  district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia
  and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian
  Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern
  Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia
  and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision

Botswana
  9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
  Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
  Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Brazil
  26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia,
  Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
  Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
  Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande
  do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe,
  Tocantins

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,
  Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Bulgaria
  28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,
  Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech,
  Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
  Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
  Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Burkina Faso
  45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,
  Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,
  Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo,
  Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri,
  Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,
  Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga,
  Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Burma
  7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
  ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin
  State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State,
  Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*

Burundi
  16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
  Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
  Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Cambodia
  20 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 4
  municipalities* (krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay,
  Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong
  Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar
  Mean Cheay, Pailin*, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu*, Preah
  Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay
  Rieng, Takev

Cameroon
  10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord,
  Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Canada
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
  Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
  Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
  Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Cape Verde
  17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa
  Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
  Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe,
  Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
  8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town,
  Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Central African Republic
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
  prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,
  singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**;
  Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou,
  Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere,
  Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Chad
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
  Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
  Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
  Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
  note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
  structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
  and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
  Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
  Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
  Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
  N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
  Occidental, Tibesti

Chile
  13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General
  Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
  Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
  Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
  (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

China
  23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous
  regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities**
  (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Chongqing**, Fujian,
  Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang,
  Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*,
  Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan,
  Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang; note -
  China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for
  the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
  Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
  Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
  Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
  de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
  Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
  Vichada

Comoros
  3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and
  Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named
  Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

Congo, Republic of the 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Cook Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela,
  Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
  58 departments (departements, singular - departement);
  Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville,
  Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou,
  Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou,
  Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou,
  Gagnoa, Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville,
  Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume,
  Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou,
  Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi,
  Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Croatia
  20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city*
  (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
  Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
  Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
  Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
  Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
  Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
  Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
  Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
  Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
  Zagrebacka Zupanija

Cuba
  14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
  municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
  Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
  de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
  Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Cyprus
  6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
  Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
  include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
  of Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Czech Republic
  13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital
  city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky
  Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
  Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
  Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Denmark
  metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt)
  and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskomunes); Arhus,
  Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn,
  Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland,
  Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
  note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland,
  which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing
  overseas administrative divisions

Djibouti
  5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih,
  Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Dominica
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint
  John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint
  Paul, Saint Peter

Dominican Republic
  29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
  and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
  Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato
  Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
  Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
  Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez,
  San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago
  Rodriguez, Valverde

East Timor
  13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau,
  Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los
  Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
  Viqueque

Ecuador
  22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,
  Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
  Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
  Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
  Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Egypt
  26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad
  Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah,
  Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya,
  Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As
  Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina',
  Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

El Salvador
  14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
  La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
  Sonsonate, Usulutan

Equatorial Guinea
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
  Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral,
  Wele-Nzas

Eritrea
  6 regions (regions, singular - region); Central, Anelba,
  Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka

Estonia
  15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa
  (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide),
  Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere),
  Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa
  (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
  (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
  note: counties have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Ethiopia
  9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and
  2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
  astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
  Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
  Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
  Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
  Nationalities and Peoples)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 49 municipalities

Fiji
  4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern,
  Rotuma*, Western

Finland
  6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen
  Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

France
  22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
  Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
  Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
  Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
  Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
  Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
  note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
  "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
  into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
  departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
  overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
  Miquelon)

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel
  des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
  Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
  note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
  Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile
  Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes
  "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie,
  Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Gambia, The
  5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower
  River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Georgia
  9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities*
  (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics**
  (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia or
  Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis
  Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria,
  Imereti, Kakheti, K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
  P'ot'i*, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and
  Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*,
  Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi*
  note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
  shown in parentheses

Germany
  16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg,
  Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
  Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
  Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen

Ghana
  10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater
  Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous
  region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania,
  Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,
  Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos,
  Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa,
  Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani,
  Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia,
  Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai,
  Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Greenland
  3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
  (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
  note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Grenada
  6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit
  Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
  Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
  Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
  Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
  Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
  Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
  Martin, Saint Andrew

Guinea
  33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,
  Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka,
  Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,
  Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma,
  Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri,
  Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Guinea-Bissau
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata,
  Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note -
  Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Guyana
  10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica,
  East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara,
  Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
  Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Haiti
  9 departments (departements, singular - departement);
  Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest,
  Sud, Sud-Est

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,
  Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La
  Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties*
  (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros);
  Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
  Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*,
  Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*,
  Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom,
  Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy,
  Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*,
  Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala,
  Zalaegerszeg*

Iceland
  23 counties (syslur, singular - sysla) and 14 independent
  towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*,
  Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla,
  Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla,
  Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*,
  Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
  Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
  Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla,
  Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*,
  Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla,
  Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*,
  Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla,
  Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
  note: there may be four other counties

India
  28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar
  Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
  Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,
  Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
  Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh,
  Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa,
  Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura,
  Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Indonesia
  27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2
  special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah
  istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus
  ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**,
  Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,
  Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan
  Bangka Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat,
  Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah,
  Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan,
  Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of
  decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies)
  have become the key administrative units responsible for providing
  most government services
  note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for
  independence that was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor
  Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national
  legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as the provisional name
  for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur;
  East Timor gained its formal independence on 20 May 2002

Iran
  28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
  Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
  Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
  Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad,
  Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan,
  Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Iraq
  18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
  Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
  At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
  Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Ireland
  26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin,
  Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick,
  Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo,
  Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
  note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Israel
  6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa,
  Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Italy
  20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata,
  Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio,
  Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna,
  Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Jamaica
  14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester,
  Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth,
  Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Japan
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui,
  Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo,
  Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
  Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,
  Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,
  Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama,
  Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
  'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
  Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Kazakhstan
  14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities*
  (qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola
  Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
  (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
  Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
  (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of
  Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
  lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
  Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
  (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)

Kenya
  7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi
  Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Kiribati
  3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;
  note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
  Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
  island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
  Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
  Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
  Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Korea, North
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 special
  cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province),
  Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South
  Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province),
  Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong
  City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si*
  (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province),
  P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (Pyongyang
  City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)

Korea, South
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7
  metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
  Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
  Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
  Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*,
  Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*,
  Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Kuwait
  5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi,
  Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Kyrgyzstan
  7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city*
  (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
  Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
  Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Laos
  16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
  (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
  (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
  Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang,
  Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan,
  Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Latvia
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:
  Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons,
  Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons,
  Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,
  Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas
  Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons,
  Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons,
  Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras
  Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Lebanon
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth,
  Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Lesotho
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
  Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Liberia
  15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape
  Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
  Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Libya
  25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya,
  Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
  Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
  Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
  Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
  municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Liechtenstein
  11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,
  Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
  Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Lithuania
  10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus,
  Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,
  Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Luxembourg
  3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  123 municipalities
  (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo,
  Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo,
  Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje),
  Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi,
  Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce
  Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija,
  Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci,
  Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce,
  Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka,
  Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista,
  Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod,
  Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino,
  Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac,
  Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep,
  Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov,
  Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran,
  Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani,
  Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani,
  Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste,
  Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno,
  Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
  note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
  collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Madagascar
  6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
  Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
  27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,
  Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga
  (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata
  Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo,
  Zomba

Malaysia
  13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federal
  territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah
  persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri
  Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah,
  Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
  note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory of
  Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable;

Maldives
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other
  first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu,
  Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
  Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa,
  Vaavu

Mali
  8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
  Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Malta
  none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local
  Councils carry out administrative orders

Man, Isle of
  there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities
  each with its own elections

Marshall Islands
  33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk,
  Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
  Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
  Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
  Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital
  district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,
  Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,
  Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Mauritius
  9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black
  River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,
  Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
  Rodrigues*, Savanne

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja
  California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,
  Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,
  Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,
  Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
  Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
  Yucatan, Zacatecas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae
  (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Moldova
  9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality*
  (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala
  autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti,
  Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
  Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Monaco
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters
  (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine,
  Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Mongolia
  21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1
  municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy,
  Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
  Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,
  Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Montserrat
  3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Morocco
  37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal,
  Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El
  Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig,
  Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune,
  Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*,
  Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt,
  Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla
  (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan
  and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara
  note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed
  by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created
  although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited :
  Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane,
  Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
  El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
  Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa,
  Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Mozambique
  10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*;
  Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*,
  Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Namibia
  13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
  Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Nauru
  14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe,
  Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Nepal
  14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
  Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
  Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Netherlands
  12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie);
  Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,
  Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,
  Zuid-Holland

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
  note: each island has its own government

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and
  Sud

New Zealand
  16 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
  Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago,
  Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington,
  West Coast

Nicaragua
  15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento)
  and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
  autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
  Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
  Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Niger
  7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1
  capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,
  Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Nigeria
  36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital
  Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue,
  Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo,
  Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa,
  Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe,
  Zamfara

Niue
  none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions
  as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
  second order

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at
  the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus,
  Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal,
  Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og
  Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Oman
  6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates*
  (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
  Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note -
  the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but
  this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

Pakistan
  4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;
  Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital
  Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
  note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
  Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Palau
  16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel,
  Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,
  Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral

Panama
  9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1
  territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon,
  Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas

Papua New Guinea
  20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu,
  Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
  Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
  Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New
  Britain

Paraguay
  17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
  Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
  Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
  Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Peru
  24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas,
  Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco,
  Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
  Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin,
  Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
  note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
  constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
  is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
  administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
  authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
  their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
  authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
  been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
  the course of several years

Philippines
  73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del
  Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora,
  Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan,
  Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon,
  Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*,
  Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin,
  Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu
  City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City*, Davao del
  Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern
  Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte,
  Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao,
  La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*,
  Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao,
  Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
  Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain,
  Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern
  Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,
  Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
  Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon,
  Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
  Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon,
  South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*,
  Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*,
  Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*,
  Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo);
  Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie,
  Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie,
  Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie,
  Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Portugal
  18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2
  autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma);
  Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco,
  Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre,
  Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
  municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
  Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
  Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
  Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
  Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
  Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
  Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
  Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
  Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
  Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
  German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
  Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
  Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Qatar
  10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad
  Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar
  Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
  cantons

Romania
  41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
  (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
  Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
  Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
  Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
  Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
  Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Russia
  49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics*
  (respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous
  okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6
  krays*** (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular -
  gorod)****, and 1 autonomous oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast');
  Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay
  (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya
  (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya, Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan
  (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya, Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya
  (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya, Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**,
  Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*, Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy
  (Tura)**, Ingushetiya (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya,
  Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya
  (Elista)*, Kaluzhskaya, Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),
  Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*,
  Kemerovskaya, Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*,
  Khanty-Mansiyskiy (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi
  (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***,
  Krasnoyarskiy***, Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya,
  Magadanskaya, Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*,
  Moskovskaya, Moskva (Moscow)****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy
  (Nar'yan-Mar)**, Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya,
  Omskaya, Orenburgskaya, Orlovskaya (Orel), Penzenskaya, Permskaya,
  Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***,
  Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutiya)*,
  Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg
  (Saint Petersburg)****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya
  [North Ossetia] (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***,
  Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*,
  Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya,
  Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy
  Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya,
  Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**,
  Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note - when using a place name with
  an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy,' the word Oblast' or
  Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Rwanda
  12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular -
  prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura);
  Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo,
  Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Saint Helena
  1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*,
  Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint
  Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
  Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree,
  Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown,
  Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle
  Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Saint Lucia
  11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin,
  Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France);
  note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
  by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre,
  Miquelon at the second order

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines,
  Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Samoa
  11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
  Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
  Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

San Marino
  9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello);
  Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,
  Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
  note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Saudi Arabia
  13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah,
  Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad,
  Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah,
  Najran, Tabuk

Senegal
  10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel,
  Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,
  Ziguinchor
  note: there may be another region called Matam

Serbia and Montenegro
  2 republics (republike, singular - republika);
  and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular
  - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Seychelles
  23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau,
  Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne,
  Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on
  Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
  Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
  Louis, Takamaka

Sierra Leone
  3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern,
  Western*

Singapore
  none

Slovakia
  8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky,
  Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky,
  Zilinsky

Slovenia
  182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
  municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
  Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
  Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
  Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
  Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
  Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
  Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
  Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
  Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
  Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
  Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
  Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
  Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
  Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
  Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
  Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
  Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
  Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
  Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
  Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
  Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
  Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
  Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
  Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
  Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
  Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
  Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
  Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
  Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
  Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
  Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
  Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
  Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
  Zuzemberk, Zrece
  note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Solomon Islands
  9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,
  Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita,
  Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western

Somalia
  18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
  Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
  Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
  Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

South Africa
  9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
  KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,
  Western Cape

Spain
  19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
  comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic
  Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La
  Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian,
  Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra,
  Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
  note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of
  Morocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de
  la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994

Sri Lanka
  8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North
  Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern
  province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Sudan
  26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr
  al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al
  Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al
  Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur,
  Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr
  an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq
  al Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Suriname
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
  Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
  Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Swaziland
  4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Sweden
  21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
  Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
  Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
  Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
  Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Switzerland
  26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French;
  cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton
  in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
  Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus,
  Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
  Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
  Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Syria
  14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
  Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
  Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Taiwan
  the central administrative divisions include the provinces of
  Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including
  Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the
  Pescadores islands); Taiwan is further subdivided into 16 counties
  (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and
  plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and
  plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*,
  Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
  P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*,
  T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the
  provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
  note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

Tajikistan
  2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1
  autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
  Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati
  Sughd (Khujand)
  note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Tanzania
  25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,
  Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,
  Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
  Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
  Urban/West

Thailand
  76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat
  Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,
  Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,
  Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep
  Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong
  Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon
  Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
  Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
  Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
  Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
  Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
  Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
  Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
  Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
  Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Togo
  5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des
  Plateaux, Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Trinidad and Tobago
  8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**;
  Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint
  David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Tunisia
  24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous
  (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah),
  Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn),
  Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba
  (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul
  (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana
  (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar),
  Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Turkey
  81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon,
  Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin,
  Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu,
  Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir,
  Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep,
  Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir,
  Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis,
  Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya,
  Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye,
  Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas,
  Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat,
  Zonguldak

Turkmenistan
  5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal
  Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz
  Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,
  Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,
  Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu,
  Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,
  Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge,
  Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit,
  Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
  Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Ukraine
  24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic*
  (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular -
  misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka
  (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka
  (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka
  (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson),
  Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad),
  Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv),
  Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava),
  Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne),
  Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka
  (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka
  (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr); note - when using a place
  name with an adjectival ending "s'ka" or "z'ka," the word Oblast'
  should be added to the place name
  note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

United Arab Emirates
  7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
  Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
  Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom
  England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*, 29 London
  boroughs**, 12 cities and boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12
  cities*****, 3 royal boroughs******; Barking and Dagenham**,
  Barnet**, Barnsley, Bath and North East Somerset****, Bedfordshire*,
  Bexley**, Birmingham***, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
  Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and
  Hove, City of Bristol*****, Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury,
  Calderdale, Cambridgeshire*, Camden**, Cheshire*, Cornwall*,
  Coventry***, Croydon**, Cumbria*, Darlington, Derby*****,
  Derbyshire*, Devon*, Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley, Durham*, Ealing**,
  East Riding of Yorkshire****, East Sussex*, Enfield**, Essex*,
  Gateshead, Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**, Hackney**, Halton,
  Hammersmith and Fulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**, Harrow**,
  Hartlepool, Havering**, Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*,
  Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle of Wight*, Islington**, Kensington
  and Chelsea******, Kent*, City of Kingston upon Hull*****, Kingston
  upon Thames******, Kirklees, Knowsley, Lambeth**, Lancashire*,
  Leeds***, Leicester*****, Leicestershire*, Lewisham**,
  Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City of London*****, Luton,
  Manchester***, Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,
  Newcastle upon Tyne***, Newham**, Norfolk*, Northamptonshire*, North
  East Lincolnshire****, North Lincolnshire****, North Somerset****,
  North Tyneside, Northumberland*, North Yorkshire*, Nottingham*****,
  Nottinghamshire*, Oldham, Oxfordshire*, Peterborough*****,
  Plymouth*****, Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading, Redbridge**, Redcar
  and Cleveland, Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale, Rotherham,
  Rutland****, Salford***, Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton,
  Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull, Somerset*, Southampton*****,
  Southend-on-Sea, South Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside,
  Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St. Helens, Stockport,
  Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*, Sunderland***,
  Surrey*, Sutton**, Swindon, Tameside, Telford and Wrekin****,
  Thurrock, Torbay, Tower Hamlets**, Trafford, Wakefield***, Walsall,
  Waltham Forest**, Wandsworth**, Warrington, Warwickshire*, West
  Berkshire****, Westminster***, West Sussex*, Wigan, Wiltshire*,
  Windsor and Maidenhead******, Wirral, Wokingham****, Wolverhampton,
  Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2
  cities*, 6 counties**; Antrim, County Antrim**, Ards, Armagh, County
  Armagh**, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast*, Carrickfergus,
  Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, County Down**,
  Dungannon, Fermanagh, County Fermanagh**, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn,
  County Londonderry**, Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,
  Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane, County Tyrone**; Scotland
  - 32 council areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and
  Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway,
  Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East
  Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City,
  Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North
  Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire,
  Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West
  Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West Lothian; Wales -
  11 county boroughs, 9 counties*, 2 cities and counties**; Isle of
  Anglesey*, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff**,
  Ceredigion*, Carmarthenshire*, Conwy, Denbighshire*, Flintshire*,
  Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*, Neath Port Talbot, Newport,
  Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea**, Torfaen, The
  Vale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham

United States
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
  Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
  Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
  Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
  Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
  Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
  Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
  Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
  Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Uruguay
  19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
  Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
  Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Uzbekistan
  12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1
  autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon
  Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati,
  Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
  Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
  Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
  Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Vanuatu
  6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Venezuela
  23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency**
  (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
  Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,
  Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
  Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,
  Yaracuy, Zulia
  note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
  island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Vietnam
  58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), and 3
  municipalities* (thu do, singular and plural); An Giang, Bac Giang,
  Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh,
  Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac
  Lak, Da Nang, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Hai
  Phong*, Ha Nam, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh, Ho Chi Minh*,
  Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang
  Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu
  Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang
  Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa,
  Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh
  Phuc, Yen Bai

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John,
  Saint Thomas

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named
  Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Western Sahara
  none (under de facto control of Morocco)

World
  268 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries

Yemen
  19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan,
  'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al
  Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,
  Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
  note: there may be one additional governorate of the capital city of
  Sanaa

Zambia
  9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
  Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Zimbabwe
  8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;
  Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland
  East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland
  South, Midlands

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2052 Agriculture - products

Afghanistan
  opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins,
  lambskins

Albania
  wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets,
  grapes; meat, dairy products

Algeria
  wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep,
  cattle

American Samoa
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit,
  yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Andorra
  small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables;
  sheep

Angola
  bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc
  (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest
  products; fish

Anguilla
  small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Antigua and Barbuda
  cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,
  cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Argentina
  sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco,
  peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Armenia
  fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Aruba
  aloes; livestock; fish

Australia
  wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Austria
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products,
  cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Azerbaijan
  cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
  tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Bahamas, The
  citrus, vegetables; poultry

Bahrain
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Bangladesh
  rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco,
  pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Barbados
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Belarus
  grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Belgium
  sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef,
  veal, pork, milk

Belize
  bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber;
  garments

Benin
  cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil,
  peanuts, livestock (2001)

Bermuda
  bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Bhutan
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products,
  eggs

Bolivia
  soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
  potatoes; timber

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Botswana
  livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
  groundnuts

Brazil
  coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa,
  citrus; beef

British Virgin Islands
  fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Brunei
  rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Bulgaria
  vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat,
  barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Burkina Faso
  cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet,
  corn, rice; livestock

Burma
  rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood;
  fish and fish products

Burundi
  coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,
  manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Cambodia
  rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Cameroon
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains,
  root starches; livestock; timber

Canada
  wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
  products; forest products; fish

Cape Verde
  bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee,
  peanuts; fish

Cayman Islands
  vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Central African Republic
  cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca),
  yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Chad
  cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc
  (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Chile
  wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit;
  beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

China
  rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,
  cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Colombia
  coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,
  sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Comoros
  vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
  cassava (tapioca)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Congo, Republic of the
  cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
  peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Cook Islands
  copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,
  bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Costa Rica
  coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,
  potatoes; beef; timber

Cote d'Ivoire
  coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn,
  rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Croatia
  wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa,
  clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Cuba
  sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Cyprus
  potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives,
  vegetables

Czech Republic
  wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs,
  poultry

Denmark
  barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;
  fish

Djibouti
  fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Dominica
  bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa;
  forest and fishery potential not exploited

Dominican Republic
  sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
  beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef,
  eggs

East Timor
  coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans,
  cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Ecuador
  bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
  plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
  products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Egypt
  cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,
  water buffalo, sheep, goats

El Salvador
  coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton,
  sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Equatorial Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Eritrea
  sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee,
  sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Estonia
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Ethiopia
  cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat;
  hides, cattle, sheep, goats

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep,
  dairy products

Faroe Islands
  milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Fiji
  sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
  bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Finland
  barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

France
  wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef,
  dairy products; fish

French Guiana
  corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
  vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

French Polynesia
  coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry,
  beef, dairy products, coffee

Gabon
  cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a
  tropical softwood); fish

Gambia, The
  rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava
  (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Gaza Strip
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Georgia
  citrus, grapes, tea, hazlenuts, vegetables; livestock

Germany
  potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages;
  cattle, pigs, poultry

Ghana
  cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea
  nuts, bananas; timber

Gibraltar
  none

Greece
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine,
  tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Greenland
  forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep,
  reindeer; fish

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
  sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Guadeloupe
  bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables;
  cattle, pigs, goats

Guam
  fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Guatemala
  sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle,
  sheep, pigs, chickens

Guernsey
  tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant,
  fruit; Guernsey cattle

Guinea
  rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Guinea-Bissau
  rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts,
  peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Guyana
  sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry,
  dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Haiti
  coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Honduras
  bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Hong Kong
  fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork

Hungary
  wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs,
  cattle, poultry, dairy products

Iceland
  potatoes, green vegetables, chicken, pork, mutton; fish

India
  rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
  cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Indonesia
  rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee,
  palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Iran
  wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton;
  dairy products, wool; caviar

Iraq
  wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep

Ireland
  turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy
  products

Israel
  citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Italy
  fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans,
  grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Jamaica
  sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables;
  poultry, goats, milk

Japan
  rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy
  products, eggs; fish

Jersey
  potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Jordan
  wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep,
  goats, poultry

Kazakhstan
  grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Kenya
  tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
  products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Kiribati
  copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Korea, North
  rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs,
  pork, eggs

Korea, South
  rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle,
  pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Kuwait
  practically no crops; fish

Kyrgyzstan
  tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and
  berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Laos
  sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
  cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Latvia
  grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,
  eggs; fish

Lebanon
  citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,
  olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Lesotho
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Liberia
  rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
  sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Libya
  wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
  soybeans; cattle

Liechtenstein
  wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Lithuania
  grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef,
  milk, eggs; fish

Luxembourg
  barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes;
  livestock products

Macau
  vegetables, livestock

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  rice, tobacco, wheat,
  corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables;
  beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava
  (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Malawi
  tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah
  - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -
  rubber, pepper; timber

Maldives
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Mali
  cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Malta
  potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes,
  citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Man, Isle of
  cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Marshall Islands
  coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,
  fruits; pigs, chickens

Martinique
  pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables,
  sugarcane

Mauritania
  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Mauritius
  sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle,
  goats; fish

Mayotte
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Mexico
  corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
  tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Micronesia, Federated States of
  black pepper, tropical fruits and
  vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes;
  pigs, chickens

Moldova
  vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower
  seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats,
  cattle, camels, horses

Montserrat
  cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers;
  livestock products

Morocco
  barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Mozambique
  cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca),
  corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,
  sunflowers; beef, poultry

Namibia
  millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Nauru
  coconuts

Nepal
  rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo
  meat

Netherlands
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;
  livestock

Netherlands Antilles
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical
  fruit

New Caledonia
  vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

New Zealand
  wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
  wool, beef, dairy products; fish

Nicaragua
  coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco,
  sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Niger
  cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),
  rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Nigeria
  cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet,
  cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber;
  fish

Niue
  coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
  (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
  vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Northern Mariana Islands
  coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Norway
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Oman
  dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Pakistan
  cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk,
  beef, mutton, eggs

Palau
  coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Panama
  bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;
  livestock; shrimp

Papua New Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber,
  sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork

Paraguay
  cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
  (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Peru
  coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn,
  plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish

Philippines
  rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples,
  mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Pitcairn Islands
  wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats,
  chickens

Poland
  potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Portugal
  grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats,
  poultry, beef, dairy products

Puerto Rico
  sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
  livestock products, chickens

Qatar
  fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Reunion
  sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables,
  corn

Romania
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,
  grapes; eggs, sheep

Russia
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef,
  milk

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
  chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Saint Helena
  corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on
  Tristan da Cunha)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
  fish

Saint Lucia
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;
  fish

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,
  spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Samoa
  coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

San Marino
  wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef,
  cheese, hides

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,
  cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Saudi Arabia
  wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton,
  chickens, eggs, milk

Senegal
  peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes,
  green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Serbia and Montenegro
  cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives;
  cattle, sheep, goats

Seychelles
  coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Sierra Leone
  rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;
  poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Singapore
  rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs,
  fish, ornamental fish

Slovakia
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle,
  poultry; forest products

Slovenia
  potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle,
  sheep, poultry

Solomon Islands
  cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes,
  vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Somalia
  cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts,
  rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

South Africa
  corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,
  poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Spain
  grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Sri Lanka
  rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea,
  rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Sudan
  cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum
  arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
  potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Suriname
  paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains,
  peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Swaziland
  sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
  pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Sweden
  barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Switzerland
  grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Syria
  wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar
  beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Taiwan
  rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef,
  milk; fish

Tajikistan
  cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Tanzania
  coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made
  from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat,
  cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Thailand
  rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,
  soybeans

Togo
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans,
  rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Tokelau
  coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,
  poultry, goats

Tonga
  squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,
  coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Trinidad and Tobago
  cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee,
  vegetables; poultry

Tunisia
  olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus
  fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Turkey
  tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;
  livestock

Turkmenistan
  cotton, grain; livestock

Turks and Caicos Islands corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Tuvalu
  coconuts; fish

Uganda
  coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,
  corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Ukraine
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

United Arab Emirates
  dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
  dairy products; fish

United Kingdom
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
  sheep, poultry; fish

United States
  wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Uruguay
  rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Uzbekistan
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Vanuatu
  copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts,
  fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Venezuela
  corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables,
  coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Vietnam
  paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea,
  bananas, sugar; poultry, pigs; fish

Virgin Islands
  fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Wallis and Futuna
  breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

West Bank
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Western Sahara
  fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases);
  camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

Yemen
  grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic
  shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats,
  cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Zambia
  corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables,
  flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle,
  goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Zimbabwe
  corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts;
  cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2053 Airports

Afghanistan
  47 (2002)

Albania
  12 (2002)

Algeria
  136 (2002)

American Samoa
  3 (2002)

Andorra
  none (2002)

Angola
  243 (2002)

Anguilla
  3 (2002)

Antarctica
  30
  note: 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party to the
  Antarctic Treaty, have aircraft landing facilities for either
  helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial enterprises
  operate two additional aircraft landing facilities; helicopter pads
  are available at 27 stations; runways at 15 locations are gravel,
  sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable for landing wheeled,
  fixed-wing aircraft; of these, 1 is greater than 3 km in length, 6
  are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are between 1 km and 2 km in
  length, 3 are less than 1 km in length, and 2 are of unknown length;
  snow surface skiways, limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing
  aircraft, are available at another 15 locations; of these, 4 are
  greater than 3 km in length, 3 are between 2 km and 3 km in length,
  2 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 2 are less than 1 km in
  length, and 4 are of unknown length; aircraft landing facilities
  generally subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting
  from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing
  facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the
  respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization
  required for landing; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3 (2002)

Argentina
  1,342 (2002)

Armenia
  15 (2002)

Aruba
  1 (2002)

Australia
  444 (2002)

Austria
  55 (2002)

Azerbaijan
  71 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  64 (2002)

Bahrain
  4 (2002)

Baker Island
  1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely
  covered with vegetation and unusable (2002)

Bangladesh
  18 (2002)

Barbados
  1 (2002)

Belarus
  124 (2002)

Belgium
  42 (2002)

Belize
  42 (2002)

Benin
  5 (2002)

Bermuda
  1 (2002)

Bhutan
  2 (2002)

Bolivia
  1,081 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  32 (2002)

Botswana
  86 (2002)

Brazil
  3,590 (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  3 (2002)

Brunei
  2 (2002)

Bulgaria
  216 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  33 (2002)

Burma
  80 (2002)

Burundi
  7 (2002)

Cambodia
  21 (2002)

Cameroon
  49 (2002)

Canada
  1,389 (2002)

Cape Verde
  9
  note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2002)

Cayman Islands
  3 (2002)

Central African Republic
  50 (2002)

Chad
  50 (2002)

Chile
  363 (2002)

China
  500 (2002)

Christmas Island
  1 (2002)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 (2002)

Colombia
  1,050 (2002)

Comoros
  4 (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  229 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  31 (2002)

Cook Islands
  7 (2002)

Costa Rica
  151 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  36 (2002)

Croatia
  59 (2002)

Cuba
  161 (2002)

Cyprus
  16 (2002)

Czech Republic
  144 (2002)

Denmark
  104 (2002)

Djibouti
  13 (2002)

Dominica
  2 (2002)

Dominican Republic
  30 (2002)

East Timor
  8 (2002)

Ecuador
  205 (2002)

Egypt
  89 (2002)

El Salvador
  82 (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  3 (2002)

Eritrea
  18 (2002)

Estonia
  38 (2002)

Ethiopia
  83 (2002)

Europa Island
  1 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  5 (2002)

Faroe Islands
  1 (2002)

Fiji
  27 (2002)

Finland
  150 (2002)

France
  477 (2002)

French Guiana
  11 (2002)

French Polynesia
  45 (2002)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (2002)

Gabon
  57 (2002)

Gambia, The
  1 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  2 (2001)
  note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
  November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
  Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
  been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
  runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
  (2002)

Georgia
  40 (2002)

Germany
  551 (2002)

Ghana
  12 (2002)

Gibraltar
  1 (2002)

Glorioso Islands
  1 (2002)

Greece
  79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001)
  (2002)

Greenland
  14 (2002)

Grenada
  3 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  9 (2002)

Guam
  5 (2002)

Guatemala
  466 (2002)

Guernsey
  2 (2002)

Guinea
  15 (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  28 (2002)

Guyana
  51 (2002)

Haiti
  12 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (2002)

Honduras
  115 (2002)

Hong Kong
  3 (2002)

Howland Island
  airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling
  stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN
  - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen
  again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable (2002)

Hungary
  49 (2002)

Iceland
  86 (2002)

India
  334 (2002)

Indonesia
  631 (2002)

Iran
  309 (2002)

Iraq
  150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during the
  March-April 2003 war

Ireland
  36 (2002)

Israel
  52 (2002)

Italy
  134 (2002)

Jamaica
  35 (2002)

Jan Mayen
  1 (2002)

Japan
  172 (2002)

Jersey
  1 (2002)

Johnston Atoll
  1 (2002)

Jordan
  17 (2002)

Juan de Nova Island
  1 (2002)

Kazakhstan
  488 (2002)

Kenya
  230 (2002)

Kingman Reef
  lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
  American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
  1938 (2002)

Kiribati
  20 (2002)

Korea, North
  72 (2002)

Korea, South
  102 (2002)

Kuwait
  6 (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  68 (2002)

Laos
  51 (2002)

Latvia
  38 (2002)

Lebanon
  8 (2002)

Lesotho
  28 (2002)

Liberia
  47 (2002)

Libya
  136 (2002)

Liechtenstein
  none (2002)

Lithuania
  87 (2002)

Luxembourg
  2 (2002)

Macau
  1 (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  18 (2002)

Madagascar
  121 (2002)

Malawi
  43 (2002)

Malaysia
  114 (2002)

Maldives
  5 (2002)

Mali
  26 (2002)

Malta
  1 (2002)

Man, Isle of
  1 (2002)

Marshall Islands
  15 (2002)

Martinique
  2 (2002)

Mauritania
  26 (2002)

Mauritius
  5 (2002)

Mayotte
  1 (2002)

Mexico
  1,823 (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  7 (2002)

Midway Islands
  2 (2002)

Moldova
  36 (2002)

Monaco
  none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter
  service (2002)

Mongolia
  50 (2002)

Montserrat
  none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a
  helicopter service to Antigua is used (2002)

Morocco
  63 (2002)

Mozambique
  165 (2002)

Namibia
  135 (2002)

Nauru
  1 (2002)

Nepal
  45 (2002)

Netherlands
  28 (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  5 (2002)

New Caledonia
  30 (2002)

New Zealand
  113 (2002)

Nicaragua
  176 (2002)

Niger
  27 (2002)

Nigeria
  70 (2002)

Niue
  1 (2002)

Norfolk Island
  1 (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  6 (2002)

Norway
  102 (2002)

Oman
  139 (2002)

Pakistan
  124 (2002)

Palau
  3 (2002)

Palmyra Atoll
  1 (2002)

Panama
  103 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  491 (2002)

Paracel Islands
  1 (2002)

Paraguay
  879 (2002)

Peru
  233 (2002)

Philippines
  257 (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (2002)

Poland
  150 (2002)

Portugal
  66 (2002)

Puerto Rico
  31 (2002)

Qatar
  4 (2002)

Reunion
  2 (2002)

Romania
  65 (2002)

Russia
  2,743 (2002)

Rwanda
  9 (2002)

Saint Helena
  1 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2 (2002)

Saint Lucia
  2 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 (2002)

Samoa
  4 (2002)

San Marino
  none (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  209 (2002)

Senegal
  20 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  45 (2002)

Seychelles
  14 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  10 (2002)

Singapore
  9 (2002)

Slovakia
  37 (2002)

Slovenia
  16 (2002)

Solomon Islands
  32 (2002)

Somalia
  60 (2002)

South Africa
  727 (2002)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (2002)

Spain
  152 (2002)

Spratly Islands
  3 (2002)

Sri Lanka
  15 (2002)

Sudan
  63 (2002)

Suriname
  46 (2002)

Svalbard
  4 (2002)

Swaziland
  18 (2002)

Sweden
  245 (2002)

Switzerland
  66 (2002)

Syria
  92 (2002)

Taiwan
  39 (2002)

Tajikistan
  66 (2002)

Tanzania
  123 (2002)

Thailand
  111 (2002)

Togo
  9 (2002)

Tokelau
  none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft
  (2002)

Tonga
  6 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  6 (2002)

Tromelin Island
  1 (2002)

Tunisia
  30 (2002)

Turkey
  120 (2002)

Turkmenistan
  76 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  8 (2002)

Tuvalu
  1 (2002)

Uganda
  27 (2002)

Ukraine
  790 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  41 (2002)

United Kingdom
  470 (2002)

United States
  14,801 (2002)

Uruguay
  64 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  273 (2002)

Vanuatu
  30 (2002)

Venezuela
  373 (2002)

Vietnam
  47 (2002)

Virgin Islands
  2 (2002)

Wake Island
  1 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2002)

West Bank
  3 (2002)

Western Sahara
  11 (2002)

Yemen
  44 (2002)

Zambia
  109 (2002)

Zimbabwe
  430 (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  40.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Albania
  18.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Algeria
  21.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Andorra
  9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Angola
  45.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  18.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Argentina
  17.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Armenia
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Aruba
  11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Australia
  12.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Austria
  9.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  19.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  18.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  19.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  29.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Barbados
  13.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belarus
  10.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belgium
  10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belize
  30.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Benin
  43.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  12.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  34.82 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  25.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  12.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Botswana
  25.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brazil
  17.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brunei
  19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  8.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  44.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burma
  19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burundi
  39.72 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  27.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  35.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Canada
  10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  26.95 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  13.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  35.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chad
  47.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chile
  16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

China
  12.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Colombia
  21.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Comoros
  38.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 45.12 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  29.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  40.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Croatia
  12.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cuba
  11.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  12.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.01 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Denmark
  11.52 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  40.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominica
  16.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  23.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

East Timor
  27.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  24.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Egypt
  24.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  27.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  36.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  39.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Estonia
  9.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  39.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA births/1,000 population

Faroe Islands
  13.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Fiji
  23.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Finland
  10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

France
  12.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gabon
  36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  40.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  41.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Georgia
  11.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Germany
  8.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ghana
  25.84 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greece
  9.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greenland
  16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Grenada
  22.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  16.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guam
  23.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  35.05 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  9.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guinea
  42.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  38.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guyana
  17.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Haiti
  34.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Honduras
  31.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  10.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hungary
  9.32 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iceland
  14.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

India
  23.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  21.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iran
  17.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iraq
  33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ireland
  14.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Israel
  18.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Italy
  9.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  17.35 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Japan
  9.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jersey
  10.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jordan
  23.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  18.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kenya
  28.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  31.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  17.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  21.83 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  26.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Laos
  36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Latvia
  8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liberia
  45.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Libya
  27.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  10.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  11.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macau
  12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 13.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malawi
  44.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  23.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Maldives
  36.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mali
  47.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malta
  12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  11.38 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  34.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Martinique
  14.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  42.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mexico
  21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 26.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Moldova
  14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Monaco
  9.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  21.39 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Morocco
  23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  38.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Namibia
  34.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nauru
  26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nepal
  32.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  11.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  15.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  19.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niger
  49.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  38.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norway
  12.17 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oman
  37.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  29.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Palau
  19.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Panama
  20.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  31.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  30.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Peru
  22.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Philippines
  26.3 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Poland
  10.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Portugal
  11.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Qatar
  15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Reunion
  20.17 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Romania
  10.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Russia
  10.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  40.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  12.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  20.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  14.62 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Samoa
  15.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

San Marino
  10.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  41.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  37.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Senegal
  36.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  16.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  43.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Singapore
  12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  9.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Somalia
  46.42 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

South Africa
  18.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Spain
  10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  16.12 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sudan
  36.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Suriname
  19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  29.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sweden
  9.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Syria
  29.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  39.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Thailand
  16.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Togo
  35.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tonga
  24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  16.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkey
  17.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  28.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  23.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  21.58 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uganda
  46.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  9.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  18.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United States
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  17.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  24.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  19.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  19.58 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

West Bank
  34.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

World
  20.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Yemen
  43.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zambia
  39.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  30.34 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2055 Military branches

Afghanistan
  NA; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for
  all militia forces to come under the authority of the central
  government, but regional leaders have continued to retain their
  militias and the formation of a nation army will be a gradual
  process; Afghanistan's forces continue to be factionalized, largely
  along ethnic lines

Albania
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry
  Troops, Border Guards

Algeria
  People's National Army (ANP), Algerian National Navy (ANN),
  Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Andorra
  no regular military forces, but there is a police force

Angola
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force

Antigua and Barbuda
  Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal
  Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (including the Coast Guard)

Argentina
  Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes
  naval aviation and Marines), Coast Guard, Argentine Air Force,
  National Gendarmerie, National Aeronautical Police Force

Armenia
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards

Aruba
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and
  Marines, Coast Guard

Australia
  Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian
  Air Force

Austria
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Azerbaijan
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Bahamas, The
  Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal
  Bahamas Police Force

Bahrain
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force
  (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force,
  Amiri Guards, National Guard

Bangladesh
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces
  (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense
  Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)

Barbados
  Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and
  Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

Belarus
  Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior Ministry
  Troops, Border Guards

Belgium
  Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police

Belize
  Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing,
  and Volunteer Guard)

Benin
  Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National
  Gendarmerie

Bermuda
  no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment,
  Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary

Bhutan
  Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia, Royal
  Bhutan Police, Forest Guards

Bolivia
  Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes
  Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force
  (Policia Nacional de Bolivia)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  VF Army (the air and air defense forces are
  subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air
  defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)

Botswana
  Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing),
  Botswana National Police

Brazil
  Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and
  marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

Brunei
  Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Bulgaria
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (subordinate to
  Ministry of Defense), Internal Forces (subordinate to Ministry of
  Interior), Civil Defense Forces (subordinate to the president)

Burkina Faso
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police,
  People's Militia

Burma
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Burundi
  Army (including naval and air units), Gendarmerie

Cambodia
  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF): Army, Navy, Air Force

Cameroon
  Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force, National
  Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Canada
  Canadian Armed Forces (comprising Land Forces Command,
  Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training
  Command)

Cape Verde
  Army, Coast Guard

Cayman Islands
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman
  Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Central African Republic
  Central African Armed Forces (FACA)
  (including Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air
  Force), Presidential Security Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police

Chad
  Armed Forces (including National Army, Air Force, and
  Gendarmerie), Rapid Intervention Force, National and Nomadic Guard
  (GNNT), Presidential Security Guard, Police

Chile
  Army of the Nation, National Navy (including naval air, coast
  guard, and marines), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros
  (National Police), Investigations Police

China
  People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy
  (including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II
  Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police
  Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but
  included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered
  to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Colombia
  Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including
  Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana),
  National Police (Policia Nacional)

Comoros
  Comoran Security Force

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Special
  Security Battalion

Congo, Republic of the
  Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, National
  Police

Costa Rica
  no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section,
  Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie,
  Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)

Croatia
  Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HV), Naval Forces, Air and
  Air Defense Forces

Cuba
  Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Revolutionary Army
  (ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
  Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note -
  the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG;
  including air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
  Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Czech Republic
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense
  Force

Denmark
  Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air
  Force, Home Guard

Djibouti
  Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Dominica
  Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Special
  Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Dominican Republic
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

East Timor
  The East Timor Defense Force or FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a
  light-infantry Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to
  develop a force of 1,500 active personnel and 1,500 reserve
  personnel over the next five years

Ecuador
  Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police

Egypt
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

El Salvador
  Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Equatorial Guinea
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force,
  National Police

Eritrea
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Estonia
  Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air
  Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops),
  Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast
  Guard
  note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
  the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
  Navy in wartime

Ethiopia
  Ethiopian National Defense Force (Ground Forces, Air Force,
  militia, police)
  note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
  secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
  Eritrean possession

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  British Forces Falkland Islands no
  regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force,
  and Royal Navy), Police Force

Faroe Islands
  no regular indigenous military forces; small Police
  Force and Coast Guard are maintained

Fiji
  Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), includes ground
  forces, naval division

Finland
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard)

France
  Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force
  (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie

French Guiana
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
  Gendarmerie

French Polynesia
  no regular indigenous military forces; French
  Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Gabon
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard
  (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials),
  National Gendarmerie, National Police

Gambia, The
  Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit),
  National Police, Presidential Guard

Gaza Strip
  in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian
  Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are,
  however, a Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Georgia
  Ground Forces (includes National Guard), combined Air and
  Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces, Republic Security and Police
  Forces (internal and border troops)

Germany
  Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Medical
  Corps, Joint Support Service

Ghana
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force

Gibraltar
  no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal
  Navy, Royal Air Force

Greece
  Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police,
  National Guard

Grenada
  Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

Guadeloupe
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
  Gendarmerie

Guatemala
  Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Guinea
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,
  paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
  National)

Guinea-Bissau
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes
  Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Guyana
  Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard,
  and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana
  National Service

Haiti
  Haitian National Police (HNP)
  note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
  demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
  constitutionally abolished

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia
  Svizzera)

Honduras
  Army, Navy (including marines), Air Force

Hong Kong
  no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison
  of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the
  PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are
  under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in
  Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou
  Military Region

Hungary
  Ground Forces, Air Forces

Iceland
  no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

India
  Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Strategic
  Nuclear Command (SNC), Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary
  forces (including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya
  Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police,
  Special Frontier Force, Ladakh Scouts, Central Reserve Police Force,
  Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, Defense
  Security Corps, and Indian Reserve Battalions)

Indonesia
  Army, Navy (including marines and naval air arm), Air Force

Iran
  Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground
  Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Iranian
  Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air
  Force, Navy, Qods [special operations], and Basij [Popular
  Mobilization Army] forces), Law Enforcement Forces

Iraq
  Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
  Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam; note - with the defeat of
  Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, the data listed in the following
  entries for Iraq is invalid, but is retained here for historical
  purposes and until replaced by valid information related to the
  future Iraqi Government (April 2003)

Ireland
  Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National
  Police (Garda Siochana)

Israel
  Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air
  components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal);
  note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military
  services

Italy
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Jamaica
  Jamaica Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard,
  and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Japan
  Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
  (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard

Jordan
  Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force,
  Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations
  Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls
  under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis
  situations

Kazakhstan
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force,
  Border Service, Republican Guard

Kenya
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Kiribati
  no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
  enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
  are on all islands)

Korea, North
  Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
  Civil Security Forces

Korea, South
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime
  Police (Coast Guard)

Kuwait
  Army, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National
  Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard

Kyrgyzstan
  Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops

Laos
  Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force,
  National Police Department

Latvia
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border
  Guard, National Guard

Lebanon
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air
  Force)

Lesotho
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing),
  Royal Lesotho Mounted Police

Liberia
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Libya
  Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air Defense
  Command (includes Air Force)

Lithuania
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, National
  Volunteer Defense Forces (SKAT)

Luxembourg
  Army, Grand Ducal Police

Macau
  no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for
  defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local
  police force

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Army (ARM), Air and Air
  Defense Forces, Police Force

Madagascar
  People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force,
  Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie,
  Presidential Security Regiment

Malawi
  Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police
  (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Malaysia
  Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air
  Force, Royal Malaysian Police Field Force, Marine Police, Sarawak
  Border Scouts

Maldives
  National Security Service

Mali
  Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard,
  National Police (Surete Nationale)

Malta
  Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air
  squadron and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps),
  Maltese Police Force

Marshall Islands
  no regular military forces; Police Force

Martinique
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces
  (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Mauritania
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National
  Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Mauritius
  National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special
  Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Mexico
  National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air
  Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Moldova
  Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces),
  Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and
  Border Troops)

Mongolia
  Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces,
  Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border
  Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Montserrat
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Morocco
  Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
  Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

Mozambique
  Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special
  Forces, Militia

Namibia
  National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing), Police

Nauru
  no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Nepal
  Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air
  Service), Nepalese Police Force

Netherlands
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy
  (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands
  Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Netherlands Antilles
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal
  Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force,
  National Guard, Police Force

New Caledonia
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed
  Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

New Zealand
  New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
  Zealand Air Force

Nicaragua
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Niger
  Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Intervention and
  Security Force

Nigeria
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Niue
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Norway
  Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast
  Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard

Oman
  Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani
  Police

Pakistan
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

Palau
  NA

Panama
  an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces,
  but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF
  includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service,
  and National Air Service)

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground
  Force, Maritime Operations Element, and Air Operations Element)

Paraguay
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Peru
  Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru;
  includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza
  Aerea del Peru; FAP), National Police (includes General Police,
  Security Police, and Technical Police)

Philippines
  Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air
  Force, paramilitary units

Poland
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Portugal
  Army, Navy (PON) (includes Marines), Air Force, Republican
  Guard (includes Fiscal Guard)

Puerto Rico
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
  National Guard, Police Force

Qatar
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Reunion
  no regular indigenous military forces; French forces
  (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Romania
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Paramilitary
  Forces, Civil Defense, Border Guards

Russia
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic
  Rocket Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as
  independent combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches

Rwanda
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including
  Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including
  Special Service Unit)

Saint Lucia
  Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service
  Unit and Coast Guard)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Royal Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Samoa
  no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

San Marino
  Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar),
  Gendarmerie; note - the Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial
  duties and limited police assistance

Sao Tome and Principe
  Army, Navy, Security Police

Saudi Arabia
  Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
  National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Senegal
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
  (Surete Nationale)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border
  troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)

Seychelles
  Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential
  Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard), Police Force
  (includes Police Mobile Unit, a special weapons and tactics unit
  capable of assisting the Army in maintaining internal stability)

Sierra Leone
  Army (RSLAF)

Singapore
  Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force

Slovakia
  Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces, Home
  Guards (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway
  Armed Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post,
  and Telecommunications)

Slovenia
  Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Solomon Islands
  no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National
  Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police
  (RSIP)

Somalia
  A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim
  government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent
  militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments
  maintain their own security and police forces

South Africa
  South African National Defense Force (including Army,
  Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service

Spain
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police,
  Coastal Civil Guard

Sri Lanka
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Sudan
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia

Suriname
  National Army (including small Navy and Air Force
  elements), Civil Police

Swaziland
  Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland
  Police Force

Sweden
  Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and Naval
  Helicopter Service), Air Force

Switzerland
  Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Syria
  Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force
  (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force

Taiwan
  Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
  Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
  Forces Command

Tajikistan
  Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force, Presidential
  National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Tanzania
  Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and
  Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including Police
  Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia

Thailand
  Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai
  Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes
  the Border Patrol Police [including Police Aerial Reinforcement
  Unit], Thahan Phran, Special Action Forces, Police Aviation
  Division, Thai Marine Police, and the Volunteer Defense Corps)

Togo
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Tonga
  Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command
  components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines,
  Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a
  training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including
  Ground Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police
  Service

Tunisia
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard

Turkey
  Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry),
  Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie

Turkmenistan
  Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy,
  Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

Tuvalu
  no regular military forces; Police Force (includes Maritime
  Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance
  operations)

Uganda
  Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (including Army, Marine unit,
  Air Wing)

Ukraine
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Air Defense Forces,
  Interior Troops, Border Troops

United Arab Emirates
  Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard),
  Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police
  Force)

United Kingdom
  Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air
  Force

United States
  Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast
  Guard (Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of
  Homeland Security but in wartime reports to the Department of the
  Navy)

Uruguay
  Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines),
  Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Uzbekistan
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard,
  Security Forces (internal security and border troops)

Vanuatu
  no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF;
  including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

Venezuela
  National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN)
  includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito),
  Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and
  Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces
  of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or
  Guardia Nacional)

Vietnam
  People's Army of Vietnam (includes Ground Forces, People's
  Navy Command [including Naval Infantry], Air and Air Defense Force,
  Coast Guard)

Yemen
  Army (includes Special Forces, established in 1999), Navy, Air
  Force, Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard

Zambia
  Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary forces

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
  Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2056 Budget

Afghanistan
  revenues: $200 million
  expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2003 plan est.)

Albania
  revenues: $697 million
  expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368
  million (2002 est.)

Algeria
  revenues: $20.3 billion
  expenditures: $18.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
  billion (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63%
  in US grants)
  expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY96/97)

Andorra
  revenues: $385 million
  expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997)

Angola
  revenues: $928 million
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
  million (1992 est.)

Anguilla
  revenues: $22.8 million
  expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  revenues: $123.7 million
  expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Argentina
  revenues: $44 billion
  expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Armenia
  revenues: $402 million
  expenditures: $482 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Aruba
  revenues: $135.81 million
  expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Australia
  revenues: $86.8 billion
  expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Austria
  revenues: $53 billion
  expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  revenues: $786 million
  expenditures: $807 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  revenues: $918.5 million
  expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of
  $106.7 million (FY 99/00)

Bahrain
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  revenues: $4.9 billion
  expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY99/00 est.)

Barbados
  revenues: $847 million (including grants)
  expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Belarus
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
  million (1997 est.)

Belgium
  revenues: $113.4 billion
  expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17
  billion (2000)

Belize
  revenues: $224 million
  expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $70
  million (2002 est.)

Benin
  revenues: $377.4 million
  expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Bermuda
  revenues: $609.5 million
  expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of
  $54.8 million (FY 00/01)

Bhutan
  revenues: $146 million
  expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
  Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Bolivia
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  revenues: $1.9 billion
  expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Botswana
  revenues: $2.3 billion
  expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 01/02)

Brazil
  revenues: $100.6 billion
  expenditures: $91.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  revenues: $121.5 million
  expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997)

Brunei
  revenues: $2.5 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
  billion (1997 est.)

Bulgaria
  revenues: $5.57 billion
  expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  revenues: $316 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Burma
  revenues: $7.9 billion
  expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
  billion (FY96/97)

Burundi
  revenues: $125 million
  expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Cambodia
  revenues: $396 million
  expenditures: $607 million, including capital expenditures of $254
  million (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  revenues: $2.2 billion
  expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Canada
  revenues: $178.6 billion
  expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Cape Verde
  revenues: $112 million
  expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Cayman Islands
  revenues: $265.2 million
  expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997)

Central African Republic
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Chad
  revenues: $198 million
  expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146
  million (1998 est.)

Chile
  revenues: $17 billion
  expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

China
  revenues: $224.8 billion
  expenditures: $267.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Christmas Island
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Colombia
  revenues: $24 billion
  expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Comoros
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  revenues: $269 million
  expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  revenues: $870 million
  expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Cook Islands
  revenues: $28 million
  expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
  million (FY 00/01 est.)

Costa Rica
  revenues: $1.91 billion
  expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  revenues: $1.72 billion
  expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
  million (2001 est.)

Croatia
  revenues: $8.6 billion
  expenditures: $9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Cuba
  revenues: $14.9 billion
  expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Cyprus
  revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $4.4 billion, Turkish Cypriot
  area - $231.3 million (2002 est.)
  expenditures: $3.7 billion, Greek Cypriot area - $539 million,
  including capital expenditures of $539 million, Turkish Cypriot area
  - $432.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  revenues: $16.7 billion
  expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Denmark
  revenues: $52.9 billion
  expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  revenues: $135 million
  expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Dominica
  revenues: $73.9 million
  expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Dominican Republic
  revenues: $2.9 billion
  expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
  billion (2001 est.)

East Timor
  revenues: $36 million
  expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  revenues: $5.6 billion
  expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures
  of $NA (2001 est.)

Egypt
  revenues: $21.5 billion
  expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9
  billion (2001)

El Salvador
  revenues: $2.1 billion
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  revenues: $200 million
  expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  revenues: $206.4 million
  expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Estonia
  revenues: $1.89 billion
  expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $600
  million (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands
  revenues: $488 million
  expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
  million (1999)

Fiji
  revenues: $427.9 million
  expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Finland
  revenues: $36.1 billion
  expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

France
  revenues: $286 billion
  expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
  billion (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

French Polynesia
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
  million (1996)

Gabon
  revenues: $1.8 billion
  expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
  million (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  revenues: $90.5 million
  expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
  million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  revenues: $930 million
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (includes West Bank) (2000 est.)

Georgia
  revenues: $499 million
  expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Germany
  revenues: $802 billion
  expenditures: $825 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Ghana
  revenues: $1.603 billion
  expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  revenues: $307 million
  expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Greece
  revenues: $45 billion
  expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Greenland
  revenues: $646 million
  expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
  million (1999)

Grenada
  revenues: $85.8 million
  expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
  million (1997)

Guadeloupe
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Guam
  revenues: $340 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  revenues: $2.3 billion
  expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
  million (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  revenues: $381.3 million
  expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Guinea
  revenues: $395.7 million
  expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  million (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Guyana
  revenues: $227 million
  expenditures: $235.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $93.4 million (2000)

Haiti
  revenues: $273 million
  expenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  revenues: $173.5 million
  expenditures: $176.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Honduras
  revenues: $607 million
  expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of $106
  million (1999 est.)

Hong Kong
  revenues: $22.8 billion
  expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY02/03)

Hungary
  revenues: $13 billion
  expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Iceland
  revenues: $3.5 billion
  expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
  million (1999)

India
  revenues: $48.3 billion
  expenditures: $78.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $14
  (FY01/02 est.)

Indonesia
  revenues: $26 billion
  expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Iran
  revenues: $29.5 billion
  expenditures: $31.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Iraq
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Ireland
  revenues: $30.7 billion
  expenditures: $30.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
  billion (2002)

Israel
  revenues: $38.5 billion
  expenditures: $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Italy
  revenues: $504 billion
  expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  revenues: $2.23 billion
  expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $232.5 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Japan
  revenues: $441 billion
  expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public
  works only) of about $0 NA (FY 01/02 est.)

Jersey
  revenues: $601 million
  expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
  million (2000 est.)

Jordan
  revenues: $2.7 billion
  expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $614
  million (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  revenues: $4.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Kenya
  revenues: $2.91 billion
  expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Kiribati
  revenues: $28.4 million
  expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Korea, North
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Korea, South
  revenues: $118.1 billion
  expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6
  billion (2000)

Kuwait
  revenues: $11 billion
  expenditures: $17.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 02/03)

Kyrgyzstan
  revenues: $207.4 million
  expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Laos
  revenues: $211 million
  expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY98/99 est. est.)

Latvia
  revenues: $2.4 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  revenues: $3.1 billion
  expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  revenues: $76 million
  expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (FY 99/00 est.)

Liberia
  revenues: $85.4 million
  expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Libya
  revenues: $13.7 billion
  expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Lithuania
  revenues: $1.59 billion
  expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  revenues: $5.5 billion
  expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
  million (2002 est.)

Macau
  revenues: $1.41 billion
  expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
  million (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  revenues: $1.13 billion
  expenditures: $1.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  revenues: $553 million
  expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Malawi
  revenues: $490 million
  expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00 est.)

Malaysia
  revenues: $20.3 billion
  expenditures: $27.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
  billion (2001 est.)

Maldives
  revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
  expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
  million (2002 est.)

Mali
  revenues: $764 million
  expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Malta
  revenues: $1.5 billion
  expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

Man, Isle of
  revenues: $485 million
  expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Marshall Islands
  revenues: $42 million
  expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Martinique
  revenues: $900 million
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
  million (1996)

Mauritania
  revenues: $421 million
  expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
  million (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  revenues: $1.1 billion
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Mayotte
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1991 est.)

Mexico
  revenues: $136 billion
  expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  revenues: $161 million ($69 million
  less grants)
  expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Moldova
  revenues: $536 million
  expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Monaco
  revenues: $518 million
  expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1995)

Mongolia
  revenues: $386 million
  expenditures: $427 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  revenues: $31.4 million
  expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
  million (1997 est.)

Morocco
  revenues: $13.8 billion
  expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
  billion (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  revenues: $393.1 million
  expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $479.4 million (2001 est.)

Namibia
  revenues: $883 million
  expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998)

Nauru
  revenues: $23.4 million
  expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 95/96)

Nepal
  revenues: $665 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00 est.)

Netherlands
  revenues: $134 billion
  expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  revenues: $710.8 million
  expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

New Caledonia
  revenues: $861.3 million
  expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
  million (1996 est.)

New Zealand
  revenues: $29.2 billion
  expenditures: $31.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002)

Nicaragua
  revenues: $726 million
  expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Niger
  revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign
  sources
  expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
  million (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  revenues: $3.4 billion
  expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Niue
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Norfolk Island
  revenues: $4.6 million
  expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 92/93)

Northern Mariana Islands
  revenues: $193 million
  expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY
  01/02 est.)

Norway
  revenues: $71.7 billion
  expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Oman
  revenues: $9.2 billion
  expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Pakistan
  revenues: $12.6 billion
  expenditures: $14.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY02/03 est.)

Palau
  revenues: $57.7 million
  expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
  million (FY 98/99 est.)

Panama
  revenues: $1.9 billion
  expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
  million (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  revenues: $894 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $344
  million (2000 est.)

Paraguay
  revenues: $1.3 billion
  expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (1999 est.)

Peru
  revenues: $10.4 billion
  expenditures: $10.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Philippines
  revenues: $10.9 billion
  expenditures: $15 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  revenues: $729,884
  expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY
  94/95 est.)

Poland
  revenues: $49.6 billion
  expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Portugal
  revenues: $45 billion
  expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 99/00)

Qatar
  revenues: $5 billion
  expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (FY 02/03 est.)

Reunion
  revenues: $1.26 billion
  expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998)

Romania
  revenues: $11.7 billion
  expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Russia
  revenues: $70 billion
  expenditures: $62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  revenues: $199.3 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  revenues: $11.2 million
  expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY92)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  revenues: $89.7 million
  expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  revenues: $141.2 million
  expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
  $25.1 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  revenues: $70 million
  expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  revenues: $94.6 million
  expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Samoa
  revenues: $105 million
  expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001/2002)

San Marino
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  revenues: $58 million
  expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54
  million (1993 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  revenues: $46 billion
  expenditures: $56.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2003 est.)

Senegal
  revenues: $1.373 billion
  expenditures: $1.373 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
  million (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  revenues: $3.9 billion
  expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  revenues: $249 million
  expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Sierra Leone
  revenues: $96 million
  expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Singapore
  revenues: $27.9 billion
  expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4
  billion (FY 00/01 est.)

Slovakia
  revenues: $5.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999)

Slovenia
  revenues: $8.11 billion
  expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Solomon Islands
  revenues: $38 million
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Somalia
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

South Africa
  revenues: $22.6 billion
  expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  billion (FY 02/03)

Spain
  revenues: $105 billion
  expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8
  billion (2000 est.)

Sri Lanka
  revenues: $2.8 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Sudan
  revenues: $1.6 billion
  expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Suriname
  revenues: $393 million
  expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
  million (1997 est.)

Svalbard
  revenues: $11.5 million
  expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

Swaziland
  revenues: $448 million
  expenditures: $506.9 million, including capital expenditures of $147
  million (FY 01/02)

Sweden
  revenues: $119 billion
  expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  revenues: $30 billion
  expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Syria
  revenues: $6 billion
  expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6
  billion (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  revenues: $36 billion
  expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  revenues: $502 million
  expenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86
  million (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  revenues: $1.01 billion
  expenditures: $1.38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 00/01 est.)

Thailand
  revenues: $19 billion
  expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Togo
  revenues: $232 million
  expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997 est.)

Tokelau
  revenues: $430,830
  expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
  $37,300 (1987 est.)

Tonga
  revenues: $39.9 million
  expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
  million (FY 99/00 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  revenues: $1.54 billion
  expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3
  million (1998)

Tunisia
  revenues: $5.2 billion
  expenditures: $5.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
  billion (2002 est.)

Turkey
  revenues: $42.4 billion
  expenditures: $69.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001)

Turkmenistan
  revenues: $588.6 million
  expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1997-98 est.)

Tuvalu
  revenues: $22.5 million
  expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
  million (2000 est.)

Uganda
  revenues: $959 million
  expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY98/99 est.)

Ukraine
  revenues: $10.2 billion
  expenditures: $11.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  revenues: $20 billion
  expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  revenues: $565 billion
  expenditures: $540 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (FY 01)

United States
  revenues: $1.946 trillion
  expenditures: $2.052 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  revenues: $3.7 billion
  expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2000)

Uzbekistan
  revenues: $4 billion
  expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1999 est.)

Vanuatu
  revenues: $94.4 million
  expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4
  million (1996 est.)

Venezuela
  revenues: $21.5 billion
  expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000 est.)

Vietnam
  revenues: $5.3 billion
  expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion (1999 est.)

Virgin Islands
  revenues: $364.4 million
  expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1990 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (1998 est.)

West Bank
  revenues: $930 million
  expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15
  million
  note: includes Gaza Strip (2000 est.)

Western Sahara
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Yemen
  revenues: $3 billion
  expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001 est.)

Zambia
  revenues: $1.2 billion
  expenditures: $1.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  revenues: $2.5 billion
  expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2000)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2057 Capital

Afghanistan
  Kabul

Albania
  Tirana

Algeria
  Algiers

American Samoa
  Pago Pago

Andorra
  Andorra la Vella

Angola
  Luanda

Anguilla
  The Valley

Antigua and Barbuda
  Saint John's

Argentina
  Buenos Aires

Armenia
  Yerevan

Aruba
  Oranjestad

Australia
  Canberra

Austria
  Vienna

Azerbaijan
  Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
  Nassau

Bahrain
  Manama

Bangladesh
  Dhaka

Barbados
  Bridgetown

Belarus
  Minsk

Belgium
  Brussels

Belize
  Belmopan

Benin
  Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
  government

Bermuda
  Hamilton

Bhutan
  Thimphu

Bolivia
  La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat
  of judiciary)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Sarajevo

Botswana
  Gaborone

Brazil
  Brasilia

British Virgin Islands
  Road Town

Brunei
  Bandar Seri Begawan

Bulgaria
  Sofia

Burkina Faso
  Ouagadougou

Burma
  Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

Burundi
  Bujumbura

Cambodia
  Phnom Penh

Cameroon
  Yaounde

Canada
  Ottawa

Cape Verde
  Praia

Cayman Islands
  George Town

Central African Republic
  Bangui

Chad
  N'Djamena

Chile
  Santiago

China
  Beijing

Christmas Island
  The Settlement

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  West Island

Colombia
  Bogota

Comoros
  Moroni

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Kinshasa

Congo, Republic of the
  Brazzaville

Cook Islands
  Avarua

Costa Rica
  San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
  Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been
  the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
  administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Abidjan

Croatia
  Zagreb

Cuba
  Havana

Cyprus
  Nicosia

Czech Republic
  Prague

Denmark
  Copenhagen

Djibouti
  Djibouti

Dominica
  Roseau

Dominican Republic
  Santo Domingo

East Timor
  Dili

Ecuador
  Quito

Egypt
  Cairo

El Salvador
  San Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  Malabo

Eritrea
  Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Estonia
  Tallinn

Ethiopia
  Addis Ababa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Stanley

Faroe Islands
  Torshavn

Fiji
  Suva

Finland
  Helsinki

France
  Paris

French Guiana
  Cayenne

French Polynesia
  Papeete

Gabon
  Libreville

Gambia, The
  Banjul

Georgia
  T'bilisi

Germany
  Berlin

Ghana
  Accra

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar

Greece
  Athens

Greenland
  Nuuk (Godthab)

Grenada
  Saint George's

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre

Guam
  Hagatna (Agana)

Guatemala
  Guatemala

Guernsey
  Saint Peter Port

Guinea
  Conakry

Guinea-Bissau
  Bissau

Guyana
  Georgetown

Haiti
  Port-au-Prince

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Vatican City

Honduras
  Tegucigalpa

Hungary
  Budapest

Iceland
  Reykjavik

India
  New Delhi

Indonesia
  Jakarta

Iran
  Tehran

Iraq
  Baghdad

Ireland
  Dublin

Israel
  Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital
  in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Tel Aviv

Italy
  Rome

Jamaica
  Kingston

Japan
  Tokyo

Jersey
  Saint Helier

Jordan
  'Amman

Kazakhstan
  Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana
  in December 1998

Kenya
  Nairobi

Kiribati
  Tarawa

Korea, North
  Pyongyang

Korea, South
  Seoul

Kuwait
  Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan
  Bishkek

Laos
  Vientiane

Latvia
  Riga

Lebanon
  Beirut

Lesotho
  Maseru

Liberia
  Monrovia

Libya
  Tripoli

Liechtenstein
  Vaduz

Lithuania
  Vilnius

Luxembourg
  Luxembourg

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Skopje

Madagascar
  Antananarivo

Malawi
  Lilongwe

Malaysia
  Kuala Lumpur

Maldives
  Male

Mali
  Bamako

Malta
  Valletta

Man, Isle of
  Douglas

Marshall Islands
  Majuro

Martinique
  Fort-de-France

Mauritania
  Nouakchott

Mauritius
  Port Louis

Mayotte
  Mamoutzou

Mexico
  Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Palikir

Moldova
  Chisinau

Monaco
  Monaco

Mongolia
  Ulaanbaatar

Montserrat
  Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;
  interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in
  the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of
  Montserrat)

Morocco
  Rabat

Mozambique
  Maputo

Namibia
  Windhoek

Nauru
  no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Nepal
  Kathmandu

Netherlands
  Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Netherlands Antilles
  Willemstad

New Caledonia
  Noumea

New Zealand
  Wellington

Nicaragua
  Managua

Niger
  Niamey

Nigeria
  Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
  transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
  have now made the move to Abuja

Niue
  Alofi

Norfolk Island
  Kingston

Northern Mariana Islands
  Saipan

Norway
  Oslo

Oman
  Muscat

Pakistan
  Islamabad

Palau
  Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km
  northeast of Koror

Panama
  Panama

Papua New Guinea
  Port Moresby

Paraguay
  Asuncion

Peru
  Lima

Philippines
  Manila

Pitcairn Islands
  Adamstown

Poland
  Warsaw

Portugal
  Lisbon

Puerto Rico
  San Juan

Qatar
  Doha

Reunion
  Saint-Denis

Romania
  Bucharest

Russia
  Moscow

Rwanda
  Kigali

Saint Helena
  Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Basseterre

Saint Lucia
  Castries

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Kingstown

Samoa
  Apia

San Marino
  San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
  Riyadh

Senegal
  Dakar

Serbia and Montenegro
  Belgrade; note - Podgorica is the judicial
  capital

Seychelles
  Victoria

Sierra Leone
  Freetown

Singapore
  Singapore

Slovakia
  Bratislava

Slovenia
  Ljubljana

Solomon Islands
  Honiara

Somalia
  Mogadishu

South Africa
  Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center
  and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Spain
  Madrid

Sri Lanka
  Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the
  legislative capital

Sudan
  Khartoum

Suriname
  Paramaribo

Svalbard
  Longyearbyen

Swaziland
  Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative
  capital

Sweden
  Stockholm

Switzerland
  Bern

Syria
  Damascus

Taiwan
  Taipei

Tajikistan
  Dushanbe

Tanzania
  Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been
  transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital;
  the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Thailand
  Bangkok

Togo
  Lome

Tokelau
  none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Tonga
  Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago
  Port-of-Spain

Tunisia
  Tunis

Turkey
  Ankara

Turkmenistan
  Ashgabat

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Tuvalu
  Funafuti

Uganda
  Kampala

Ukraine
  Kiev (Kyyiv)

United Arab Emirates
  Abu Dhabi

United Kingdom
  London

United States
  Washington, DC

Uruguay
  Montevideo

Uzbekistan
  Tashkent (Toshkent)

Vanuatu
  Port-Vila

Venezuela
  Caracas

Vietnam
  Hanoi

Virgin Islands
  Charlotte Amalie

Wallis and Futuna
  Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  Sanaa

Zambia
  Lusaka

Zimbabwe
  Harare

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2058 Imports - commodities

Afghanistan
  capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Albania
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Algeria
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

American Samoa
  materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum
  products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Andorra
  consumer goods, food, electricity

Angola
  machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;
  medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Anguilla
  fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Antigua and Barbuda
  food and live animals, machinery and transport
  equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Argentina
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
  manufactures, plastics

Armenia
  natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs,
  diamonds

Aruba
  machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and
  reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Australia
  machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
  machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and
  petroleum products

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
  goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,
  metals, chemicals

Bahamas, The
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,
  chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Bahrain
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Bangladesh
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel,
  textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Barbados
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Belarus
  mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs, metals

Belgium
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal
  products, foodstuffs

Belize
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Benin
  foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Bermuda
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  chemicals, food and live animals

Bhutan
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles,
  fabrics, rice

Bolivia
  capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures,
  chemicals, petroleum, food

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels,
  foodstuffs

Botswana
  foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
  equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper
  products, metal and metal products

Brazil
  machinery, electrical, and transport equipment, chemical
  products, oil

British Virgin Islands
  building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs,
  machinery

Brunei
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  chemicals

Bulgaria
  fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and
  equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles

Burkina Faso
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Burma
  machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude
  oil; food products

Burundi
  capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Cambodia
  petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction
  materials, machinery, motor vehicles

Cameroon
  machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel,
  food

Canada
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
  chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Cape Verde
  foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,
  fuels

Cayman Islands
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Central African Republic
  food, textiles, petroleum products,
  machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals

Chad
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,
  petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Chile
  consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical
  machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food

China
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and
  steel, chemicals

Christmas Island
  consumer goods

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  foodstuffs

Colombia
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
  goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Comoros
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum
  products, cement, transport equipment

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  foodstuffs, mining and other
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Congo, Republic of the
  capital equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs

Cook Islands
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Costa Rica
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,
  petroleum

Cote d'Ivoire
  fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Croatia
  machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals,
  fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs

Cuba
  petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
  intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; Turkish Cypriot
  area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate
  manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Denmark
  machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures
  for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Djibouti
  foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum
  products

Dominica
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Dominican Republic foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

East Timor
  mainly food (2001)

Ecuador
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels;
  consumer goods

Egypt
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,
  fuels

El Salvador
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels,
  foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Eritrea
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
  (2000)

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%,
  textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Ethiopia
  food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fuel, food and drink, building
  materials, clothing

Faroe Islands
  machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods
  36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt
  (1999)

Fiji
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products, food, chemicals

Finland
  foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and
  fabrics, grains (1999)

France
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft,
  plastics, chemicals

French Guiana
  food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport
  equipment, fuels and chemicals

French Polynesia
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Gabon
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
  materials

Gambia, The
  foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport
  equipment

Gaza Strip
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Georgia
  fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and
  other foods, pharmaceuticals

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Ghana
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Gibraltar
  fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Greece
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Greenland
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  food, petroleum products

Grenada
  food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Guadeloupe
  foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer
  goods, construction materials

Guam
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Guatemala
  fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction
  materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Guernsey
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Guinea
  petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
  textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Guinea-Bissau
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products

Guyana
  manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Haiti
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  fuels, raw materials

Honduras
  machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw
  materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Hong Kong
  foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials,
  semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical
  equipment; a large share is reexported

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%,
  fuels and electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0%
  (2001)

Iceland
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs,
  textiles

India
  crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Indonesia
  machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Iran
  industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
  supplies

Iraq
  food, medicine, manufactures

Ireland
  data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
  chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Israel
  raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
  diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Italy
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
  products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
  food, beverages and tobacco

Jamaica
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers

Japan
  machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals,
  textiles, raw materials (2001)

Jersey
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Jordan
  crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live
  animals, manufactured goods

Kazakhstan
  machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%,
  foodstuffs 8% (2001)

Kenya
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Kiribati
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods, fuel

Korea, North
  petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment;
  textiles, grain

Korea, South
  machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil,
  steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Kuwait
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Kyrgyzstan
  oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Laos
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Latvia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Lebanon
  foodstuffs, electrical products, vehicles, minerals,
  chemicals, textiles, fuels

Lesotho
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines,
  petroleum products (2000)

Liberia
  fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
  manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Libya
  machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Liechtenstein
  agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal
  goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Lithuania
  mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%,
  transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%,
  metals 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
  minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Macau
  clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles,
  capital goods

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, fuels; food products

Madagascar
  capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Malawi
  food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
  transportation equipment

Malaysia
  electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics,
  vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals (2000)

Maldives
  consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum
  products

Mali
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
  semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Man, Isle of
  timber, fertilizers, fish

Marshall Islands
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels,
  beverages and tobacco

Martinique
  petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Mauritania
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital
  goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Mauritius
  manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs,
  petroleum products, chemicals

Mayotte
  food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment,
  metals, chemicals

Mexico
  metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural
  machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair
  parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  food, manufactured goods, machinery
  and equipment, beverages

Moldova
  mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, textiles (2000)

Mongolia
  machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial
  consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Montserrat
  machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
  manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Morocco
  crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications
  equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Mozambique
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal
  products, foodstuffs, textiles

Namibia
  foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals

Nauru
  food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Nepal
  gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Netherlands
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels;
  foodstuffs, clothing

Netherlands Antilles
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

New Caledonia
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

New Zealand
  machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
  petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Nicaragua
  machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum
  products, consumer goods

Niger
  foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Nigeria
  machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food and live animals

Niue
  food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
  lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Norway
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Oman
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  livestock, lubricants

Pakistan
  petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, chemicals,
  transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron an steel, tea

Palau
  machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Panama
  capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods,
  chemicals (1999)

Papua New Guinea
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Paraguay
  road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
  electrical machinery

Peru
  machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and
  steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Philippines
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands
  fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour,
  sugar, other foodstuffs

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Portugal
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
  textiles, agricultural products

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
  fish, petroleum products

Qatar
  machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Reunion
  manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
  transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Romania
  machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%,
  chemicals 9%, textile and products 19% (1999)

Russia
  machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat,
  sugar, semifinished metal products

Rwanda
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum
  products, cement and construction material

Saint Helena
  food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed,
  building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Saint Lucia
  food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and
  transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  meat, clothing, fuel, electrical
  equipment, machinery, building materials

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  foodstuffs, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Samoa
  machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

San Marino
  wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Sao Tome and Principe
  machinery and electrical equipment, food
  products, petroleum products

Saudi Arabia
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, textiles

Senegal
  foods and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Serbia and Montenegro
  machinery and transport equipment, fuels and
  lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals,
  raw materials

Seychelles
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products,
  chemicals

Sierra Leone
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and
  lubricants, chemicals (1995)

Singapore
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Slovakia
  machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Slovenia
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Solomon Islands
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
  fuels, chemicals

Somalia
  manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, qat

South Africa
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,
  scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Spain
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
  foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)

Sri Lanka
  textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs,
  machinery and equipment

Sudan
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport
  equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Suriname
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer
  goods

Swaziland
  motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,
  foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Sweden
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural
  products, textiles

Syria
  machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%,
  metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10%
  (2000 est.)

Taiwan
  machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
  instruments (2002)

Tajikistan
  electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide,
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Tanzania
  consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,
  industrial raw materials, crude oil

Thailand
  capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials,
  consumer goods, fuels (2000)

Togo
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Tokelau
  foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Tonga
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Trinidad and Tobago
  machinery, transportation equipment,
  manufactured goods, food, live animals

Tunisia
  textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,
  food

Turkey
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)

Turks and Caicos Islands food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Tuvalu
  food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Uganda
  capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;
  cereals

Ukraine
  energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

United Arab Emirates machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

United States
  crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery,
  automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and
  beverages

Uruguay
  machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Uzbekistan
  machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%,
  chemicals, metals (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Venezuela
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport
  equipment, construction materials

Vietnam
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer,
  steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Virgin Islands
  crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building
  materials

Wallis and Futuna
  chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer
  goods

West Bank
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Western Sahara
  fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services

Yemen
  food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Zambia
  machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Zimbabwe
  machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures,
  chemicals, fuels

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2059 Climate

Afghanistan
  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Albania
  mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
  summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Algeria
  arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
  along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
  plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
  summer

American Samoa
  tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
  annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to
  April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Andorra
  temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Angola
  semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,
  dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Anguilla
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica
  severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
  and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
  Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
  the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
  along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Arctic Ocean
  polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
  relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
  by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
  clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
  foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina
  mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
  southwest

Armenia
  highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  tropical

Atlantic Ocean
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast
  of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
  hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent
  from August to November

Australia
  generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
  tropical in north

Austria
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent
  rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional
  showers

Azerbaijan
  dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The
  tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Bahrain
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Baker Island
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Bangladesh
  tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid
  summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Bassas da India
  tropical

Belarus
  cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
  continental and maritime

Belgium
  temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize
  tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);
  dry season (February to May)

Benin
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Bermuda
  subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
  winter

Bhutan
  varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
  summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
  Himalayas

Bolivia
  varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  hot summers and cold winters; areas of high
  elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild,
  rainy winters along coast

Botswana
  semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island
  antarctic

Brazil
  mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  tropical marine; hot, humid,
  moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands
  subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by
  trade winds

Brunei
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria
  temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma
  tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
  monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
  temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
  December to April)

Burundi
  equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude
  variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual
  temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade
  but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;
  average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February
  to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to
  August and December to January

Cambodia
  tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry
  season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon
  varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
  and hot in north

Canada
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
  north

Cape Verde
  temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
  very erratic

Cayman Islands
  tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October)
  and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,
  wet summers

Chad
  tropical in south, desert in north

Chile
  temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;
  cool and damp in south

China
  extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island
  tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Clipperton Island
  tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees
  C, rains May-October

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  tropical with high humidity, moderated by
  the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Colombia
  tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Comoros
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Congo, Republic of the
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry
  season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity;
  particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coral Sea Islands
  tropical

Costa Rica
  tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
  rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire
  tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three
  seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to
  May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia
  Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
  predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
  summers along coast

Cuba
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
  April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Czech Republic
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark
  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
  summers

Djibouti
  desert; torrid, dry

Dominica
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Dominican Republic tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

East Timor
  tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Ecuador
  tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
  elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt
  desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador
  tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
  (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea
  tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea
  hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter
  in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
  semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
  June-September except in coastal desert

Estonia
  maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia
  tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Europa Island
  tropical

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands
  mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
  windy

Fiji
  tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively
  mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
  Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France
  generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and
  hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
  north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana
  tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
  variation

French Polynesia
  tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  antarctic

Gabon
  tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The
  tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
  dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia
  warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany
  temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
  occasional warm foehn wind

Ghana
  tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
  hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar
  Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Glorioso Islands
  tropical

Greece
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada
  tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guadeloupe
  subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high
  humidity

Guam
  tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
  northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
  from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala
  tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey
  temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of
  days are overcast

Guinea
  generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
  November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
  with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau
  tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type
  rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season
  (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana
  tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
  rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Haiti
  tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City) temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras
  subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong
  tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
  from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Howland Island
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Hungary
  temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland
  temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
  winters; damp, cool summers

India
  varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
  monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June
  and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
  January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran
  mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq
  mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
  summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
  borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
  melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
  central and southern Iraq

Ireland
  temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
  winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
  time

Israel
  temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy
  predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in
  south

Jamaica
  tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen
  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jarvis Island
  tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Jersey
  temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Johnston Atoll
  tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast
  trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Jordan
  mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Juan de Nova Island
  tropical

Kazakhstan
  continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
  semiarid

Kenya
  varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kingman Reef
  tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Kiribati
  tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North
  temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South
  temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kuwait
  dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical
  in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Laos
  tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April)

Latvia
  maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon
  Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
  summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia
  tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
  cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya
  Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein
  continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow
  or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania
  transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,
  moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg
  modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau
  subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Madagascar
  tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi
  sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May
  to November)

Malaysia
  tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
  (October to February) monsoons

Maldives
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
  March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
  humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Malta
  Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Man, Isle of
  temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast
  about one-third of the time

Marshall Islands
  wet season from May to November; hot and humid;
  islands border typhoon belt

Martinique
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
  October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every
  eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Mauritania
  desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius
  tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
  winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte
  tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
  northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to
  November)

Mexico
  varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of
  tropical; heavy year-round rainfall,
  especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the
  typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Midway Islands
  subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly
  winds

Moldova
  moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco
  Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia
  desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
  ranges)

Montserrat
  tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco
  Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique
  tropical to subtropical

Namibia
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru
  tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Navassa Island
  marine, tropical

Nepal
  varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
  subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands
  temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

New Zealand
  temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua
  tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger
  desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria
  varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
  north

Niue
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island
  subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature
  variation

Northern Mariana Islands
  tropical marine; moderated by northeast
  trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season
  December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway
  temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
  colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers;
  rainy year-round on west coast

Oman
  dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
  southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean
  planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
  patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
  winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
  seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
  of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
  America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
  less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
  latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
  monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
  moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
  season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
  landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
  southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan
  mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
  north

Palau
  wet season May to November; hot and humid

Palmyra Atoll
  equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Panama
  tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
  (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea
  tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
  southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
  variation

Paracel Islands
  tropical

Paraguay
  subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the
  eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru
  varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
  to frigid in Andes

Philippines
  tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
  southwest monsoon (May to October)

Pitcairn Islands
  tropical, hot, humid; modified by southeast trade
  winds; rainy season (November to March)

Poland
  temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
  frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
  thundershowers

Portugal
  maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
  drier in south

Puerto Rico
  tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Qatar
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Reunion
  tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and
  dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Romania
  temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
  sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Russia
  ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in
  much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in
  the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to
  frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool
  along Arctic coast

Rwanda
  temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
  January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by
  trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by
  trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  tropical tempered by constant sea breezes;
  little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia
  tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season
  from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  cold and wet, with much mist and fog;
  spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  tropical; little seasonal
  temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa
  tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to
  October)

San Marino
  Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe
  tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season
  (October to May)

Saudi Arabia
  harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Senegal
  tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has
  strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by
  hot, dry, harmattan wind

Serbia and Montenegro
  in the north, continental climate (cold
  winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall);
  central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the
  south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and
  autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Seychelles
  tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
  monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
  monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone
  tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
  December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons
  - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern
  monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon
  and early evening thunderstorms

Slovakia
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia
  Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
  with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
  valleys to the east

Solomon Islands
  tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and
  weather

Somalia
  principally desert; December to February - northeast
  monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
  to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
  south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
  between monsoons

South Africa
  mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
  days, cool nights

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  variable, with mostly
  westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of
  calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean
  sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
  to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
  continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
  contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
  latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
  winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
  to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
  south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
  well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
  persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
  ice-free throughout the winter

Spain
  temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
  cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
  and cool along coast

Spratly Islands
  tropical

Sri Lanka
  tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
  southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan
  tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies
  by region (April to November)

Suriname
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard
  arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
  summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
  north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
  of the year

Swaziland
  varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
  cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland
  temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
  rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
  occasional showers

Syria
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
  mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
  with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan
  tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
  to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan
  midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
  semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania
  varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand
  tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
  September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
  southern isthmus always hot and humid

Togo
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Tokelau
  tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga
  tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
  May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago
  tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tromelin Island
  tropical

Tunisia
  temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
  summers; desert in south

Turkey
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
  in interior

Turkmenistan
  subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds;
  sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu
  tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
  November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda
  tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
  February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine
  temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern
  Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest
  in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from
  cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm
  across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates
  desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
  over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
  overcast

United States
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,
  arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
  Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
  winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
  January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
  of the Rocky Mountains

Uruguay
  warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan
  mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
  winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Venezuela
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam
  tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
  (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
  mid-March)

Virgin Islands
  subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,
  relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
  rainy season May to November

Wake Island
  tropical

Wallis and Futuna
  tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);
  cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year
  (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank
  temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with
  altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara
  hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air
  currents produce fog and heavy dew

World
  two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather
  narrow temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
  subtropical climates

Yemen
  mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in
  western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,
  dry, harsh desert in east

Zambia
  tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
  April)

Zimbabwe
  tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
  March)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2060 Coastline (km)

Afghanistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Albania
  362 km

Algeria
  998 km

American Samoa
  116 km

Andorra
  0 km (landlocked)

Angola
  1,600 km

Anguilla
  61 km

Antarctica
  17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda
  153 km

Arctic Ocean
  45,389 km

Argentina
  4,989 km

Armenia
  0 km (landlocked)

Aruba
  68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean
  111,866 km

Australia
  25,760 km

Austria
  0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian
  Sea (800 km, est.)

Bahamas, The
  3,542 km

Bahrain
  161 km

Baker Island
  4.8 km

Bangladesh
  580 km

Barbados
  97 km

Bassas da India
  35.2 km

Belarus
  0 km (landlocked)

Belgium
  66 km

Belize
  386 km

Benin
  121 km

Bermuda
  103 km

Bhutan
  0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia
  0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20 km

Botswana
  0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  29.6 km

Brazil
  7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  698 km

British Virgin Islands
  80 km

Brunei
  161 km

Bulgaria
  354 km

Burkina Faso
  0 km (landlocked)

Burma
  1,930 km

Burundi
  0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia
  443 km

Cameroon
  402 km

Canada
  202,080 km

Cape Verde
  965 km

Cayman Islands
  160 km

Central African Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Chad
  0 km (landlocked)

Chile
  6,435 km

China
  14,500 km

Christmas Island
  80 km

Clipperton Island
  11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  26 km

Colombia
  3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
  km)

Comoros
  340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  37 km

Congo, Republic of the
  169 km

Cook Islands
  120 km

Coral Sea Islands
  3,095 km

Costa Rica
  1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  515 km

Croatia
  5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba
  3,735 km

Cyprus
  648 km

Czech Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Denmark
  7,314 km

Djibouti
  314 km

Dominica
  148 km

Dominican Republic
  1,288 km

East Timor
  706 km

Ecuador
  2,237 km

Egypt
  2,450 km

El Salvador
  307 km

Equatorial Guinea
  296 km

Eritrea
  2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red
  Sea 1,083 km

Estonia
  3,794 km

Ethiopia
  0 km (landlocked)

Europa Island
  22.2 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,288 km

Faroe Islands
  1,117 km

Fiji
  1,129 km

Finland
  1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

France
  3,427 km

French Guiana
  378 km

French Polynesia
  2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  1,232 km

Gabon
  885 km

Gambia, The
  80 km

Gaza Strip
  40 km

Georgia
  310 km

Germany
  2,389 km

Ghana
  539 km

Gibraltar
  12 km

Glorioso Islands
  35.2 km

Greece
  13,676 km

Greenland
  44,087 km

Grenada
  121 km

Guadeloupe
  306 km

Guam
  125.5 km

Guatemala
  400 km

Guernsey
  50 km

Guinea
  320 km

Guinea-Bissau
  350 km

Guyana
  459 km

Haiti
  1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 km (landlocked)

Honduras
  820 km

Hong Kong
  733 km

Howland Island
  6.4 km

Hungary
  0 km (landlocked)

Iceland
  4,988 km

India
  7,000 km

Indian Ocean
  66,526 km

Indonesia
  54,716 km

Iran
  2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq
  58 km

Ireland
  1,448 km

Israel
  273 km

Italy
  7,600 km

Jamaica
  1,022 km

Jan Mayen
  124.1 km

Japan
  29,751 km

Jarvis Island
  8 km

Jersey
  70 km

Johnston Atoll
  34 km

Jordan
  26 km

Juan de Nova Island
  24.1 km

Kazakhstan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral
  Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian
  Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya
  536 km

Kingman Reef
  3 km

Kiribati
  1,143 km

Korea, North
  2,495 km

Korea, South
  2,413 km

Kuwait
  499 km

Kyrgyzstan
  0 km (landlocked)

Laos
  0 km (landlocked)

Latvia
  531 km

Lebanon
  225 km

Lesotho
  0 km (landlocked)

Liberia
  579 km

Libya
  1,770 km

Liechtenstein
  0 km (doubly landlocked)

Lithuania
  99 km

Luxembourg
  0 km (landlocked)

Macau
  41 km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar
  4,828 km

Malawi
  0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia
  4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607
  km)

Maldives
  644 km

Mali
  0 km (landlocked)

Malta
  196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Man, Isle of
  160 km

Marshall Islands
  370.4 km

Martinique
  350 km

Mauritania
  754 km

Mauritius
  177 km

Mayotte
  185.2 km

Mexico
  9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6,112 km

Midway Islands
  15 km

Moldova
  0 km (landlocked)

Monaco
  4.1 km

Mongolia
  0 km (landlocked)

Montserrat
  40 km

Morocco
  1,835 km

Mozambique
  2,470 km

Namibia
  1,572 km

Nauru
  30 km

Navassa Island
  8 km

Nepal
  0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands
  451 km

Netherlands Antilles
  364 km

New Caledonia
  2,254 km

New Zealand
  15,134 km

Nicaragua
  910 km

Niger
  0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria
  853 km

Niue
  64 km

Norfolk Island
  32 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  1,482 km

Norway
  21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413
  km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations
  16,093 km)

Oman
  2,092 km

Pacific Ocean
  135,663 km

Pakistan
  1,046 km

Palau
  1,519 km

Palmyra Atoll
  14.5 km

Panama
  2,490 km

Papua New Guinea
  5,152 km

Paracel Islands
  518 km

Paraguay
  0 km (landlocked)

Peru
  2,414 km

Philippines
  36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands
  51 km

Poland
  491 km

Portugal
  1,793 km

Puerto Rico
  501 km

Qatar
  563 km

Reunion
  207 km

Romania
  225 km

Russia
  37,653 km

Rwanda
  0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena
  60 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  135 km

Saint Lucia
  158 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  84 km

Samoa
  403 km

San Marino
  0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  209 km

Saudi Arabia
  2,640 km

Senegal
  531 km

Serbia and Montenegro
  199 km

Seychelles
  491 km

Sierra Leone
  402 km

Singapore
  193 km

Slovakia
  0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia
  46.6 km

Solomon Islands
  5,313 km

Somalia
  3,025 km

South Africa
  2,798 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  NA km

Southern Ocean
  17,968 km

Spain
  4,964 km

Spratly Islands
  926 km

Sri Lanka
  1,340 km

Sudan
  853 km

Suriname
  386 km

Svalbard
  3,587 km

Swaziland
  0 km (landlocked)

Sweden
  3,218 km

Switzerland
  0 km (landlocked)

Syria
  193 km

Taiwan
  1,566.3 km

Tajikistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania
  1,424 km

Thailand
  3,219 km

Togo
  56 km

Tokelau
  101 km

Tonga
  419 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  362 km

Tromelin Island
  3.7 km

Tunisia
  1,148 km

Turkey
  7,200 km

Turkmenistan
  0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea
  (1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  389 km

Tuvalu
  24 km

Uganda
  0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine
  2,782 km

United Arab Emirates
  1,318 km

United Kingdom
  12,429 km

United States
  19,924 km

Uruguay
  660 km

Uzbekistan
  0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the
  southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu
  2,528 km

Venezuela
  2,800 km

Vietnam
  3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands
  188 km

Wake Island
  19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna
  129 km

West Bank
  0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  1,110 km

World
  356,000 km

Yemen
  1,906 km

Zambia
  0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  0 km (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2061 Imports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
  Pakistan 25.1%, South Korea 14.4%, Japan 9.4%, US 9%,
  Kenya 5.8%, Germany 5.4% (2002)

Albania
  Italy 39.4%, Greece 24.5%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2002)

Algeria
  France 31%, Italy 10%, US 8.3%, Germany 6.6%, Spain 5.9%,
  Turkey 4.2% (2002)

American Samoa
  Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)

Andorra
  Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)

Angola
  Portugal 20.2%, US 13.9%, South Africa 12.4%, France 6.7%,
  Brazil 5.8%, Belgium 5.3%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Anguilla
  US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  France 23.4%, Germany 14.2%, US 13.2%, Poland
  9.8%, South Korea 8.3%, Singapore 5%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Argentina
  Brazil 42%, US 12.8%, Germany 4.4% (2002)

Armenia
  US 15.3%, Russia 12.9%, Belgium 12.3%, Iran 10.3%, UAE 6.3%,
  Germany 5.5%, Italy 4.9% (2002)

Aruba
  US 54.7%, Netherlands 12.7%, UK 5.7% (2002)

Australia
  US 18.3%, Japan 12.3%, China 10.1%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.6%
  (2002)

Austria
  Germany 42.6%, Italy 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%, Switzerland 4.8%,
  Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Azerbaijan
  Russia 17.8%, Turkey 11.9%, Germany 10.7%, France 7%,
  Kazakhstan 6.3%, China 6%, UK 5.5%, US 4.5% (2002)

Bahamas, The
  US 20.3%, South Korea 20.1%, Germany 11.5%, Norway
  11.5%, Japan 10%, Italy 7.2% (2002)

Bahrain
  Saudi Arabia 30.1%, US 11.7%, Japan 7.1%, Germany 6.5%, UK
  5.6% (2002)

Bangladesh
  India 14.6%, China 11.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Japan 7.6%,
  Hong Kong 5.4%, South Korea 4.3% (2002)

Barbados
  US 41.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.2%
  (2002)

Belarus
  Russia 68.2%, Germany 9.4%, Ukraine 3.2% (2002)

Belgium
  Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%,
  Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002)

Belize
  US 35.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 6.1%, Japan
  5.9%, Cuba 5.7%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Benin
  China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

Bermuda
  Kazakhstan 30.9%, France 24.7%, Italy 10.5%, US 9.7%, South
  Korea 8.4%, Mexico 4.3% (2002)

Bhutan
  Japan 44.5%, Germany 12.2%, UK 8.5%, Singapore 6%, South
  Korea 5%, US 4.2% (2002)

Bolivia
  Brazil 22%, Argentina 17.4%, US 15.6%, Chile 7%, Japan 5.5%,
  Peru 5.4%, China 4.8% (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Croatia 23.7%, Slovenia 14.8%, Germany 14%,
  Italy 13.1%, Hungary 8%, Austria 7.7% (2002)

Botswana
  Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%,
  Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
  US 23.3%, Argentina 12.6%, Germany 8.7%, France 5.2% (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
  Singapore 30.6%, Japan 21.5%, Malaysia 17.4%, UK 6.1%, Hong
  Kong 4% (2002)

Bulgaria
  Russia 14.6%, Germany 14.4%, Italy 11.4%, Greece 6.1%,
  France 5.7%, Turkey 5% (2002)

Burkina Faso
  France 27.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 23%, Togo 4.3% (2002)

Burma
  China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%,
  Taiwan 6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002)

Burundi
  Belgium 12.4%, Saudi Arabia 12.3%, Tanzania 9.3%, Kenya
  7.7%, France 7.4%, India 4.5% (2002)

Cambodia
  Thailand 24.8%, Singapore 16.9%, China 12.1%, Hong Kong
  10.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Vietnam 5.2% (2002)

Cameroon
  France 28.2%, Nigeria 12.8%, US 8%, Belgium 5.7%, Germany
  5.3%, Italy 4.3% (2002)

Canada
  US 62.6%, China 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Cape Verde
  Portugal 49.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Germany 5.7% (2002)

Cayman Islands
  US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles,
  Japan

Central African Republic
  France 30%, US 5.2%, Cameroon 4.5%, Germany
  4.3% (2002)

Chad
  France 31.5%, US 31.4%, Germany 5.5%, Nigeria 4.6% (2002)

Chile
  Argentina 18%, US 14.9%, Brazil 9.5%, China 6.5%, Germany 4.3%
  (2002)

China
  Japan 18.1%, Taiwan 10.5%, South Korea 9.7%, US 9.2%, Germany
  5.6% (2002)

Christmas Island
  principally Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia (1999)

Colombia
  US 32.6%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 5.3%, Japan 5.3%, Brazil
  5.2%, Germany 4.2% (2002)

Comoros
  France 34.3%, South Africa 12%, Japan 6.1%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE
  5.8%, Mauritius 4.9%, Thailand 4.6% (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Belgium 14.6%, South Africa 14.2%,
  Nigeria 10.3%, France 9.5%, Germany 7.3%, Netherlands 5.3%, Kenya
  5.2% (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  France 22.1%, Italy 8.5%, Belgium 6%, US
  5.2%, India 4.1% (2002)

Cook Islands
  NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

Costa Rica
  US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  France 22.7%, Nigeria 16.6%, China 7.9%, Italy 4.2%
  (2002)

Croatia
  Italy 16.8%, Germany 16.4%, Slovenia 7.8%, Russia 6.8%,
  Austria 6.7%, France 5.2% (2002)

Cuba
  Spain 17.2%, China 12%, Italy 9.1%, France 7.6%, Mexico 7.3%,
  Canada 6.2%, US 5.6%, Brazil 4.7% (2002)

Cyprus
  Russia 17.9%, Greece 7.4%, Germany 6.7%, France 6.6%, UK
  6.6%, Italy 6.6%, South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3% (2002)

Czech Republic
  Germany 39.1%, Slovakia 6%, Austria 5.6%, Italy 5.4%,
  France 5.3%, Poland 4.1%, UK 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)

Denmark
  Germany 22.9%, Sweden 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Netherlands 7.8%,
  France 6%, Norway 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Djibouti
  Saudi Arabia 18.2%, Ethiopia 10.5%, US 9.2%, France 8.6%,
  China 8.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)

Dominica
  China 23.9%, US 23.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9%, South
  Korea 7.6%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.5% (2002)

Dominican Republic
  US 51.5%, Venezuela 9.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4%
  (2002)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  US 28.6%, Colombia 14.4%, Japan 6%, Chile 4.5%, Brazil 4.1%
  (2002)

Egypt
  US 16.9%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.7%, France 6.5%, China 5%, UK
  4.1% (2002)

El Salvador
  US 39%, Guatemala 10.1%, Mexico 7.2%, France 4% (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  US 29.1%, Spain 15.9%, UK 14.8%, France 10.4%,
  Norway 7.2%, Netherlands 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Eritrea
  Italy 27.1%, US 15.7%, Germany 7.2%, Ukraine 5.8%, Turkey
  5.5%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Estonia
  Russia 26.6%, Finland 18.9%, Germany 9.2%, Sweden 8.2% (2002)

Ethiopia
  Saudi Arabia 28.7%, China 6%, Italy 5.9%, India 4.8%,
  Germany 4.1% (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7%
  (2002)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 53.8%, Norway 24.2%, Iceland 5.7% (2002)

Fiji
  Australia 37.3%, New Zealand 17.2%, Singapore 16.1%, Japan
  4.2%, China 4% (2002)

Finland
  Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France
  4.3%, Denmark 4.2% (2002)

France
  Germany 19.4%, Belgium 9.2%, Italy 8.8%, UK 7.3%, Netherlands
  7%, US 6.8%, Spain 6.7% (2002)

French Guiana
  France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002)

French Polynesia
  France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US
  6.6% (2002)

Gabon
  France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002)

Gambia, The
  China 21.8%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 7.8%, UK 6.5%,
  Netherlands 5.4%, India 4.9%, Belgium 4.5%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2002)

Gaza Strip
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
  Turkey 15.6%, Azerbaijan 11.2%, US 9.9%, Russia 9.1%,
  Germany 7.2%, Italy 5.1%, Bulgaria 4.9%, Romania 4.3%, France 4.2%,
  Ukraine 4.1% (2002)

Germany
  France 9.5%, Netherlands 8.2%, US 7.7%, UK 6.5%, Italy 6.4%,
  Belgium 5.2%, Austria 4%, China 4% (2002)

Ghana
  Nigeria 21.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.6%, China 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, Cote
  d'Ivoire 6.1%, Germany 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Gibraltar
  Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002)

Greece
  Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.4%, South Korea 6%,
  France 5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, US 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.1% (2002)

Greenland
  Denmark 74.6%, Norway 14.2%, Russia 2.3% (2002)

Grenada
  US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 27.3%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Guadeloupe
  France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands
  Antilles 2% (1999)

Guam
  Singapore 40.5%, South Korea 21.7%, Japan 21.6%, Hong Kong 4.9%
  (2002)

Guatemala
  US 33.2%, Mexico 9.9%, South Korea 8.2%, El Salvador 5.7%,
  China 4% (2002)

Guernsey
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
  France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium
  7.6%, China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  Senegal 19.6%, Portugal 19.1%, India 15.3%, Taiwan
  5.1% (2002)

Guyana
  US 23.7%, Netherlands Antilles 20.2%, Trinidad and Tobago
  15.2%, Italy 6.3%, UK 5.1%, Cuba 4.2% (2002)

Haiti
  US 53.4%, Dominican Republic 5.3%, Colombia 3.4% (2002)

Honduras
  US 55.3%, El Salvador 4.3%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Hong Kong
  China 37.5%, Japan 12.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 6.2%, Singapore
  5.3%, South Korea 5% (2002)

Hungary
  Germany 25.3%, Austria 7.7%, Italy 7.5%, Russia 6%, China
  5%, France 5% (2002)

Iceland
  US 10.9%, Germany 10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%,
  Netherlands 6%, Sweden 5.9% (2002)

India
  US 7.1%, Belgium 6.7%, China 4.6%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.6%
  (2002)

Indonesia
  Japan 14.1%, Singapore 13.1%, US 8.5%, China 7.8%, South
  Korea 5.3%, Taiwan 5.1%, Australia 5.1% (2002)

Iran
  Germany 10.9%, Italy 9%, France 7.9%, China 7.4%, South Korea
  6.5%, UAE 4.4%, Japan 4.1%, Russia 4% (2002)

Iraq
  Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%,
  Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002)

Ireland
  UK 41.1%, US 15.3%, Germany 6.8% (2002)

Israel
  US 21.6%, Belgium 8.9%, Germany 6.7%, UK 6.6%, Switzerland
  4.9%, Italy 4.5% (2002)

Italy
  Germany 17.8%, France 11.3%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 5%, US 4.9%,
  Spain 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2002)

Jamaica
  US 45%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 4.7% (2002)

Japan
  China 18.3%, US 17.4%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.2%,
  Australia 4.1% (2002)

Jersey
  UK

Jordan
  Iraq 13.4%, Germany 8.8%, US 8%, China 6%, France 4.2%, UK
  4.1%, Italy 4.1% (2002)

Kazakhstan
  Russia 37.1%, US 9.3%, China 9.3%, Germany 9.1% (2002)

Kenya
  UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, US 8.1%, UK 7.1%, South Africa
  7.1%, France 5.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 5%, India 4.8% (2002)

Kiribati
  France 28.7%, Australia 26.3%, Fiji 12.5%, Japan 9.5%,
  Latvia 5.4%, US 4.6%, New Zealand 4% (2002)

Korea, North
  China 24.9%, Brazil 12.1%, India 9.2%, Thailand 9.2%,
  Germany 7.8%, Japan 7.1%, Singapore 4.5%, Qatar 4% (2002)

Korea, South
  Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5%
  (2002)

Kuwait
  US 13.1%, Japan 11.1%, Germany 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, UK
  6%, Italy 5.4%, France 5.2% (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  Kazakhstan 21.1%, Russia 19.9%, Uzbekistan 10.2%, China
  10.1%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.3% (2002)

Laos
  Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002)

Latvia
  Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%,
  Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002)

Lebanon
  Italy 11.3%, France 10.7%, Germany 8.4%, US 5.6%, Syria
  5.4%, China 4.8%, Belgium 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)

Lesotho
  Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)

Liberia
  South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%,
  Singapore 7.9% (2002)

Libya
  Italy 25.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Tunisia
  6.5%, Japan 6.4%, France 5.7% (2002)

Liechtenstein
  EU, Switzerland

Lithuania
  Russia 24.1%, Germany 20.3%, Italy 5.9%, Poland 4.3% (2002)

Luxembourg
  Belgium 29.7%, Germany 23%, France 13.2%, Taiwan 6.7%,
  Netherlands 4.6% (2002)

Macau
  China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South
  Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Greece 19.4%, Germany
  14.4%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy 6.9%, Turkey 5.9%,
  Ukraine 5%, Austria 4.1% (2002)

Madagascar
  France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%,
  Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)

Malawi
  South Africa 44.4%, Zambia 12.7%, US 5.6%, India 4.2% (2002)

Malaysia
  Japan 16.9%, Singapore 15.9%, US 15.5%, China 7.3%, South
  Korea 5%, Taiwan 4.7% (2002)

Maldives
  Singapore 25.6%, Sri Lanka 15%, UAE 14.5%, India 6.6%,
  Malaysia 5.7%, Thailand 4% (2002)

Mali
  Cote d'Ivoire 17.1%, France 13.5%, Senegal 6.5%, Germany 4%
  (2002)

Malta
  Italy 18.3%, France 12.1%, South Korea 11.3%, UK 7.5%,
  Singapore 5.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5%, US 4.6%, Spain 4.2% (2002)

Man, Isle of
  UK (2000)

Marshall Islands
  US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China,
  Philippines (2000)

Martinique
  France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3%
  (2000)

Mauritania
  France 18.5%, Belgium 7.8%, China 7%, Spain 5.9%, Germany
  5.2% (2002)

Mauritius
  France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%,
  UK 4.2% (2002)

Mayotte
  France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Mexico
  US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Moldova
  Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%,
  Romania 8.2% (2002)

Mongolia
  Russia 32%, China 19.4%, South Korea 12.1%, US 9.1%,
  Germany 4.7%, Japan 4.3% (2002)

Montserrat
  US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Morocco
  France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US
  4.6%, UK 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Mozambique
  South Africa 27.5%, France 8.9%, US 7%, Australia 6.9%,
  Japan 6%, Malaysia 4% (2002)

Namibia
  US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Nauru
  Australia 59.3%, US 10.1%, Ireland 7.6%, Malaysia 6% (2002)

Nepal
  India 21.2%, China 13%, UAE 11.1%, Singapore 8.5%, Hong Kong
  5.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.1% (2002)

Netherlands
  Germany 17.8%, Belgium 9.7%, US 9.1%, UK 6.9%, France
  5.5%, China 5.1%, Japan 4% (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  Venezuela 60.8%, Mexico 11.7%, US 9.7% (2002)

New Caledonia
  France 52.8%, Australia 12.7%, Singapore 9.8% (2002)

New Zealand
  Australia 22.1%, US 13.6%, Japan 12%, China 8%, Germany
  5.2% (2002)

Nicaragua
  US 23.7%, Costa Rica 10.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Guatemala
  7.8%, Mexico 6.7%, El Salvador 6%, South Korea 4.6% (2002)

Niger
  France 16.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 14.9%, China 9.8%, Nigeria 7.4%,
  US 5.2%, Japan 4.6%, India 4.4% (2002)

Nigeria
  UK 9.6%, US 9.4%, China 9.3%, France 8.7%, Germany 6.8%,
  South Korea 6.1%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Niue
  NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Norfolk Island
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
  Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
  US, Japan (2000)

Norway
  Sweden 17.7%, Germany 13.4%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 7.7%, US 5.7%,
  Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.2%, Italy 4% (2002)

Oman
  UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)

Pakistan
  UAE 11.7%, Saudi Arabia 11.7%, Kuwait 6.7%, US 6.4%, China
  6.2%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4.5%, Germany 4.4% (2002)

Palau
  US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Korea (2000)

Panama
  US 34.3%, Colombia 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.2%,
  Venezuela 4.2% (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 49.3%, Singapore 18.8%, New Zealand 4.4%,
  Japan 4.2% (2002)

Paraguay
  Brazil 32.7%, Argentina 22.7%, US 18.1%, Hong Kong 4.7%
  (2002)

Peru
  US 26.1%, Chile 7.9%, Spain 5.1%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 4.7%,
  Venezuela 4.7%, Argentina 4.3% (2002)

Philippines
  Japan 21.6%, US 18.6%, Singapore 7.8%, South Korea 7.5%,
  China 5.2%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Taiwan 4.1% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2000)

Poland
  Germany 29.9%, Italy 8.1%, Russia 7.4%, France 7.2%,
  Netherlands 5.3% (2002)

Portugal
  Spain 28.1%, Germany 15%, France 10.2%, Italy 6.5%, UK
  5.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2002)

Puerto Rico
  US 53.5%, Ireland 16.3%, Japan 4.5% (2001)

Qatar
  France 17.8%, Japan 10.1%, US 8.5%, UK 8.3%, Germany 8%, Italy
  6.7%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2002)

Reunion
  France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Romania
  Italy 20.2%, Germany 18.1%, France 6.6%, Russia 5.6%,
  Austria 4.9%, Hungary 4.1% (2002)

Russia
  Germany 14.3%, Belarus 8.9%, Ukraine 7.1%, US 6.4%, China
  5.2%, Italy 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

Rwanda
  Kenya 21.8%, Germany 8.4%, Belgium 7.9%, Israel 4.3% (2002)

Saint Helena
  UK 47.6%, Tanzania 14.6%, Italy 12.1%, South Africa
  10.9%, US 5.3% (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  US 41.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 16.2%, Canada
  9.8%, UK 6.9%, Japan 4% (2002)

Saint Lucia
  Brazil 41.7%, US 21.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9% (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Zambia 61.5%, France 21.8%, Canada 13%
  (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  France 32.7%, US 11.3%, Trinidad
  and Tobago 10.4%, Singapore 10.1%, Spain 7.9%, Greece 4.3% (2002)

Samoa
  New Zealand 23.3%, Fiji 20.2%, Australia 15.7%, Japan 13.1%,
  Taiwan 6.4%, US 4.2% (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portugal 51.4%, Germany 10.1%, UK 7.6%,
  Belgium 6.3% (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  US 11.2%, Japan 8.8%, Germany 7.6%, UK 4.9%, France
  4.9%, Italy 4.1% (2002)

Senegal
  France 25.6%, Nigeria 8.7%, Thailand 7.2%, US 5.4%, Germany
  5.4%, Italy 4.5%, Spain 4% (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Germany 19.4%, Italy 18%, Austria 8.5%,
  Slovenia 5.6%, Greece 4.4%, France 4.3%, Bulgaria 4.2%, Romania 4.1%
  (2002)

Seychelles
  Saudi Arabia 15.6%, France 12.8%, Spain 9.9%, Italy 9.7%,
  South Africa 8.4%, Singapore 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)

Sierra Leone
  Germany 25%, UK 10.9%, Netherlands 7.5%, US 5.7%, Cote
  d'Ivoire 4.9%, Italy 4.3% (2002)

Singapore
  Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%,
  Thailand 4.6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2002)

Slovakia
  Germany 24.8%, Czech Republic 16%, Russia 13.5%, Austria
  7%, Italy 6.4%, France 4% (2002)

Slovenia
  Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Austria 11.3%, France 10.5% (2002)

Solomon Islands
  Australia 31.3%, Singapore 19.7%, New Zealand 5.1%,
  Fiji 4.6%, Papua New Guinea 4.5% (2002)

Somalia
  Djibouti 29.8%, Kenya 13.6%, Brazil 10.5%, Thailand 4.7%, UK
  4.4%, UAE 4.3% (2002)

South Africa
  Germany 15.4%, US 9.4%, UK 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan
  5.8%, France 5%, China 4.9%, Iran 4.1% (2002)

Spain
  France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands
  4.8% (2002)

Sri Lanka
  India 11%, Hong Kong 7.6%, Singapore 7.1%, China 6.3%,
  Taiwan 5.9%, South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3%, Iran 4.2% (2002)

Sudan
  China 19.7%, Saudi Arabia 7.4%, Germany 5.5%, India 5.5%, UK
  5.4%, Indonesia 4.7%, Australia 4% (2002)

Suriname
  US 22.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, China 11.9%, Trinidad and
  Tobago 11.2%, France 7.5%, Netherlands Antilles 7.2%, Japan 5.7%
  (2002)

Swaziland
  South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4%
  (1999)

Sweden
  Germany 18.5%, Denmark 8.8%, UK 8.6%, Norway 8.2%,
  Netherlands 6.7%, France 5.4%, Finland 5.2%, US 5% (2002)

Switzerland
  Germany 27.4%, France 11.4%, Italy 9.7%, US 8.5%, Russia
  5.8%, UK 5.4%, Austria 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)

Syria
  Italy 8.3%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, South Korea 4.8%, France
  4.6%, US 4.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2002)

Taiwan
  Japan 24.3%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)

Tajikistan
  Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan
  10%, Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)

Tanzania
  South Africa 12.7%, China 7.9%, Kenya 6.6%, India 6.3%, UK
  6%, Japan 4.5%, US 4%, Australia 4% (2002)

Thailand
  Japan 23%, US 9.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Singapore
  4.5%, Taiwan 4.4% (2002)

Togo
  France 21.3%, China 17%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 5.3%, UK
  4.8%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Tokelau
  NZ (2000)

Tonga
  New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%,
  China 6.1% (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.5%, UK 5%, Japan 4.5%,
  Brazil 4.3% (2002)

Tunisia
  France 25.6%, Italy 19.5%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5% (2002)

Turkey
  Germany 13.7%, Italy 8.1%, Russia 7.6%, US 6%, France 5.9%,
  UK 4.8%, Switzerland 4.1% (2002)

Turkmenistan
  Russia 19.8%, Turkey 12.8%, Ukraine 11.7%, UAE 10%, US
  7.5%, China 6%, Germany 5.7%, Iran 4.4% (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US, UK

Tuvalu
  Hungary 68.2%, Japan 12.9%, Fiji 11.9% (2002)

Uganda
  Kenya 45.3%, South Africa 6.8%, India 5.7%, UK 5.5% (2002)

Ukraine
  Russia 32.3%, Germany 11.7%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, Poland 6%,
  Italy 4% (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  US 8.1%, China 7.8%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.5%,
  India 5.7%, France 5.6%, UK 5.4%, South Korea 5.1%, Iran 4.2% (2002)

United Kingdom
  Germany 12.9%, US 11.9%, France 7.8%, Netherlands
  6.3%, Belgium 5%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

United States
  Canada 17.8%, Mexico 11.3%, China 11.1%, Japan 10.4%,
  Germany 5.3% (2002)

Uruguay
  Argentina 25.6%, Brazil 22.7%, US 7.7%, Venezuela 6.2% (2002)

Uzbekistan
  Russia 22.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Kazakhstan
  8.1%, US 6.9%, Ukraine 6.8%, China 5.2%, Turkey 4.6% (2002)

Vanuatu
  Australia 22.1%, Japan 19.2%, New Zealand 10.1%, Singapore
  8.1%, Fiji 6.6%, Taiwan 5%, India 5% (2002)

Venezuela
  US 27.5%, Colombia 6.9%, Brazil 5.7%, Mexico 4.4% (2002)

Vietnam
  South Korea 12.7%, China 12.2%, Japan 12.1%, Singapore
  11.8%, Taiwan 10.6%, Thailand 5.4% (2002)

Virgin Islands
  US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
  France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

West Bank
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
  trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)

World
  US 11.2%, Germany 9.2%, China 7%, Japan 6.8%, France 4.7%, UK
  4% (2002)

Yemen
  US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 9.5%, China 8.7%, UAE 6.9%, Russia
  5.8%, France 4.7% (2002)

Zambia
  South Africa 64.4%, US 3.7%, China 3.6% (2002)

Zimbabwe
  South Africa 47.7%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.7%,
  Mozambique 5.3% (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2062 Economic aid - donor

Australia
  ODA, $894 million (FY 99/00)

Austria
  ODA, $410 million (2000)

Belgium
  ODA, $764 million (1997)

Canada
  ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Denmark
  ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Finland
  ODA, $379 million (2001)

France
  ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)

Germany
  ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Iceland
  $NA

Ireland
  ODA, $283 million (2001)

Italy
  ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Japan
  ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)

Korea, South
  ODA $200 million

Lesotho
  ODA $4.4 million

Luxembourg
  ODA, $160 million (1999)

Netherlands
  ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

New Zealand
  ODA, $99.7 million

Norway
  ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Portugal
  ODA, $271 million (1995)

Saudi Arabia
  pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of
  Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for
  assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development
  in Afghanistan

Spain
  ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Sweden
  ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Switzerland
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

United Arab Emirates
  $NA

United Kingdom
  ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

United States
  ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2063 Constitution

Afghanistan
  the Bonn Agreement called for a Loya Jirga (Grand
  Council) to be convened within 18 months of the establishment of the
  Transitional Authority to draft a new constitution for the country;
  the basis for the next constitution is the 1964 Constitution,
  according to the Bonn Agreement

Albania
  a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28
  November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the
  vote

Algeria
  19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
  November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

American Samoa
  ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Andorra
  Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991;
  approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

Angola
  11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6
  March 1991, and 26 August 1992

Anguilla
  Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981

Argentina
  1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Armenia
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Aruba
  1 January 1986

Australia
  9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Austria
  1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Azerbaijan
  adopted 12 November 1995

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973

Bahrain
  adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14
  February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
  constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a
  constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Bangladesh
  4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
  following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended
  many times

Barbados
  30 November 1966

Belarus
  30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November
  1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became
  effective 27 November 1996

Belgium
  7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament
  approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Belize
  21 September 1981

Benin
  December 1990

Bermuda
  8 June 1968, amended 1989

Bhutan
  no written constitution or bill of rights; note - the King
  commissioned a committee to draft a constitution in 2001, but has
  yet to be approved

Bolivia
  2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December
  1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the
  entities also has its own constitution

Botswana
  March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Brazil
  5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands
  1 June 1977

Brunei
  29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
  Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
  January 1984)

Bulgaria
  adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso
  2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991
  formally adopted

Burma
  3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national
  convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution;
  progress has since been stalled

Burundi
  13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural
  political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional
  Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two
  vice presidents

Cambodia
  promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon
  20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally
  adopted; revised January 1996

Canada
  17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery
  of the government was set up in the British North America Act of
  1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Cape Verde
  new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;
  underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially
  increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in
  1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de
  Justica)

Cayman Islands
  1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Central African Republic passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Chad
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Chile
  11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July
  1989, 1993, and 1997

China
  most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Colombia
  5 July 1991

Comoros
  23 December 2001
  note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on
  20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the
  GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it was not ratified by a national referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is to be a new constitution

Congo, Republic of the constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Cook Islands
  4 August 1965

Costa Rica
  7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire
  3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last
  time 27 July 1998

Croatia
  adopted on 22 December 1990

Cuba
  24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002

Cyprus
  16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or
  revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations
  between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in
  1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing
  bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was
  renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new
  constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5
  May 1985

Czech Republic
  ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Denmark
  1849 was the original constitution; there was a major
  overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a
  female chief of state

Djibouti
  multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September
  1992

Dominica
  3 November 1978

Dominican Republic
  28 November 1966

East Timor
  22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Ecuador
  10 August 1998

Egypt
  11 September 1971

El Salvador
  23 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea
  approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
  amended January 1995

Eritrea
  the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was
  replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet
  implemented

Estonia
  adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia
  ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji
  promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to
  allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make
  multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998;
  note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended
  constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed -
  for the first time at the national level

Finland
  1 March 2000

France
  28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president
  in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
  Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to
  tighten immigration laws 1993

French Guiana
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

French Polynesia
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon
  adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The
  24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and
  approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in
  January 1997

Georgia
  adopted 17 October 1995

Germany
  23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the
  united German people 3 October 1990

Ghana
  approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar
  30 May 1969

Greece
  11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Greenland
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Grenada
  19 December 1973

Guadeloupe
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Guam
  Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Guatemala
  31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended
  25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993
  following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Guernsey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea
  23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau
  16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
  February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Guyana
  6 October 1980

Haiti
  approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles
  reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be
  observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October
  1994

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1
  March 1968)

Honduras
  11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Hong Kong
  Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National
  People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary
  18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April
  1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
  and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
  also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
  amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland
  16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

India
  26 January 1950

Indonesia
  August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
  Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Iran
  2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
  presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Israel
  no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
  constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
  the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
  citizenship law

Italy
  1 January 1948

Jamaica
  6 August 1962

Japan
  3 May 1947

Jersey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan
  8 January 1952

Kazakhstan
  adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
  post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Kenya
  12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
  amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Kiribati
  12 July 1979

Korea, North
  adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
  revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Korea, South
  17 July 1948

Kuwait
  approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan
  adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by
  President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February
  2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the
  expense of the legislature

Laos
  promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia
  the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922
  constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms

Lebanon
  23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently
  Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of
  October 1989

Lesotho
  2 April 1993

Liberia
  6 January 1986

Libya
  11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Liechtenstein
  5 October 1921

Lithuania
  adopted 25 October 1992

Luxembourg
  17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Macau
  Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
  Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Madagascar
  19 August 1992 by national referendum

Malawi
  18 May 1994

Malaysia
  31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Maldives
  adopted January 1998

Mali
  adopted 12 January 1992

Malta
  1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974
  and again in 1987

Man, Isle of
  unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act,
  1961, does not embody the Manx Constitution

Marshall Islands
  1 May 1979

Martinique
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mauritania
  12 July 1991

Mauritius
  12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico
  5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of
  10 May 1979

Moldova
  new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
  constitution of 1979

Monaco
  17 December 1962

Mongolia
  12 February 1992

Montserrat
  present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Morocco
  10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
  bicameral legislature) September 1996

Mozambique
  30 November 1990

Namibia
  ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Nauru
  29 January 1968

Nepal
  9 November 1990

Netherlands
  adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February
  1983

Netherlands Antilles
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
  Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand
  consists of a series of legal documents, including
  certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The
  Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter

Nicaragua
  9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Niger
  the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national
  referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999

Nigeria
  new constitution adopted May 1999

Niue
  19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Northern Mariana Islands
  Covenant Agreement effective 4 November
  1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern
  Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978

Norway
  17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Oman
  none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
  decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things,
  clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars
  ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with
  the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees
  basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan
  10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
  amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored on
  31 December 2002
  note: selected provisions of the Constitution pertaining to changes
  President MUSHARRAF made while the Constitution was suspended,
  remain contested by political opponents

Palau
  1 January 1981

Panama
  11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975

Paraguay
  promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru
  31 December 1993

Philippines
  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Pitcairn Islands
  1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in
  1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Poland
  16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April
  1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997

Portugal
  25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5
  November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Puerto Rico
  ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July
  1952; effective 25 July 1952

Qatar
  provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999
  Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
  constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
  voters approved the new constitution

Reunion
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Romania
  8 December 1991

Russia
  adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda
  on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as
  Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the
  1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda
  Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of
  understanding

Saint Helena
  1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979

Samoa
  1 January 1962

San Marino
  8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
  functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe
  approved March 1990; effective 10 September
  1990

Saudi Arabia
  governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic
  Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities
  was introduced in 1993

Senegal
  a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia and Montenegro
  4 February 2003

Seychelles
  18 June 1993

Sierra Leone
  1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore
  3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
  of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia
  ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993;
  changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
  amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
  membership

Slovenia
  adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978

Somalia
  25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
  note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has
  a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within
  three years

South Africa
  10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified
  by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
  President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
  February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  adopted 3 October 1985

Spain
  6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka
  adopted 16 August 1978

Sudan
  12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
  interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of
  30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
  suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Suriname
  ratified 30 September 1987

Swaziland
  none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12
  April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but
  was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more
  outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the
  Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been
  accepted

Sweden
  1 January 1975

Switzerland
  18 December 1998

Syria
  13 March 1973

Taiwan
  1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999

Tajikistan
  6 November 1994

Tanzania
  25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand
  new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Togo
  multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
  Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Tokelau
  administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as
  amended in 1970

Tonga
  4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 August 1976

Tunisia
  1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Turkey
  7 November 1982

Turkmenistan
  adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978

Uganda
  8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member
  Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution
  that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was
  dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Ukraine
  adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

United Kingdom
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
  practice

United States
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay
  27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June
  1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
  constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
  January 1997

Uzbekistan
  new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980

Venezuela
  30 December 1999

Vietnam
  15 April 1992

Virgin Islands
  Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen
  16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Zambia
  2 August 1991

Zimbabwe
  21 December 1979

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2064 Economic aid - recipient

Afghanistan
  international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
  international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference
  for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion
  through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7
  billion was pledged for 2003.

Albania
  ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000
  est.)

Algeria
  $162 million (2000 est.)

American Samoa
  important financial support from the US, more than
  $40 million in 1994

Andorra
  none

Angola
  $383.5 million (1999)

Anguilla
  $3.5 million (1995)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $2.3 million (1995)

Argentina
  $10 billion (2001 est.)

Armenia
  ODA $170 million (2000)

Aruba
  $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127
  million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Azerbaijan
  ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $9.8 million (1995)

Bahrain
  $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from
  each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Bangladesh
  $1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Barbados
  $9.1 million (1995)

Belarus
  $194.3 million (1995)

Belize
  $NA

Benin
  $342.6 million (2000)

Bermuda
  $NA

Bhutan
  substantial aid from India and other nations

Bolivia
  $588 million (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $650 million (2001 est.)

Botswana
  $73 million (1995)

Brazil
  $30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  $4.3 million (1995)

Bulgaria
  $300 million (2000 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $484.1 million (1995)

Burma
  $99 million (FY98/99)

Burundi
  $92.7 million (2000)

Cambodia
  $548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for
  2001 by international donors

Cameroon
  on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce
  Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief
  now amounts to $1.26 billion

Cape Verde
  $136 million (1999)

Cayman Islands
  $NA

Central African Republic
  ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget
  subsidies from France (2000 est.)

Chad
  $238.3 million; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August
  1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150
  million

Chile
  ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)

China
  $NA

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $NA

Comoros
  $10 million (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $195.3 million (1995)

Congo, Republic of the
  $159.1 million (1995)

Cook Islands
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish
  the greater part (1995)

Cote d'Ivoire
  ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Croatia
  ODA $66 million (2000)

Cuba
  $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area - $17 million (1998);; Turkish Cypriot
  area - $700 million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which
  are usually forgiven (1998)

Czech Republic
  $108 million; EU structural adjustment funds (2002)

Djibouti
  $36 million (2001)

Dominica
  $24.4 million (1995)

Dominican Republic
  $239.6 million (1995)

East Timor
  $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Ecuador
  $120 million (2001)

Egypt
  ODA, $2.25 billion (1999)

El Salvador
  total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $33.8 million (1995)

Eritrea
  $77 million (1999)

Estonia
  $108 million (2000)

Ethiopia
  $308 million (FY00/01)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none

Faroe Islands
  $55 million (annual subsidy from Denmark)

Fiji
  $40.3 million (1995)

French Guiana
  $NA

French Polynesia
  $367 million (1997)

Gabon
  $331 million (1995)

Gambia, The
  $45.4 million (1995)

Gaza Strip
  $800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Georgia
  ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Ghana
  $6.9 billion (1999)

Gibraltar
  $NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is
  reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU

Greece
  $5.4 billion from EU

Greenland
  $380 million subsidy from Denmark

Grenada
  $8.3 million (1995)

Guadeloupe
  $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies

Guam
  Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal
  Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income
  or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress,
  the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal
  income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees
  stationed in Guam

Guatemala
  $250 million (2000 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $359.2 million (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
  $115.4 million (1995)

Guyana
  $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative
  (HIPC) $253 million (1997)

Haiti
  $120 million (FY02)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  $557.8 million (1999)

Hungary
  ODA $250 million (2000)

India
  $2.9 billion (FY 98/99)

Indonesia
  $43 billion from IMF program and other official external
  financing (1997-2000)

Iran
  $408 million (2002 est.)

Iraq
  $327.5 million (1995)

Israel
  $720 million from US (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  NA

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000

Kenya
  $457 million (1997)

Kiribati
  $15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (1995)

Korea, North
  $NA; note - nearly $300 million in food aid alone from
  US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 2001 plus much additional aid from
  the UN and non-governmental organizations

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  $50 million from the US (2001)

Laos
  $345 million (1999 est.)

Latvia
  $96.2 million (1995)

Lebanon
  $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) $4.2 billion in pledges
  November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Lesotho
  $41.5 million (2000)

Liberia
  $94 million (1999)

Libya
  $15 million (2000)

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  $228.5 million (1995)

Macau
  $NA

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  $150 million (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  $838 million (1997)

Malawi
  $540 million (1999)

Maldives
  $NA

Mali
  $596.4 million (2001)

Malta
  $NA

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Martinique
  $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France

Mauritania
  $220 million (2000)

Mauritius
  $42 million (1997)

Mayotte
  $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance
  (1995)

Mexico
  $1.166 billion (1995)

Micronesia, Federated States of under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Moldova
  $100 million (2000)

Monaco
  $NA

Mongolia
  $208.7 million (1999 est.)

Montserrat
  Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for
  spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Morocco
  $565.6 million (1995)

Mozambique
  $632.8 million (2001)

Namibia
  ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Nauru
  $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Nepal
  $424 million (FY 00/01)

Netherlands Antilles
  IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the
  Netherlands continued its support with $40 million

New Caledonia
  $880 million annual subsidy from France

Nicaragua
  Substantial foreign support

Niger
  $341 million (1997)

Nigeria
  ODA $250 million (1998)

Niue
  $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Norfolk Island
  $NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  extensive funding from US

Oman
  $76.4 million (1995)

Pakistan
  $2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Palau
  $155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with
  the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1
  October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over
  15 years in return for furnishing military facilities

Panama
  $197.1 million (1995)

Papua New Guinea
  $400 million (1999 est.)

Paraguay
  $NA

Peru
  $895.1 million (1995)

Philippines
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  EU structural adjustment funds

Puerto Rico
  $NA

Qatar
  $NA

Reunion
  $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France

Russia
  in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
  non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million

Rwanda
  $372.9 million (1999)

Saint Helena
  $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $8 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
  $51.8 million (1995)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  approximately $60 million in annual grants
  from France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $47.5 million (1995); note - EU
  $34.5 million (1998)

Samoa
  $42.9 million (1995)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Senegal $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several years)

Seychelles
  $16.4 million (1995)

Sierra Leone
  $103 million (2001 est.)

Singapore
  $NA

Slovakia
  ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural
  adjustment funds (2000 est.)

Slovenia
  ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and
  NZ (2001 est.)

Somalia
  $60 million (1999 est.)

South Africa
  $487.5 million (2000)

Sri Lanka
  $577 million (1998)

Sudan
  $187 million (1997)

Suriname
  Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
  assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
  (1998)

Svalbard
  $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Swaziland
  $104 million (2001)

Syria
  $199 million (1997 est.)

Tajikistan
  $60.7 million from US (2001)

Tanzania
  $963 million (1997)

Thailand
  $131.5 million (1998 est.)

Togo
  ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Tokelau
  from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Tonga
  Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $24 million (1999 est.)

Tunisia
  $222.7 million (2000)

Turkey
  ODA, $300 million (2000)

Turkmenistan
  $16 million from the US (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $4.1 million (1997)

Tuvalu
  $13 million ; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and
  the US (1999 est.)

Uganda
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Ukraine
  $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2
  billion (1998)

Uruguay
  $NA

Uzbekistan
  approximately $150 million from the US (2001)

Vanuatu
  $45.8 million (1995)

Venezuela
  $74 million (2000)

Vietnam
  $2.1 billion in credits and grants pledged by international
  donors for 2000

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  assistance from France

West Bank
  $800 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion

Yemen
  $2.3 billion to be disbursed 2003-07 (2003-07 disbursements)

Zambia
  $651 million (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $178 million (2000 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2065 Currency

Afghanistan
  afghani (AFA)

Albania
  lek (ALL)

Algeria
  Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa
  US dollar (USD)

Andorra
  euro (EUR)

Angola
  kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina
  Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia
  dram (AMD)

Aruba
  Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh
  taka (BDT)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus
  Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Belize
  Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia
  boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  marka (BAM)

Botswana
  pula (BWP)

Brazil
  real (BRL)

British Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Brunei
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria
  lev (BGL)

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma
  kyat (MMK)

Burundi
  Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia
  riel (KHR)

Cameroon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
  (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
  African States

Chad
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile
  Chilean peso (CLP)

China
  yuan (CNY)
  note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia
  Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);
  note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African
  States

Cook Islands
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia
  kuna (HRK)

Cuba
  Cuban peso (CUP)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot
  area: Turkish lira (TRL)

Czech Republic
  Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark
  Danish krone (DKK)

Djibouti
  Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican peso (DOP)

East Timor
  US dollar (USD)

Ecuador
  US dollar (USD)

Egypt
  Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador
  US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
  - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN)

Estonia
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia
  birr (ETB)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands
  Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji
  Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

France
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

French Guiana
  euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note -
  may adopt the euro in 2003

Gabon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The
  dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia
  lari (GEL)

Germany
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Ghana
  cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Greenland
  Danish krone (DKK)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Guadeloupe
  euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Guam
  US dollar (USD)

Guatemala
  quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Guinea
  Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African
  States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Guyana
  Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti
  gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euro (EUR)

Honduras
  lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary
  forint (HUF)

Iceland
  Icelandic krona (ISK)

India
  Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran
  Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq
  Iraqi dinar (IQD)

Ireland
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Israel
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency
  abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for
  Standarization (ISO) code for the NIS

Italy
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan
  yen (JPY)

Jersey
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Jordan
  Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan
  tenge (KZT)

Kenya
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North
  North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South
  South Korean won (KRW)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Laos
  kip (LAK)

Latvia
  Latvian lat (LVL)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho
  loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia
  Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya
  Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania
  litas (LTL)

Luxembourg
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Macau
  pataca (MOP)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar
  Malagasy franc (MGF)

Malawi
  Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia
  ringgit (MYR)

Maldives
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta
  Maltese lira (MTL)

Man, Isle of
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Marshall Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Martinique
  euro (EUR)

Mauritania
  ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Mayotte
  euro (EUR)

Mexico
  Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  US dollar (USD)

Moldova
  Moldovan leu (MDL)

Monaco
  euro (EUR)

Mongolia
  togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique
  metical (MZM)

Namibia
  Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note -
  may adopt the euro in 2003

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua
  gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Nigeria
  naira (NGN)

Niue
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Norway
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman
  Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau
  US dollar (USD)

Panama
  balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea
  kina (PGK)

Paraguay
  guarani (PYG)

Peru
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines
  Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland
  zloty (PLN)

Portugal
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Puerto Rico
  US dollar (USD)

Qatar
  Qatari rial (QAR)

Reunion
  euro (EUR)

Romania
  leu (ROL)

Russia
  Russian ruble (RUR)

Rwanda
  Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa
  tala (SAT)

San Marino
  euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Serbia and Montenegro
  new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro
  the euro is legal tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav
  dinar are legal (2002)

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone
  leone (SLL)

Singapore
  Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia
  Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia
  tolar (SIT)

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia
  Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa
  rand (ZAR)

Spain
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan
  Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Suriname
  Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Svalbard
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland
  lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden
  Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria
  Syrian pound (SYP)

Taiwan
  new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Tajikistan
  somoni

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand
  baht (THB)

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga
  pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey
  Turkish lira (TRL)

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu
  Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan
  dollar

Uganda
  Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine
  hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom
  British pound (GBP)

United States
  US dollar (USD)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Vanuatu
  vatu (VUV)

Venezuela
  bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam
  dong (VND)

Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note
  - may adopt the euro in 2003

West Bank
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen
  Yemeni rial (YER)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  17.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Albania
  6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Algeria
  5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Andorra
  5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Angola
  25.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Argentina
  7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Armenia
  10.16 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Aruba
  6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Australia
  7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Austria
  9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  9.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Barbados
  9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belarus
  14.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belgium
  10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belize
  6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Benin
  13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Botswana
  31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brazil
  6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  4.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brunei
  3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  14.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  18.76 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burma
  12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burundi
  17.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  15.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Canada
  7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  19.73 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chad
  16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chile
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

China
  6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Colombia
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Comoros
  8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  14.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  18.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Croatia
  11.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cuba
  7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Denmark
  10.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  19.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominica
  6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

East Timor
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Egypt
  5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  6.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  12.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  13.23 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Estonia
  13.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  20.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Faroe Islands
  8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Fiji
  5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Finland
  9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

France
  9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gabon
  11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  12.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Georgia
  14.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Germany
  10.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ghana
  10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greece
  9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greenland
  7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Grenada
  7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guam
  4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  6.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guinea
  15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  16.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guyana
  9.27 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Haiti
  13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Honduras
  6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hungary
  13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iceland
  6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

India
  8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iran
  5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iraq
  5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ireland
  7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Israel
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Italy
  10.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Japan
  8.55 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jersey
  9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jordan
  2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  10.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kenya
  16.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Laos
  12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Latvia
  14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  6.32 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liberia
  17.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Libya
  3.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  12.89 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macau
  3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malawi
  22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Maldives
  7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mali
  19.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malta
  7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  11.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  5.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Martinique
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  13.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mexico
  4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Moldova
  12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Monaco
  12.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Morocco
  5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  30.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Namibia
  19.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nauru
  7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nepal
  9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  8.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niger
  21.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norway
  9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oman
  3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Palau
  7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Panama
  6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Peru
  5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Philippines
  5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Poland
  9.96 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Portugal
  10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Qatar
  4.43 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Reunion
  5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Romania
  12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Russia
  13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  21.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  8.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Samoa
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

San Marino
  7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Senegal
  10.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  20.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Singapore
  4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Somalia
  17.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

South Africa
  18.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Spain
  9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sudan
  9.59 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Suriname
  6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  21.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sweden
  10.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Syria
  5.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  17.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Thailand
  6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Togo
  11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tonga
  5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkey
  5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  8.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uganda
  16.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United States
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  8.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

West Bank
  4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

World
  8.83 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Yemen
  9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zambia
  24.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  22.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure

Afghanistan
  $525.2 million (FY02)

Albania
  $56.5 million (FY02)

Algeria
  $1.87 billion (FY99)

Angola
  $222.7 million (FY02)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $NA

Argentina
  $4.3 billion (FY99)

Armenia
  $135 million (FY01)

Australia
  $11.39 billion (FY02)

Austria
  $1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Azerbaijan
  $121 million (FY99)

Bahamas, The
  $20 million (FY95/96)

Bahrain
  $526.2 million (FY01)

Bangladesh
  $559 million (FY96)

Barbados
  $NA

Belarus
  $176.1 million (FY02)

Belgium
  $3.077 billion (FY01/02)

Belize
  $7.7 million (FY00/01)

Benin
  $80.8 million (FY02)

Bermuda
  $4.028 million (January 2002)

Bhutan
  $9.3 million (FY02)

Bolivia
  $147 million (FY99)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $234.3 million (FY02)

Botswana
  $207.3 million (FY02)

Brazil
  $13.408 billion (FY99)

Brunei
  $329.7 million (FY02)

Bulgaria
  $356 million (FY02)

Burkina Faso
  $45.83 million (FY02)

Burma
  $39 million (FY97)

Burundi
  $42.13 million (FY02)

Cambodia
  $112 million (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
  $118.6 million (FY00)

Canada
  $7.861 billion (FY01/02)

Cape Verde
  $9.3 million (FY02)

Central African Republic
  $13.43 million (FY02)

Chad
  $40.74 million (FY02)

Chile
  $2.5 billion (FY99)

China
  $55.91 billion (FY02)

Colombia
  $3.3 billion (FY01)

Comoros
  $6 million (FY02)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $250 million (FY97)

Congo, Republic of the
  $84 million (FY01)

Costa Rica
  $69 million (FY99)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $143.5 million (FY02)

Croatia
  $520 million (2002 est.)

Cuba
  $NA

Cyprus
  $384 million (FY02)

Czech Republic
  $1,190.2 million (FY01)

Denmark
  $2.47 billion (FY99/00)

Djibouti
  $26.53 million (FY02)

Dominica
  $NA

Dominican Republic
  $180 million (FY98)

East Timor
  $4.4 million (FY03)

Ecuador
  $720 million (FY98)

Egypt
  $4.04 billion (FY99)

El Salvador
  $112 million (FY99)

Equatorial Guinea
  $30 million (FY02)

Eritrea
  $95.75 million (FY02)

Estonia
  $155 million (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  $800 million (FY00)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $NA

Faroe Islands
  $NA

Fiji
  $39.21 million (FY02)

Finland
  $1.8 billion (FY98/99)

France
  $46.5 billion (2000)

French Guiana
  $NA

Gabon
  $81.9 million (FY02)

Gambia, The
  $1.2 million (FY02)

Gaza Strip
  $NA

Georgia
  $23 million (FY00)

Germany
  $38.8 billion (2002)

Ghana
  $36.01 million (FY02)

Greece
  $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Grenada
  $NA

Guatemala
  $120 million (FY99)

Guinea
  $154 million (FY02)

Guinea-Bissau
  $5.6 million (FY02)

Guyana
  $NA

Haiti
  $50 million (FY00)

Honduras
  $35 million (FY99)

Hungary
  $1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Iceland
  $0

India
  $11.52 billion (FY02)

Indonesia
  $1 billion (FY98)

Iran
  $9.7 billion (FY00)

Iraq
  $1.3 billion (FY00)

Ireland
  $700 million (FY00/01)

Israel
  $8.97 billion (FY02)

Italy
  $20.2 billion (2002)

Jamaica
  $30 million (FY95/96 est.)

Japan
  $39.52 billion (FY02)

Jordan
  $757.5 million (FY01)

Kazakhstan
  $221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
  $185.2 million (FY02)

Kiribati
  $NA

Korea, North
  $5,217.4 million (FY02)

Korea, South
  $13,094.3 million (FY02)

Kuwait
  $1,967.3 million (FY01)
  note: Kuwait is changing its fiscal year; the above figure is for
  July-March 2001; future budget years will be April-March annually

Kyrgyzstan
  $19.2 million (FY01)

Laos
  $55 million (FY98)

Latvia
  $87 million (FY01)

Lebanon
  $541 million (2002)

Lesotho
  $34 million (1999)

Liberia
  $7.8 million (FY02)

Libya
  $1.3 billion (FY99)

Lithuania
  $230.8 million (FY01)

Luxembourg
  $147.8 million (FY01/02)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
  $52.3 million (FY02)

Malawi
  $13.01 million (FY02)

Malaysia
  $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Maldives
  $34.46 million (FY02)

Mali
  $419.7 million (FY02)

Malta
  $60 million (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands
  $NA

Mauritania
  $37.11 million (FY02)

Mauritius
  $9.712 million (FY02)

Mexico
  $4 billion (FY99)

Moldova
  $6.4 million (FY02)

Mongolia
  $23.1 million (FY02)

Morocco
  $1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Mozambique
  $35.1 million (2000 est.)

Namibia
  $73.1 million (FY02)

Nauru
  $NA

Nepal
  $57.22 million (FY02)

Netherlands
  $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

New Caledonia
  $192.3 million (FY96)

New Zealand
  $605.7 million (FY02)

Nicaragua
  $26 million (FY98)

Niger
  $20.54 million (FY02)

Nigeria
  $417.9 million (FY02)

Norway
  $3.113 billion (FY98/99)

Oman
  $2.424 billion (FY01)

Pakistan
  $2.964 billion (FY02)

Palau
  $NA

Panama
  $128 million (FY99)

Papua New Guinea
  $40.21 million (FY02)

Paraguay
  $125 million (FY98)

Peru
  $1 billion (FY01)

Philippines
  $995 million (FY98)

Poland
  $3.5 billion (2002)

Portugal
  $1.286 billion (FY99/00)

Qatar
  $723 million (FY00)

Romania
  $985 million (2002)

Russia
  $NA

Rwanda
  $59.57 million (FY02)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $NA

Saint Lucia
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $NA

Samoa
  $NA

San Marino
  $700,000 (FY00/01)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $400,000 (FY01)

Saudi Arabia
  $18.3 billion (FY00)

Senegal
  $68.6 million (FY02)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $654 million (2002)

Seychelles
  $12.8 million (FY02)

Sierra Leone
  $10.26 million (FY02)

Singapore
  $4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Slovakia
  $406 million (2002)

Slovenia
  $370 million (FY00)

Solomon Islands
  $NA

Somalia
  $17.1 million (FY02)

South Africa
  $1.746 billion (FY02)

Spain
  $8.6 billion (2002)

Sri Lanka
  $719 million (FY98)

Sudan
  $581 million (2001 est.)

Suriname
  $NA

Swaziland
  $20 million (FY01)

Sweden
  $4.395 billion (FY01)

Switzerland
  $2.548 billion (FY01)

Syria
  $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data
  that may understate actual spending

Taiwan
  $7.574 billion (FY02)

Tajikistan
  $35.4 million (FY01)

Tanzania
  $19.68 million (FY02)

Thailand
  $1.775 billion (FY00)

Togo
  $23.72 million (FY02)

Tonga
  $NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  $90 million (1999)

Tunisia
  $356 million (FY99)

Turkey
  $8.1 billion (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $90 million (FY99)

Tuvalu
  $NA

Uganda
  $124.7 million (FY02)

Ukraine
  $617.9 million (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
  $1.6 billion (FY00)

United Kingdom
  $31.7 billion (2002)

United States
  $276.7 billion (FY99 est.)

Uruguay
  $250 million (1999)

Uzbekistan
  $200 million (FY97)

Vanuatu
  $NA

Venezuela
  $934 million (FY99)

Vietnam
  $650 million (FY98)

West Bank
  $NA

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained
  at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion
  dollars (1999 est.)

Yemen
  $482.5 million (FY01)

Zambia
  $33.46 million (FY02)

Zimbabwe
  $625.1 million (FY02)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2068 Dependent areas

Australia
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
  (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
  Islands, Norfolk Island

France
  Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
  Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
  Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
  Futuna
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Netherlands
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

New Zealand
  Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Norway
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

United Kingdom
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
  British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,
  Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint
  Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and
  Caicos Islands

United States
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,
  Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa
  Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
  Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered
  into a new political relationship with all four political units: the
  Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with
  the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of
  Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the
  Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association
  with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the
  Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US
  (effective 21 October 1986)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2070 Disputes - international

Afghanistan
  thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran and
  Pakistan; isolating terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in
  Pakistan make cross-border activities difficult to control;
  prolonged regional drought strains water-sharing arrangements for
  Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Albania
  the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the
  rights of ethnic Albanians outside its borders in the Kosovo region
  of Serbia and Montenegro, and in the northern Former Yugoslav
  Republic of Macedonia, while continuing to seek regional
  cooperation; some outside ethnic Albanian groups voice union with
  Albania

Algeria
  Libya claims about 32,000 sq km in a dormant dispute still
  reflected on its maps in southeastern Algeria; armed bandits based
  in Mali attack southern Algerian towns; border with Morocco remains
  closed over mutual claims of harboring militants, arms smuggling;
  Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
  Moroccan administration of Western Sahara

American Samoa
  none

Andorra
  none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in
  dispute (a few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer
  of 35 hectares of land to Andorra)

Angola
  gives shelter to thousands of refugees from the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo while thousands of Angolan refugees still
  remain in neighboring states as a consequence of the protracted
  civil wars in both states

Anguilla
  none

Antarctica
  Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty
  Summary in Government type entry); sections (some overlapping)
  claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK;
  the US and most other states do not recognize the territorial claims
  of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and
  Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims have been made in the
  sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states
  with land claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to
  submit data to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental
  Shelf to extend their continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea
  ridges

Antigua and Barbuda
  none

Arctic Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Argentina
  claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its
  constitution, but in 1995 ceded the right to settle the dispute by
  force; Beagle Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal
  mediation in 1984, but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil
  discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and
  Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at
  convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money
  laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and harbors
  Islamist militants; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay
  over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim leaves the tripoint
  with Argentina in question

Armenia
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan -
  Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues
  to mediate dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; traditional demands regarding former
  Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided; ethnic Armenian groups in
  Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy, closer ties with
  Armenia

Aruba
  none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands nationalist group in Indonesia reportedly seeks to populate reefs to assert claims; Australia has moved to close reefs to Indonesian traditional fishing and to create a national park while prospecting for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

Atlantic Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Australia
  maritime delimitation and resource sharing agreements
  signed with East Timor resolve dispute over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon
  reserves; no agreement reached on dividing Timor Sea with Indonesia
  (see Ashmore and Cartier Islands disputes); Australia asserts a
  territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see
  Antarctica)

Austria
  minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue
  over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of
  German-speaking minorities

Azerbaijan
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies about one-sixth of
  Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
  (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and
  Russia ratify Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on
  equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth
  allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in
  disputed waters; ICJ decision expected to resolve dispute with
  Turkmenistan over sovereignty of certain Caspian oilfields

Bahamas, The
  have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary with
  the US

Bahrain
  none

Baker Island
  none

Bangladesh
  discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small
  section of river boundary, demarcate and fence the porous land
  boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, allocate divided
  villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade and violence;
  Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic
  sections of the porous boundary; dispute with India over New
  Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime
  boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's
  meager resources

Barbados
  none

Bassas da India
  claimed by Madagascar

Belarus
  1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and encouraging
  illegal border crossing; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain
  undemarcated despite European Union financial support

Belgium
  none

Belize
  Guatemala has claimed half of southern Belize; Guatemalan
  squatters continue to settle along the border despite a 2000
  agreement; OAS brokered a Differendum in 2002 that created a small
  adjustment to land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in
  the Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays,
  and a substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not
  brought to a popular referendum

Benin
  two villages are in dispute along the border with Burkina
  Faso; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,
  remains undemarcated, but states accept 2001 arbitration over
  disputed Niger River islands; several villages along the Okpara
  River are in dispute with Nigeria; in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved
  the boundary stones - joint commission presently resurveying the
  boundary

Bermuda
  none

Bhutan
  approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90%
  of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for
  Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

Bolivia
  continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama
  corridor ceded to Chile in 1884; Chile demands water rights to
  Bolivia's Rio Lauca and Silala Spring

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and
  Montenegro have delimited about half of their boundary, but sections
  along the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with
  Croatia on problem sections of the Una River and villages at the
  base of Mount Pljesevica

Botswana
  established a commission with Namibia to resolve small
  residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
  marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents
  protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric
  dam on Popa Falls; dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia,
  Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug
  trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants; uncontested dispute
  with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and
  Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

British Indian Ocean Territory Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain

British Virgin Islands
  none

Brunei
  Involved in dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
  Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; Brunei established an
  exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern
  Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the
  offshore reefs; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration
  on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to
  ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct"

Bulgaria
  joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with
  Romania based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920

Burkina Faso
  two villages are in dispute along the border with
  Benin; Burkina Faso border regions have become a staging area for
  Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught
  in regional fighting; the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso of
  supporting Ivorian rebels

Burma
  despite continuing border committee talks, significant
  differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the
  handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border
  activities

Burundi
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
  political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
  continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
  boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
  Uganda to gain control over populated and natural resource areas;
  government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
  continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Cambodia
  completed boundary demarcation with Thailand; accuses
  Vietnam of moving and destroying boundary markers and encroachments,
  initiating border incidents; accuses Thailand of preventing access
  to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in
  1962; maritime boundary with Vietnam hampered by dispute over
  offshore islands

Cameroon
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi
  Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected cession
  of the peninsula, but the parties have formed a Joint Border
  Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced
  with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary; Lake
  Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
  and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region,
  which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
  militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish
  sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

Canada
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
  Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
  disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute
  with Denmark over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel
  between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Cape Verde
  none

Cayman Islands
  none

Central African Republic
  internal political instabilities with
  fighting and violence overlap into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees
  and rebel groups in both countries; violent ethnic skirmishes
  persist along the border with Sudan

Chad
  internal political instabilities with fighting and violence
  overlap into Chad and Central African Republic, leaving refugees and
  rebel groups in both countries; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in
  southern Libya; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories
  Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty
  over lake region, which remains the site of armed clashes among
  local populations and militias; Chad rejects Nigerian request to
  redemarcate boundary, the site of continuing cross-border incidents

Chile
  Bolivia continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the
  Atacama corridor ceded to Chile in 1884; dispute with Peru over the
  economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary; Chile demands
  water rights to Bolivia's Rio Lauca and Silala Spring; Beagle
  Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984,
  but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial
  claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps
  Argentine and British claims

China
  involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with
  Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
  claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of
  Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but
  which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; much of the
  rugged, militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two
  sides have participated in more than 13 rounds of joint working
  group sessions on this issue; India objects to Pakistan ceding lands
  to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India believes are part of
  disputed Kashmir; China, as well as Taiwan, claims
  Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) islands;
  negotiations with Tajikistan resolved the longstanding boundary
  dispute; China and Kazakhstan have resolved their border dispute and
  are working to delimit their large open borders to control
  population migration, illegal activities, and trade; Kyrgyzstan's
  constitutional court rules that 1,270 sq km ceded to China in 2000
  delimitation agreement were legally transferred; certain islands in
  Yalu and Tumen rivers are in uncontested dispute with North Korea
  and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is indefinite - China
  objects to illegal migration of North Koreans into northern China;
  China continues to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the
  disputed alluvial islands with Russia at the confluence of the Amur
  and Ussuri rivers and a small island on the Argun river as part of
  the 2001 Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation;
  boundary agreements signed in 2002 with Tajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km
  of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China's relinquishing
  claims to 28,000 sq km; demarcation of land boundary with Vietnam
  continues but maritime boundary and joint fishing zone agreement
  remains unratified; China occupies Paracel Islands also claimed by
  Vietnam and Taiwan

Christmas Island
  none

Clipperton Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
  against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
  maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
  Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Comoros
  claims French-administered Mayotte

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state - Tutsi, Hutu, Lendu, Hema and other conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - heads of the Great Lakes states pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)

Congo, Republic of the
  most of the Congo River boundary with the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has
  been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in
  the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)

Cook Islands
  none

Coral Sea Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on
  border with Nicaragua

Cote d'Ivoire
  rebel fighting extended to neighboring states and has
  driven out nationals and foreign workers to nearby countries; the
  Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting
  Ivorian rebels

Croatia
  discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina on sections
  of the Una River and villages at the base of Mount Pljesevica;
  parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land
  and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of
  Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to
  Croatia; in late 2002, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro adopted an
  interim agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula,
  allowing the withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), but
  discussions could be complicated by the inability of Serbia and
  Montenegro to come to an agreement on the economic aspects of the
  new federal union; Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral
  property and ethnic minority rights issues stemming from border
  changes after the Second World War

Cuba
  US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Cyprus
  hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto
  autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the
  internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot
  area, separated by a UN buffer zone; UN deadline on sides accepting
  a federation plan for reunification have expired, diminishing
  chances of Turkish-Cypriot participation in EU membership in 2004

Czech Republic
  Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for
  1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918;
  individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property
  confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II;
  Austria has minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin
  nuclear power plant and post-World War II treatment of
  German-speaking minorities

Denmark
  Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark,
  Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary
  agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Iceland over the Faroe
  Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental
  shelf boundary outside 200 NM; Faroese are considering proposals for
  full independence; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans Island
  sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and
  Greenland

Djibouti
  Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
  "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
  various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional
  National Government in Mogadishu

Dominica
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves
  Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending
  over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Dominican Republic
  despite efforts to control illegal migration,
  destitute Haitians continue to cross into the Dominican Republic

East Timor
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets regularly
  to survey and delimit the land boundary; some East Timor refugees
  delay return from camps in Indonesia; maritime delimitation and
  resource-sharing agreements signed with Australia resolved dispute
  over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon reserves, but maritime agreement with
  Indonesia awaits further discussions

Ecuador
  none

Egypt
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular
  areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along
  the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence -
  Egypt is economically developing the "Hala'ib triangle" north of the
  Treaty line

El Salvador
  in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
  (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but they
  remain largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an
  application to the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of
  bolsones; the ICJ also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime
  boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran
  access to the Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not
  mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca

Equatorial Guinea
  in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement
  of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf
  of Guinea, but states have not yet agreed to abide by the decision;
  creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with
  Gabon is hampered by dispute over small islets on Mbane/Mbagne bank,
  administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

Eritrea
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent
  boundary commission delimitation decision, but demarcation,
  scheduled to begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays
  and Ethiopian concerns that the decision ignored "human geography"
  and awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea,
  demarcation of the boundary has been postponed indefinately; UN
  Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitors a 25
  km wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation;
  Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea
  protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea
  by the ICJ in 1999

Estonia
  Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint
  December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia

Ethiopia
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent
  boundary commission delimitation decision, but demarcation,
  scheduled to begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays
  and Ethiopian concerns that the decision ignored "human geography"
  and awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea,
  demarcation of the boundary has been postponed indefinately;
  Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line and no international
  border with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains
  alliances with local clans in opposition to the Transitional
  National Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide
  port facilities and trade ties to land-locked Ethiopia; efforts to
  demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil
  war there

Europa Island
  claimed by Madagascar

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  claimed by Argentina whose forces
  briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek
  settlement by force

Faroe Islands
  Faroese are considering proposals for full
  independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands
  fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental
  shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Fiji
  none

Finland
  none

France
  Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso
  Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius
  claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and
  French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land);
  Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France
  and Vanuatu

French Guiana
  Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and
  Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

French Polynesia
  none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  "Adelie Land" claim in
  Antarctica is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco
  Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over small islets
  on Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the
  1970s

Gambia, The
  none

Gaza Strip
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with
  current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement
  - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Georgia
  boundary with Russia has been largely delimited, but not
  demarcated with several small, strategic segments remaining in
  dispute and OSCE observers monitoring volatile areas such as the
  Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia;
  Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to
  return to Georgia; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of
  Georgia seek greater autonomy, closer ties with Armenia

Germany
  none

Ghana
  Ghana has received many refugees and returning nationals
  escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum
  against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between
  Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony

Glorioso Islands
  claimed by Madagascar

Greece
  Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their
  complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the
  Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former
  Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name

Greenland
  uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Grenada
  none

Guadeloupe
  none

Guam
  none

Guatemala
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border
  region; OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment
  to land boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean,
  joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial
  US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
  referendum leaving Guatemalan claim to southern half of Belize intact

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea,
  Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and
  refugees in border areas

Guinea-Bissau
  separatist war in Senegal's Casamance region results
  in refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling and other illegal
  activities, and political instability in Guinea-Bissau

Guyana
  all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by
  Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and
  Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of the
  Courantyne); territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute

Haiti
  despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute
  Haitians continue to cross into Dominican Republic; claims
  US-administered Navassa Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
  (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but they
  still remain largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an
  application to the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of
  bolsones; the ICJ also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime
  boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran
  access to the Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not
  mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; Honduras
  claims Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize but agreed to creation
  of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean
  in the 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim
  against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ
  over a complex maritime dispute in the Caribbean Sea

Hong Kong
  none

Howland Island
  none

Hungary
  Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social
  and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states,
  who protest the law

Iceland
  Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark,
  Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary
  agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe
  Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with
  Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental
  shelf boundary outside 200 NM

India
  much of the rugged, militarized boundary with China is in
  dispute, but the two sides have participated in more than 13 rounds
  of joint working group sessions on this issue; India objects to
  Pakistan ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India
  believes are part of disputed Kashmir; with Pakistan, armed
  stand-off over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues;
  disputes with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the
  terminus of the Rann of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary
  delimitation; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to work on
  resolution of disputed boundary sections; dispute with Bangladesh
  over New Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents
  maritime boundary delimitation

Indian Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Indonesia
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet
  regularly to survey and delimit land boundary; East Timor refugees
  delay return from camps in Indonesia; maritime delimitations with
  Australia and East Timor await further discussions; ICJ awarded
  Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002; Indonesian
  secessionists, squatters and illegal migrants create repatriation
  problems for Papua New Guinea

Iran
  Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on
  Helmand River tributaries in response to prolonged drought in
  region; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; despite
  restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iraq over
  maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues
  from eight-year war persist; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League
  support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands
  and Abu Musa Island; Iran insists on division of the Caspian Sea
  into five equal sectors, while other littoral states have generally
  agreed to equidistant seabed boundaries - Iran has threatened
  Azerbaijanian hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters

Iraq
  despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with
  Iran over maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and
  other issues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab
  boundary demarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan
  and Warbah islands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in
  the Persian Gulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects to
  regulate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers upstream

Ireland
  disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe
  Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Israel
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan
  Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of
  Golan Heights)

Italy
  Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral property and
  ethnic minority rights issues stemming from border changes after the
  Second World War

Jamaica
  none

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai
  group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by
  Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do)
  disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by
  China and Taiwan

Jarvis Island
  none

Jersey
  none

Johnston Atoll
  none

Jordan
  none

Juan de Nova Island
  claimed by Madagascar

Kazakhstan
  Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute
  and are working to delimit their large open borders to control
  population migration, illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of
  boundary with Russia is scheduled for completion in 2003 -
  delimitations with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are complete with
  demarcations underway - delimitation with Kyrgyzstan is largely
  complete; equidistant seabed treaties have been signed with
  Azerbaijan and Russia in the Caspian Sea but no resolution has been
  made on dividing the water column among any of the littoral states;
  no resolution of Caspian seabed boundary with Turkmenistan

Kenya
  Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
  creating the "Ilemi triangle"

Kingman Reef
  none

Kiribati
  none

Korea, North
  with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers
  are in uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san
  (mountain) is indefinite; China objects to illegal migration of
  North Koreans into northern China; Military Demarcation Line within
  the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South
  Korea since 1953

Korea, South
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide
  Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953;
  Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) are disputed with Japan

Kuwait
  the Kuwait 1994 land and Khawr 'Abd Allah channel boundary
  demarcation ended Iraqi claims to Kuwait and Bubiyan and Warbah
  islands; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are negotiating maritime boundary
  with Iran

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan's constitutional court has ruled that 1,270 sq
  km ceded to China in a 2000 delimitation agreement were legally
  transferred; delimitation with Kazakhstan is largely complete with
  only minor disputed areas; disputes in Isfara Valley delay
  completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; serious disputes with
  Uzbekistan around Uzbek enclaves mar progress on delimitation efforts

Laos
  demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam
  is nearing completion, but with Thailand several areas including
  Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with
  Thailand and Vietnam over squatters

Latvia
  the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation
  treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
  maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
  over oil exploration rights

Lebanon
  Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October
  1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of
  Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Lesotho
  none

Liberia
  rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with
  Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government
  accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Libya
  Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern
  Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant
  disputes; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in
  southern Libya

Liechtenstein
  Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for
  1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Lithuania
  in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified a 1997 land
  and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which had ratified the
  treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders;
  the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary
  treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil
  exploration rights; discussions are still ongoing among Russia,
  Lithuania, and the EU concerning a simplified transit document for
  residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to transit through
  Lithuania to Russia

Luxembourg
  none

Macau
  none

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  the Albanian government
  calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in
  F.Y.R.O.M. while continuing to seek regional cooperation; ethnic
  Albanians in Kosovo continue to protest 2000 F.Y.R.O.M.-Serbia and
  Montenegro boundary treaty, which transfers small tracts of land to
  F.Y.R.O.M.; dispute with Greece over country's name persists

Madagascar
  claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Malawi
  dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
  Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Malaysia
  involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with
  China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants
  in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties
  in the South China Sea," a mechanism to ease tension but which fell
  short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; disputes over
  deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation
  on Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca
  Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration
  on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded Ligitan and
  Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by Indonesia
  and Philippines, to Malaysia; a small section of the
  Malaysia-Thailand boundary in the Kolok River remains in dispute

Maldives
  none

Mali
  armed bandits based in Mali attack southern Algerian towns

Malta
  none

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  claims US territory of Wake Island

Martinique
  none

Mauritania
  Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in
  recent years

Mauritius
  Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
  British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who
  reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the
  right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin
  Island

Mayotte
  claimed by Comoros

Mexico
  prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US
  has strained water-sharing arrangements

Micronesia, Federated States of
  none

Midway Islands
  none

Moldova
  difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border
  crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms
  transfers, and other illegal activities

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  none

Montserrat
  none

Morocco
  claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty
  remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
  effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have
  failed and parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco
  protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
  Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
  Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also
  rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the
  Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource
  exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish
  fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after
  an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Mozambique
  none

Namibia
  commission established with Botswana to resolve small
  residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
  marshlands along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest
  Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on
  Popa Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of
  the boundary in the Orange River; dormant dispute remains where
  Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge; Angolan
  rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

Nauru
  none

Navassa Island
  claimed by Haiti

Nepal
  joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
  sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
  border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents

Netherlands
  none

Netherlands Antilles
  none

New Caledonia
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
  claimed by France and Vanuatu

New Zealand
  territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Nicaragua
  territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de
  San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; with respect
  to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ
  referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed
  Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution
  among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
  legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border
  with Costa Rica

Niger
  Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant
  dispute; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with
  Nigeria, remains undemarcated but states accept 2001 arbitration
  over disputed Niger River islands; Lake Chad Commission continues to
  urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify
  delimitation treaty over the lake region, which remains the site of
  armed clashes among local populations and militias

Nigeria
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi
  Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected the
  cession of the peninsula but the parties formed a Joint Border
  Commission to peaceably resolve the dispute and commence with
  demarcation in other less-contested sections of the boundary;
  several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin;
  Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad,
  Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region,
  which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
  militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish
  sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

Niue
  none

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  none

Norway
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud
  Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia
  and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents
  Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
  within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Oman
  boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for
  entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah
  enclaves

Pacific Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Pakistan
  thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Pakistan;
  isolating terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in Pakistan make
  cross-border activities difficult to control; armed stand-off with
  India over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues - India
  objects to Pakistan ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement
  that India believes are part of disputed Kashmir; disputes with
  India over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Rann of
  Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation

Palau
  none

Palmyra Atoll
  none

Panama
  none

Papua New Guinea
  Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal
  migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Paraguay
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug
  trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants

Peru
  Bolivia continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the
  Atacama corridor ceded to Chile in 1884

Philippines
  involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with
  China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants in
  November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell
  short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; Sultanate of Sulu
  granted Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue its
  sovereignty claim over Malaysia's Sabah State but Malaysia rejects
  claim

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  small boundary changes made with Slovakia in 2003

Portugal
  Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to territories
  around the town of Olivenza, Spain

Puerto Rico
  none

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  none

Romania
  has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy
  (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks
  based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years;
  joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Bulgaria based
  on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920; Hungary has yet
  to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits
  to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who protest the law

Russia
  China continues to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the
  disputed alluvial islands at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri
  rivers and a small island on the Argun River as part of the 2001
  Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation; the
  islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group
  identified by the Russians as the "Southern Kurils" and by Japan as
  the "Northern Territories" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
  administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; boundary with Georgia has
  been largely delimited but not demarcated with several small,
  strategic segments remaining in dispute and OSCE observers
  monitoring volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti
  region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed treaties
  have been signed with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea
  but no resolution on dividing the water column among any of the
  littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in
  the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's
  territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues
  to reject signing and ratifying the joint 1996 technical border
  agreement with Estonia; the Russian Parliament refuses to consider
  ratification of the boundary treaties with Estonia and Latvia, but
  in May 2003, ratified land and maritime boundary treaty with
  Lithuania, which ratified the 1997 treaty in 1999, legalizing limits
  of former Soviet republic borders; discussions are still ongoing
  among Russia, Lithuania and the EU concerning a simplified transit
  document for residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to transit
  through Lithuania to Russia; land delimitation with Ukraine is
  ratified, but maritime regime of the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait is
  unresolved; delimitation with Kazakhstan is scheduled for completion
  in 2003; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Maritime Boundary
  Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Rwanda
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
  political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
  continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries
  of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to
  gain control over populated areas and natural resources - government
  heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence continues
  despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect
  to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf
  extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Lucia
  protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves
  Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending
  over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  protests Venezuela's claim to give
  full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan
  EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the
  Caribbean Sea

Samoa
  none; note - some EEZ demarcations, including the one with
  American Samoa, are undefined

San Marino
  none

Sao Tome and Principe
  none

Saudi Arabia
  nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist
  demarcation of boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have been
  negotiating a long-contested maritime boundary with Iran; because
  the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the
  boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate

Senegal
  separatist war in Casamance region results in refugees and
  cross-border raids, arms smuggling, other illegal activities, and
  political instability in Guinea-Bissau

Serbia and Montenegro
  the Albanian government calls for the
  protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside its borders in
  the Kosovo region of Serbia and Montenegro while continuing to seek
  regional cooperation; several ethnic Albanian groups in Kosovo voice
  union with Albania; has delimited about half of the boundary with
  Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in
  dispute; in late 2002, Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia adopted an
  interim agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula,
  allowing the withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), but
  discussions could be complicated by the inability of Serbia and
  Montenegro to come to an agreement on the economic aspects of the
  new federal union

Seychelles
  claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
  Indian Ocean Territory)

Sierra Leone
  large UN peacekeeping presence ended civil war but
  rebel gang fighting, ethnic rivalries, illegal diamond trading,
  corruption, and refugees spill over into neighboring states beset
  with their own civil disorder, refugees, and violence

Singapore
  disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to
  Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime
  boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu
  Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute
  within three years

Slovakia
  small boundary changes made with Poland in 2003; Hungary
  has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural
  benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, who protest the law

Slovenia
  parliamentarians are far from ratifying the
  Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would
  have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and
  several villages to Croatia

Solomon Islands
  none

Somalia
  "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to
  land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional
  states; "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland"
  secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties,
  each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains
  only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern
  Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to
  the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

South Africa
  managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the
  boundary in the Orange River

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  briefly occupied by
  military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but
  declares it will no longer seek settlement by force

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica
  entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK
  assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in
  the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
  extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
  Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) to include undersea ridges;
  the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime
  claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US
  and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims have
  been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

Spain
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
  "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
  UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Morocco protests Spain's
  control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de
  Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas
  Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's
  unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in
  2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee
  interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily
  off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish
  fishing grounds; Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to
  territories around the town of Olivenza, Spain

Spratly Islands
  all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China,
  Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the
  Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
  that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has
  not publicly claimed the island; claimants in November 2002 signed
  the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea",
  a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct"

Sri Lanka
  none

Sudan
  the north-south civil war has drawn Sudan's neighbors into the
  fighting, sheltering refugees, and infiltration by rebel groups -
  Kenya and Uganda have acted as mediators; Sudan accuses Eritrea of
  supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous
  boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by fighting in Sudan;
  Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
  creating the "Ilemi triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain claims to
  administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the
  1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn
  their military presence; Egypt is economically developing the
  "Hala'ib triangle"

Suriname
  area disputed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and
  Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); area disputed by
  Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari
  [Kutari] rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne); territorial sea
  boundary with Guyana is in dispute

Svalbard
  despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
  maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
  beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Swaziland
  none

Sweden
  none

Switzerland
  none

Syria
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a
  farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon
  since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects
  regulating upper Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any
  perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Taiwan
  involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with
  China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
  claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of
  Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but
  which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; Paracel
  Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims
  Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as
  does China

Tajikistan
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing
  difficulties for Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed
  in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return
  for China relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands;
  negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute;
  talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border;
  disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with
  Kyrgyzstan

Tanzania
  disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
  Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Thailand
  completion of boundary demarcation with Cambodia hampered
  by accusations of moving and destroying boundary markers,
  encroachments, initiating border incidents, and sealing off Preah
  Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;
  demarcation complete except for a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth
  of the Kolok River in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos
  complete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of
  Thai squatters; despite continuing border committee talks,
  significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment
  and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal
  cross-border activities

Togo
  in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
  commission presently resurveying the boundary

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  none

Trinidad and Tobago
  none

Tromelin Island
  claimed by Mauritius

Tunisia
  none

Turkey
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece
  in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question remains with Greece; Syria and
  Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper
  Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian
  claim to Hatay province; border with Armenia remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkmenistan
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing
  difficulties for Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan has not
  committed to follow either Iran or the other littoral states in the
  division of the Caspian Sea seabed and water column; ICJ decision
  expected to resolve dispute with Azerbaijan over sovereignty over
  Caspian oilfields; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan is
  underway - maritime boundary not resolved

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, associated political
  rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting
  in the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control
  over populated areas and natural resources; government heads pledge
  to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite UN
  peacekeeping efforts; conflict in Sudan has extended rebel forces
  and refugees into Uganda

Ukraine
  1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and encouraging
  illegal cross-border activities; land delimitation of boundary with
  Russia is complete, but maritime regime of the Sea of Azov and Kerch
  Strait remains unresolved; difficulties in the Transnistria region
  of Moldova complicate border crossing and customs, facilitating
  smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities; has not
  resolved Romanian claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake)
  Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based
  on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years

United Arab Emirates
  because the treaties have not been made public,
  the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still
  unknown and labeled approximate; boundary agreement signed and
  ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's
  Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves; UAE engage direct talks
  and Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation
  of Lesser and Greater Tunb islands and Abu Musa island

United Kingdom
  Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum
  against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between
  Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Mauritius and
  Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean
  Territory) and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in
  Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to
  repatriation since eviction in 1965; Argentina claims the Falkland
  Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich
  Islands; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and
  Iceland; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic
  Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean
  claim; disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe
  Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

United States
  prolonged drought in the Mexico border region has
  strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary
  Agreement in the Bering Sea awaits Russian Duma ratification;
  maritime boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort
  Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal
  Island and North Rock; The Bahamas have not been able to agree on a
  maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from
  Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can
  terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no
  territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do
  so) and does not recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall
  Islands claims Wake Island

Uruguay
  uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
  Argentina

Uzbekistan
  prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing
  difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with
  Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; serious disputes with
  Kyrgyzstan around Uzbek enclaves mar progress on delimitation
  efforts; talks have begun with Tajikistan to determine and delimit
  border

Vanuatu
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by
  Vanuatu and France

Venezuela
  claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime
  boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the
  Caribbean Sea; US, France and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's
  claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan
  EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the
  Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest the claim and other states'
  recognition of it

Vietnam
  demarcation of the land boundary with China continues, but
  maritime boundary and joint fishing zone agreement remains
  unratified; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed
  encroachments along border; China occupies Paracel Islands also
  claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in a complex dispute over
  Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and
  possibly Brunei; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration
  on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to
  ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct"

Virgin Islands
  none

Wake Island
  claimed by Marshall Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  none

West Bank
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but
  sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has
  remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a
  referendum have failed and parties have rejected other proposals;
  Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent
  years; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the
  coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing
  grounds

World
  Globally, there are over 250,000 km of international land
  boundaries that separate the world's 192 independent states, along
  with 70 dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and other
  miscellaneous entities. Maritime states have claimed limits and have
  so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and joint
  development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide for
  their national security at sea. On land, ethnicity, culture, race,
  religion, and language have divided states into separate political
  entities as much as history, physical terrain, political fiat, or
  conquest, resulting in sometimes arbitrary and imposed boundaries.
  All of these factors have contributed to a wide array of boundary,
  borderland, and territorial disagreements that vary in intensity
  from unresolved or dormant to outright war. Territorial disputes may
  evolve from historical and/or cultural animosities, or they may be
  brought on by resource competition. Ethnic clashes continue to be
  responsible for territorial fragmentation around the world.
  Undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries encourage
  illegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration, and
  political confrontation over boundary allocations. Other sources of
  contention include the use of water and mineral (especially
  petroleum) resources, fisheries, dams, and nuclear power plants.
  Many islands or island groups are also disputed, including those at
  sea and in streams. Nonetheless, many nations are actively
  cooperating to clarify, delineate, and demarcate their international
  borders. The tragic aspect of international discord is the impact on
  the sustenance and welfare of populations caught in the conflict. It
  is frequently left to members of the world community to cope with
  enormous refugee situations, and the resultant hunger, disease, and
  impoverishment that they create.

Yemen
  Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish islands
  awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999; nomadic groups in border
  region with Saudi Arabia resist demarcation of boundary

Zambia
  dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
  Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Zimbabwe
  dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia,
  and Zimbabwe boundaries converge

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2075 Ethnic groups (%)

Afghanistan
  Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups
  (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%

Albania
  Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and
  Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
  note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
  1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Algeria
  Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

American Samoa
  Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
  other 5%

Andorra
  Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other
  6% (1998)

Angola
  Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed
  European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Anguilla
  black (predominant), mulatto, white

Antigua and Barbuda
  black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Argentina
  white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo,
  Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3%

Armenia
  Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi
  Kurds) 4% (2002)
  note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
  Armenia

Aruba
  mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Australia
  Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Austria
  German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians,
  Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2%
  (includes those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)

Azerbaijan
  Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%,
  other 2.3% (1998 est.)
  note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
  region

Bahamas, The
  black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Bahrain
  Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

Bangladesh
  Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Barbados
  black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Belarus
  Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and
  other 7.4%

Belgium
  Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Belize
  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other
  9.7%

Benin
  African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
  Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Bermuda
  black 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Bhutan
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas—one of
  several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Bolivia
  Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry)
  30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other
  0.6% (2000)
  note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
  confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Botswana
  Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
  including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Brazil
  white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish)
  55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese,
  Arab, Amerindian) 1%

British Virgin Islands
  black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Brunei
  Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3%
  (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998)

Burkina Faso
  Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,
  Fulani

Burma
  Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian
  2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Burundi
  Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
  Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Cambodia
  Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Cameroon
  Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%,
  Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other
  African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Canada
  British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European
  15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
  background 26%

Cape Verde
  Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Cayman Islands
  mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of
  various ethnic groups 20%

Central African Republic
  Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%,
  Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Chad
  200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
  (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
  Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
  Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
  Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
  French citizens live in Chad

Chile
  white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

China
  Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao,
  Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Christmas Island
  Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
  note: no indigenous population (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Europeans, Cocos Malays

Colombia
  mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
  black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Comoros
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  over 200 African ethnic groups of
  which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba,
  Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about
  45% of the population

Congo, Republic of the
  Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,
  Europeans and other 3%
  note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
  civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
  destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Cook Islands
  Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European
  7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Costa Rica
  white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
  Chinese 1%, other 1%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes
  16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000
  Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998)

Croatia
  Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%,
  Slovene 0.3%, Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin
  0.1%, others 4.1% (2001)

Cuba
  mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Cyprus
  Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)

Czech Republic
  Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish
  0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other
  0.5% (1991)

Denmark
  Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
  Somali

Djibouti
  Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian
  5%

Dominica
  black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib
  Amerindian

Dominican Republic
  white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

East Timor
  Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese
  minority

Ecuador
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
  Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Egypt
  Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
  Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
  French) 1%

El Salvador
  mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

Equatorial Guinea
  Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni
  (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Eritrea
  ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho
  (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Estonia
  Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian
  1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)

Ethiopia
  Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%,
  Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  British

Faroe Islands
  Scandinavian

Fiji
  Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian
  admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas
  Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Finland
  Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%

France
  Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
  Indochinese, Basque minorities

French Guiana
  black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
  Amerindian 12%, other 10%

French Polynesia
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
  metropolitan French 4%

Gabon
  Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang,
  Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000,
  including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Gambia, The
  African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola
  10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Gaza Strip
  Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
  Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%,
  Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Germany
  German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of
  Serbo-Croatian, Italian, Russian, Greek, Polish, Spanish)

Ghana
  black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba
  16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5%
  (1998)

Gibraltar
  Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese

Greece
  Greek 98%, other 2%
  note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
  Greece

Greenland
  Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish
  and others 12% (January 2000)

Grenada
  black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East
  Indian 5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Guadeloupe
  black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
  Chinese less than 5%

Guam
  Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese,
  Korean, and other 27%

Guatemala
  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated
  Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%,
  Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites
  and others 2%

Guernsey
  UK and Norman-French descent

Guinea
  Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Guinea-Bissau
  African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%,
  Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Guyana
  East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese,
  and mixed 7%

Haiti
  black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italians, Swiss, other

Honduras
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%,
  black 2%, white 1%

Hong Kong
  Chinese 95%, other 5%

Hungary
  Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
  Romanian 0.7%

Iceland
  homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
  population of foreign origin 6%

India
  Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Indonesia
  Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays
  7.5%, other 26%

Iran
  Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%,
  Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Iraq
  Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Ireland
  Celtic, English

Israel
  Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
  Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
  (1996 est.)

Italy
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
  Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
  Greek-Italians in the south)

Jamaica
  black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,
  mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Japan
  Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241,
  Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914) (2000)

Jersey
  UK and Norman-French descent

Jordan
  Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek
  2.5%, German 2.4%, Uighur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)

Kenya
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii
  6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and
  Arab) 1%

Kiribati
  predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian

Korea, North
  racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
  community and a few ethnic Japanese

Korea, South
  homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%,
  other 7%

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%,
  German 2.4%, other 11.8%

Laos
  Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
  (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic
  Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Latvia
  Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian
  2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%

Lebanon
  Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Lesotho
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Liberia
  indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio,
  Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
  Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
  immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
  (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Libya
  Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
  Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Liechtenstein
  Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Lithuania
  Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian
  1.6%, other 2.1%

Luxembourg
  Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,
  Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European
  (guest and resident workers)

Macau
  Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
  Portuguese, other

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonian 64.2%,
  Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.3% (1994)

Madagascar
  Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers
  (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
  Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian,
  Creole, Comoran

Malawi
  Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
  Ngonde, Asian, European

Malaysia
  Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%,
  others 10% (2000)

Maldives
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Mali
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
  Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Malta
  Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians,
  with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Man, Isle of
  Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Marshall Islands
  Micronesian

Martinique
  African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
  East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Mauritania
  mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Mauritius
  Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
  Franco-Mauritian 2%

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
  Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  nine ethnic Micronesian and
  Polynesian groups

Moldova
  Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
  Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
  note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Monaco
  French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Mongolia
  Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh
  is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese
  and Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Montserrat
  black, white

Morocco
  Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe,
  Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans
  0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Namibia
  black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
  note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
  to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
  7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Nauru
  Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European
  8%

Nepal
  Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu,
  Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Netherlands
  Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin
  mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians)
  (1999 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East
  Asian

New Caledonia
  Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,
  Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

New Zealand
  New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European
  4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Nicaragua
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black
  9%, Amerindian 5%

Niger
  Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri
  (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200
  French expatriates

Nigeria
  Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is
  composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most
  populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba
  21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Niue
  Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Norfolk Island
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
  Zealander, Polynesians

Northern Mariana Islands
  Chamorro, Carolinians and other
  Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean

Norway
  Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Oman
  Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
  Bangladeshi), African

Pakistan
  Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
  (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their
  descendants)

Palau
  Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures)
  70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and
  Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Panama
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and
  mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Papua New Guinea
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Paraguay
  mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Peru
  Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
  15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Philippines
  Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%,
  other 3%

Pitcairn Islands
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian wives

Poland
  Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belarusian 0.5%
  (1990 est.)

Portugal
  homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African
  descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less
  than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Puerto Rico
  white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%,
  Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Qatar
  Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Reunion
  French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Romania
  Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%,
  German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)

Russia
  Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%,
  Bashkir 0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% (1989)

Rwanda
  Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Saint Helena
  African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Saint Kitts and Nevis predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Saint Lucia
  black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian
  6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Samoa
  Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and
  Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

San Marino
  Sammarinese, Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan
  slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract
  laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children
  of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Saudi Arabia
  Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Senegal
  Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka
  3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Serbia and Montenegro
  Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%,
  Hungarian 3.3%, other 12.6% (1991)

Seychelles
  mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Sierra Leone
  20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%,
  other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves
  who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century),
  refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of
  Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Singapore
  Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Slovakia
  Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census
  figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about
  500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian
  0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Slovenia
  Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%,
  Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991)

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
  European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Somalia
  Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs
  30,000)

South Africa
  black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Spain
  composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Sri Lanka
  Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and
  Vedda 1%

Sudan
  black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Suriname
  Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
  ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the
  19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
  "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
  the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
  10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Svalbard
  Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3%
  (1998)

Swaziland
  African 97%, European 3%

Sweden
  indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami
  minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns,
  Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Switzerland
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other
  6%

Syria
  Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Taiwan
  Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
  aborigine 2%

Tajikistan
  Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because
  of emigration), other 6.6%

Tanzania
  mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu
  consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian,
  European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and
  native African

Thailand
  Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Togo
  native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
  Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Tokelau
  Polynesian

Tonga
  Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Trinidad and Tobago
  black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term -
  primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white
  0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%

Tunisia
  Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other
  5.1% (1995)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  black 90%, mixed, European, or north
  American 10%

Tuvalu
  Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Uganda
  Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi
  6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro
  3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%,
  Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Ukraine
  Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan
  0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian
  0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South
  Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)
  8% (1982)
  note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

United Kingdom
  English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%,
  Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

United States
  white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and
  Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%,
  other 4% (2000)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
  Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
  descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
  origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
  (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Uruguay
  white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically
  nonexistent

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak
  2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Vanuatu
  indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese,
  other Pacific Islanders

Venezuela
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,
  indigenous people

Vietnam
  Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham,
  mountain groups

Virgin Islands
  black 78%, white 10%, other 12%
  note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born
  elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%,
  other 2%

Wallis and Futuna
  Polynesian

West Bank
  Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Western Sahara
  Arab, Berber

Yemen
  predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Zambia
  African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Zimbabwe
  African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and
  Asian 1%, white less than 1%

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2076 Exchange rates

Afghanistan
  afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (October-December 2002),
  3,000 (2001), 3,000 (2000), 3,000 (1999), 3,000 (1998), note: before
  2002 the market rate varied widely from the official rate; in 2002
  the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized

Albania
  leke per US dollar - NA (2002), 143.49 (2001), 143.71
  (2000), 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998)

Algeria
  Algerian dinars per US dollar - 79.68 (2002), 77.22 (2001),
  75.26 (2000), 66.57 (1999), 58.74 (1998)

American Samoa
  the US dollar is used

Andorra
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999)

Angola
  kwanza per US dollar - 43.53 (2002), 22.06 (2001), 10.04
  (2000), 2.79 (1999), 0.39 (1998); note - in December 1999 the kwanza
  was revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate
  since 1976)

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998) (fixed rate
  since 1976)

Argentina
  Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.06 (2002), 1 (2001), 1
  (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998)

Armenia
  drams per US dollar - NA (2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53
  (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998)

Aruba
  Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79
  (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

Australia
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93
  (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)

Austria
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999), 12.38 (1998)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,860.82 (2002),
  4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998)

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1
  (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001),
  0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)

Bangladesh
  taka per US dollar - 57.89 (2002), 55.81 (2001), 52.14
  (2000), 49.09 (1999), 46.91 (1998)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2
  (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998)

Belarus
  Belarusian rubles per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,390 (2001),
  876.75 (2000), 248.8 (1999), 46.13 (1998)

Belgium
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999), 36.3 (1998)

Belize
  Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2
  (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged
  to the US dollar)

Bhutan
  ngultrum per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94
  (2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)

Bolivia
  bolivianos per US dollar - 7.17 (2002), 6.61 (2001), 6.18
  (2000), 5.81 (1999), 5.51 (1998)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  marka per US dollar - NA (2002), 2.19 (2001),
  2.12 (2000), 1.84 (1999), 1.76 (1998)

Botswana
  pulas per US dollar - 6.33 (2002), 5.84 (2001), 5.1 (2000),
  4.62 (1999), 4.23 (1998)

Brazil
  reals per US dollar - 2.92 (2002), 2.36 (2001), 1.83 (2000),
  1.81 (1999), 1.16 (1998)
  note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate
  was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the
  official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

British Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Brunei
  Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001),
  1.72 (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)

Bulgaria
  leva per US dollar - 2.08 (2002), 2.18 (2001), 2.12 (2000),
  1.84 (1999), 1.76 (1998)
  note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
  1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999),
  589.95 (1998)

Burma
  kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000),
  6.29 (1999), 6.34 (1998)

Burundi
  Burundi francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 830.35 (2001),
  720.67 (2000), 563.56 (1999), 447.77 (1998)

Cambodia
  riels per US dollar - 3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33 (2001),
  3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999), 3,744.42 (1998)

Cameroon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar
  - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Canada
  Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001),
  1.49 (2000), 1.49 (1999), 1.48 (1998)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - NA (2002),
  123.21 (2001), 115.88 (2000), 102.7 (1999), 98.16 (1998)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October
  2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Central African Republic
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs
  (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000),
  615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Chad
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Chile
  Chilean pesos per US dollar - 688.95 (2002), 634.94 (2001),
  535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998)

China
  yuan per US dollar - 8.28 (2002), 8.28 (2001), 8.28 (2000),
  8.28 (1999), 8.28 (1998)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002),
  1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354
  (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998),
  1.3439 (1997)

Colombia
  Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63
  (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998)

Comoros
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 522.74 (2002), 549.78
  (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.78 (1999), 442.46 (1998)
  note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
  French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January
  1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
  Comoran francs per euro

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese francs per US dollar -
  346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998)

Congo, Republic of the
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF)
  per US dollar - 697 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7
  (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Cook Islands
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January
  2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998),
  1.5083 (1997)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87
  (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999),
  589.95 (1998)

Croatia
  kuna per US dollar - 7.87 (2002), 8.34 (2001), 8.28 (2000),
  7.11 (1999), 6.36 (1998)

Cuba
  Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official
  rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);
  convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar
  per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (2002)

Cyprus
  Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.61 (2002), 0.64 (2001), 0.62
  (2000), 0.54 (1999), 0.52 (1998), Turkish lira per US dollar NA
  (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724
  (1998)

Czech Republic
  koruny per US dollar - 32.74 (2002), 38.04 (2001),
  38.6 (2000), 34.57 (1999), 32.28 (1998)

Denmark
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08
  (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Djibouti
  Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2002), 177.72
  (2001), 177.72 (2000), 177.72 (1999), 177.72 (1998)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7
  (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican pesos per US dollar - 18.61 (2002),
  16.95 (2001), 16.42 (2000), 16.03 (1999), 15.27 (1998)

East Timor
  see US dollar

Ecuador
  sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001),
  24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.57 (1998)

Egypt
  Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 4.5 (2002), 3.97 (2001), 3.47
  (2000), 3.4 (1999), 3.39 (1998)

El Salvador
  8.75 the US dollar is the legal tender

Equatorial Guinea
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per
  US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7
  (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6 (January
  1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.)

Estonia
  krooni per US dollar - 16.61 (2002), 17.56 (2001), 16.97
  (2000), 14.68 (1999), 14.07 (1998)

Ethiopia
  birr per US dollar - NA (2002), 8.46 (2001), 8.22 (2000),
  7.94 (1999), 7.12 (1998)
  note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
  basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pounds per US dollar -
  0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998); note
  - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Faroe Islands
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32
  (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Fiji
  Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.19 (2002), 2.28 (2001), 2.13
  (2000), 1.97 (1999), 1.99 (1998)

Finland
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999)

France
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999)

French Guiana
  Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09
  (2000), 0.94 (1999)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999),
  107.25 (1998)
  note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Gabon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Gambia, The
  dalasi per US dollar - NA (2002), 15.69 (2001), 12.79
  (2000), 11.4 (1999), 10.64 (1998)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057
  (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)

Georgia
  lari per US dollar - 2.2 (2002), 2.07 (2001), 1.98 (2000),
  2.02 (1999), 1.39 (1998)

Germany
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999), 1.76 (1998)

Ghana
  cedis per US dollar - NA (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06
  (2000), 2,669.3 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998)

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
  (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the
  Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Greece
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 365.4 (2000),
  305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998)
  note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency
  within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to
  all transactions

Greenland
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001),
  8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7
  (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Guadeloupe
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
  1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
  (1998)

Guam
  the US dollar is used

Guatemala
  quetzales per US dollar - 7.82 (2002), 7.86 (2001), 7.76
  (2000), 7.39 (1999), 6.39 (1998)

Guernsey
  Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
  (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the
  Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Guinea
  Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001),
  1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999),
  589.95 (1998)
  note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the
  national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to
  the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Guyana
  Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 187.32 (2001),
  182.43 (2000), 178 (1999), 150.52 (1998)

Haiti
  gourdes per US dollar - 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17
  (2000), 16.94 (1999), 16.77 (1998)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.1324 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Honduras
  lempiras per US dollar - 16.43 (2002), 15.47 (2001), 14.84
  (2000), 14.21 (1999), 13.39 (1998)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001),
  7.79 (2000), 7.76 (1999), 7.75 (1998)

Hungary
  forints per US dollar - 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18
  (2000), 237.15 (1999), 214.4 (1998)

Iceland
  Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 91.66 (2002), 97.42 (2001),
  78.62 (2000), 72.34 (1999), 70.96 (1998)

India
  Indian rupees per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001),
  44.94 (2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 9,311.19 (2002),
  10,260.8 (2001), 8,421.77 (2000), 7,855.15 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998)

Iran
  rials per US dollar 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43
  (2000), 1,752.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998)
  note: from 1997 to 2001, Iran had a multi-exchange-rate system; one
  of these rates, the official floating exchange rate, by which most
  essential goods were imported, averaged 1,750 rials per US dollar;
  in March 2002, the multi-exchange-rate system was converged into one
  rate at about 7,900 rials per US dollar

Iraq
  Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.31 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31
  (2000), 0.31 (1999), 0.31 (1998), note: fixed official rate since
  1982; market rate subject to wide fluctuations

Ireland
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999), 0.7 (1998)

Israel
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.74 (2002), 4.21 (2001),
  4.08 (2000), 4.14 (1999), 3.8 (1998)

Italy
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999)

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 48.42 (2002), 46 (2001),
  42.7 (2000), 39.04 (1999), 36.55 (1998)

Japan
  yen per US dollar - 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77
  (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998)

Jersey
  Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
  0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at
  par with the British pound

Jordan
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.71 (2002), 0.71 (2001),
  0.71 (2000), 0.71 (1999), 0.71 (1998)

Kazakhstan
  tenge per US dollar - 153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001),
  142.13 (2000), 119.52 (1999), 78.3 (1998)

Kenya
  Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.75 (2002), 78.56 (2001),
  76.18 (2000), 70.33 (1999), 60.37 (1998)

Kiribati
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93
  (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)

Korea, North
  official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150
  (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May
  1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North
  Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December
  2001)

Korea, South
  South Korean won per US dollar - 1,251.09 (2002),
  1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31
  (2000), 0.3 (1999), 0.3 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan
  soms per US dollar - 46.94 (2002), 48.38 (2001), 47.7
  (2000), 39.01 (1999), 20.84 (1998)

Laos
  kips per US dollar - 7,562 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64
  (2000), 7,102.02 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998)

Latvia
  lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000),
  0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5
  (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999), 1,516.13 (1998)

Lesotho
  maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
  (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Liberia
  Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001),
  40.95 (2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)
  note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship
  with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market
  determined

Libya
  Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2 (2003), 0.6 (2002), 0.51
  (2001), 0.5 (2000), 0.39 (1999)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876
  (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998)

Lithuania
  litai per US dollar - 3.68 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000), 4
  (1999), 4 (1998)

Luxembourg
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09
  (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Macau
  patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000),
  7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonian denars per US
  dollar - 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000), 56.9 (1999), 54.46
  (1998)

Madagascar
  Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49
  (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)

Malawi
  Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 76.69 (2002), 72.2 (2001),
  59.54 (2000), 44.09 (1999), 31.07 (1998)

Malaysia
  ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8
  (2000), 3.8 (1999), 3.92 (1998)

Maldives
  rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77
  (2000), 11.77 (1999), 11.77 (1998)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Malta
  Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44
  (2000), 0.4 (1999), 0.39 (1998)

Man, Isle of
  Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
  (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Manx pound
  is at par with the British pound

Marshall Islands
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Martinique
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs
  per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Mauritania
  ouguiyas per US dollar - ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350
  (December 2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998),
  151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13
  (2001), 26.25 (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (1998)

Mayotte
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
  1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
  (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Mexico
  Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46
  (2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  the US dollar is used 1

Moldova
  lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000),
  10.52 (1999), 5.37 (1998)

Monaco
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
  1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
  (1998)

Mongolia
  togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,134 (2002), 1,097.7
  (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999), 840.83 (1998)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate
  since 1976)

Morocco
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001),
  10.63 (2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Mozambique
  meticais per US dollar - 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6 (2001),
  15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998)
  note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
  weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
  transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Namibia
  Namibian dollars per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001),
  6.94 (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Nauru
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320
  (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 77.88 (2002), 74.95 (2001),
  71.09 (2000), 68.24 (1999), 65.98 (1998)

Netherlands
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09
  (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar -
  1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93
  (1999), 107.25 (1998)

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.16 (2002), 2.38
  (2001), 2.2 (2000), 1.89 (1999), 1.87 (1998)

Nicaragua
  gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001),
  12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Nigeria
  nairas per US dollar - NA (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7
  (2000), 92.34 (1999), 21.89 (1998)

Niue
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002), 2.3776
  (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406 (2002),
  1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Northern Mariana Islands
  the US dollar is used

Norway
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.98 (2002), 8.99 (2001),
  8.8 (2000), 7.8 (1999), 7.55 (1998)

Oman
  Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38
  (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 59.72 (2002), 61.93
  (2001), 53.65 (2000), 49.12 (1999), 44.94 (1998)

Palau
  the US dollar is used

Panama
  balboas per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1
  (1999), 1 (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  kina per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.39 (2001), 2.78
  (2000), 2.57 (1999), 2.07 (1998)

Paraguay
  guarani per US dollar - 5,720.44 (2002), 4,105.92 (2001),
  3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999), 2,726.49 (1998)

Peru
  nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.52 (2002), 3.51 (2001), 3.49
  (2000), 3.38 (1999), 2.93 (1998)

Philippines
  Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.67 (2002), 50.99
  (2001), 44.19 (2000), 39.09 (1999), 40.89 (1998)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002),
  2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083
  (1997)

Poland
  zlotych per US dollar - 3.99 (2002), 4.09 (2001), 4.35
  (2000), 3.97 (1999), 3.48 (1998)
  note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Portugal
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09
  (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Puerto Rico
  the US dollar is used

Qatar
  Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64
  (2000), 3.64 (1999), 3.64 (1998)

Reunion
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
  1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
  (1998)

Romania
  lei per US dollar - 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001),
  21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.58 (1998)

Russia
  Russian rubles per US dollar - 31.27 (2002), 29.17 (2001),
  28.13 (2000), 24.62 (1999), 9.71 (1998)
  note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1
  January 1998 rubles

Rwanda
  Rwandan francs per US dollar - 475.37 (2002), 442.99 (2001),
  389.7 (2000), 333.94 (1999), 312.31 (1998)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002),
  0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7
  (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2001),
  1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollars per US
  dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)

Samoa
  tala per US dollar - 3.37 (2002), 3.48 (2001), 3.29 (2000),
  3.01 (1999), 2.95 (1998)

San Marino
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09
  (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobras per US dollar - NA (2002), 8,842.11
  (2001), 7,978.17 (2000), 7,118.96 (1999), 6,883.24 (1998)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.75 (2002), 3.75 (2001),
  3.75 (2000), 3.75 (1999), 3.75 (1998)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Serbia and Montenegro
  new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official
  rate: 65 (2002), 10.0 (December 1998); black market rate: 14.5
  (December 1998)

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.48 (2002), 5.86
  (2001), 5.71 (2000), 5.34 (1999), 5.26 (1998)

Sierra Leone
  leones per US dollar - 2,099.03 (2002), 1,986.15
  (2001), 2,092.12 (2000), 1,804.19 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998)

Singapore
  Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79
  (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)

Slovakia
  koruny per US dollar - 45.33 (2002), 48.35 (2001), 46.04
  (2000), 41.36 (1999), 35.23 (1998)

Slovenia
  tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66
  (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998)

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2002),
  NA (2001), 5.09 (2000), 4.84 (1999), 4.82 (1998)

Somalia
  Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000),
  2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January
  1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
  note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
  country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
  currency, the Somaliland shilling

South Africa
  rand per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
  (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Spain
  euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
  0.94 (1999)

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 95.66 (2002), 89.38
  (2001), 77.01 (2000), 70.64 (1999), 64.45 (1998)

Sudan
  Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001),
  257.12 (2000), 252.55 (1999), 200.8 (1998)

Suriname
  Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2,346.75 (2002),
  2,178.5 (2001), 1,322.47 (2000), 859.44 (1999), 401 (1998)
  note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
  rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
  subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the
  government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around
  the official rate

Svalbard
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917
  (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998)

Swaziland
  emalangeni per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
  (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Sweden
  Swedish kronor per US dollar - 9.74 (2002), 10.33 (2001),
  9.16 (2000), 8.26 (1999), 7.95 (1998)

Switzerland
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.56 (2002), 1.69 (2001),
  1.69 (2000), 1.5 (1999), 1.45 (1998)

Syria
  Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.23 (2002),
  11.23 (2001), 11.23 (2000), 11.23 (1999), 11.23 (1998), (Free market
  rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999), 52 (1998)

Taiwan
  34.88 (2002), 34.74 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)

Tajikistan
  Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37
  (2001), 2.08 (2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998)
  note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
  with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2002), 876.41
  (2001), 800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998)

Thailand
  baht per US dollar - 42.96 (2002), 44.43 (2001), 40.11
  (2000), 37.81 (1999), 41.36 (1998)

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95
  (1998)

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.154 (2002), 2.3776
  (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Tonga
  pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6
  (1999), 1.49 (1998)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.24
  (2002), 6.23 (2001), 6.3 (2000), 6.3 (1999), 6.3 (1998)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.42 (2002), 1.44 (2001),
  1.37 (2000), 1.19 (1999), 1.14 (1998)

Turkey
  NA (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999),
  260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997)

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2002), 5,200
  (2001), 5,200 (2000), 5,200 (1999), 4,890.17 (1998); note - the
  official exchange rate has not varied for the last four years; the
  unofficial rate has fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000
  manats to the dollar

Turks and Caicos Islands
  the US dollar is used

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406
  (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Uganda
  Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,797.55 (2002), 1,755.66
  (2001), 1,644.48 (2000), 1,454.83 (1999), 1,240.31 (1998)

Ukraine
  hryvnia per US dollar - 5.33 (2002), 5.37 (2001), 5.44
  (2000), 4.13 (1999), 2.45 (1998)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2002),
  3.67 (2001), 3.67 (2000), 3.67 (1999), 3.67 (1998)

United Kingdom
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69
  (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998)

United States
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
  (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), Canadian
  dollars per US dollar - 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000),
  1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), Japanese yen per US dollar - 125.39
  (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998),
  euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000),
  0.93863 (1999)
  note: financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight
  other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999
  with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries
  for all transactions in 2002

Uruguay
  Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 21.26 (2002), 13.32 (2001),
  12.1 (2000), 11.34 (1999), 10.47 (1998)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 970 (2002), 325 (2001),
  236.61 (2000), 124.63 (1999), 94.49 (1998)

Vanuatu
  vatu per US dollar - 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64
  (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998)

Venezuela
  bolivares per US dollar - 1,160.44 (2002), 723.67 (2001),
  679.96 (2000), 605.72 (1999), 547.56 (1998)

Vietnam
  dong per US dollar - 15,325.8 (2002), 14,725.2 (2001),
  14,167.7 (2000), 13,943.2 (1999), 13,268 (1998)

Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per
  US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93
  (1999), 107.25 (1998)

West Bank
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057
  (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997);
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002),
  11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527
  (1997)

Yemen
  Yemeni rials per US dollar - NA (2002), 168.67 (2001), 161.72
  (2000), 155.72 (1999), 135.88 (1998)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha per US dollar - NA (2002), 3,610.93 (2001),
  3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 55 (2002), 55.05 (2001),
  44.42 (2000), 38.3 (1999), 23.68 (1998)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2077 Executive branch

Afghanistan
  note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama
  bin LADIN to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international
  coalition was formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by
  coalition forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan
  opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November
  2001; in December 2001, a number of prominent Afghans met under UN
  auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the
  country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up
  of 30 members, headed by a chairman - was inaugurated on 22 December
  2001 with a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year
  Transitional Authority (TA), after which elections are to be held;
  the structure of the follow-on TA was announced on 10 June 2002,
  when the Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) convened establishing the
  Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA), which has 18
  months to hold a Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and 24 months to
  hold nationwide elections
  chief of state: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June
  2002); note - presently the president and head of government
  head of government: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10
  June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government
  cabinet: the 30-member TISA
  elections: nationwide elections are to be held by June 2004,
  according to the Bonn Agreement

Albania
  chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU
  (since 24 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA
  June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
  vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Algeria
  chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
  April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of
  vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing
  candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud

American Samoa
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since
  20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
  following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003;
  TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of
  vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID
  (independent) 47.8%
  note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the
  death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA

Andorra
  chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
  Coprince Episcopal Monsignor Joan Enric VIVES SICILIA (since 12 May
  2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)
  head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE
  (since 21 December 1994)
  cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
  Council president
  elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
  Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
  term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
  president; percent of General Council vote - NA%

Angola
  chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
  appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
  position of real power
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by universal ballot for a NA-year term;
  President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition
  under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first
  multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
  election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
  run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
  repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Anguilla
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (since NA February 2000)
  head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
  elected members of the House of Assembly
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Antigua and Barbuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE
  (since NA 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March
  1994); Deputy Prime Minister Robin YEARWOOD
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
  by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the governor general

Argentina
  chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May
  2003); note - declared winner of a runoff election by default after
  Carlos Saul MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election;
  Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
  note - declared winner of a runoff election by default after Carlos
  Saul MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election; Vice
  President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; the last election held was the
  presidential primary election of 27 April 2003 (next election to be
  held NA 2007); a runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 between the
  two candidates receiving the highest votes in the primary was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election
  election results: results of the presidential primary of 27 April
  2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
  MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
  8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election

Armenia
  chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March
  1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
  2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
  and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
  refuses to accept their program
  election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
  vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Aruba
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30
  April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1
  January 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
  October 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Fredis REFUNJOL
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
  a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
  minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
  held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
  election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
  of legislative vote - NA%

Australia
  chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
  Michael JEFFREY (since 11 August 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
  March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON Deputy Prime
  Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999)
  cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a
  list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,
  the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
  prime minister by the governor general
  note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Austria
  chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
  February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
  of the chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
  term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held
  in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the
  president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice
  chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of
  vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%,
  Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Azerbaijan
  chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
  confirmed by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
  election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October
  2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
  election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
  Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAROV 14%

Bahamas, The
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
  and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Bahrain
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March
  1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the
  monarch, born 21 October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa
  (since NA 1971)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
  appointed by the monarch

Bangladesh
  chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6
  September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally
  ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution
  ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes
  significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker
  government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise
  the elections
  head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
  president
  elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
  term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
  Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
  on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
  seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
  elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
  - NA%

Barbados
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
  (since 1 June 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
  September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus
  chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
  July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (acting; since 10
  July 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since 13 March
  2000), Sergei SIDORSKY (since 24 September 2001), Vladimir DRAZHIN
  (since 24 September 2001), Roman VNUCHKO (since 10 July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
  1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
  however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
  referendum; new election held 9 September 2001 (next election to be
  held by September 2006); prime minister and deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the president
  election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%

Belgium
  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
  Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved
  by Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch and then approved by Parliament
  note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Belize
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
  November 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
  August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
  minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Benin
  chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
  1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
  vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
  note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
  presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
  Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
  (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
  State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
  March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and
  HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
  run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
  a "friendly match"

Bermuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
  head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed premier by the governor

Bhutan
  chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July
  1972)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
  Jigme Y. THINLEY (since 30 August 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
  monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
  five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
  (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
  in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
  monarch with two-thirds vote

Bolivia
  chief of state: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since
  17 October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
  October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
  (next to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
  the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
  chosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
  DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
  resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, Vice
  President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency
  Dragan COVIC (chairman since 27 June 2003; presidency member since 5
  October 2002 - Croat) other members of the three-member rotating
  (every eight months) presidency: Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October
  2002 - Bosniak) and Borislav PARAVAC (since 10 April 2003 - Serb);
  note - Mirko SAROVIC resigned 2 April 2003
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
  TERZIC (since 20 December 2002),
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
  approved by the National House of Representatives
  elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
  Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
  was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
  chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
  of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
  National House of Representatives
  election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
  Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
  first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
  Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
  note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
  LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
  (since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
  of the Republika Srpska: Dragan COVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Botswana
  chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
  and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
  Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
  NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 54.3%

Brazil
  chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
  2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); runoff election held 27
  October 2002
  election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
  LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA
  (PSDB) 38.7%

British Indian Ocean Territory
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001);
  Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
  administrator appointed by the monarch

British Virgin Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October
  2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Orlando SMITH (since 17 June 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
  the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Brunei
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
  Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
  the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
  Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
  religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
  monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
  Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
  succession to the throne if the need arises
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Bulgaria
  chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January
  2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime
  Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy
  Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), and Lidiya
  SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001), Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November
  and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the
  Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president;
  deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister
  election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
  - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%

Burkina Faso
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15
  October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
  November 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
  April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
  term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
  the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
  amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
  appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
  election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
  percent of the vote
  note: President COMPAORE faces an increasingly well-coordinated
  opposition; recent charges against a former member of his
  Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor
  signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction

Burma
  chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
  Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
  head of government: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
  Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the
  appointed Prime Minister, Gen. KNIN NYUNT (since 25 August 2003), is
  not the head of government
  cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
  so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
  September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
  Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet
  elections: none

Burundi
  chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April
  2003); note - from the Tutsi minority
  head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April
  2003); note - from the Tutsi minority
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
  elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
  part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
  Accord

Cambodia
  chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24
  September 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998)
  and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 1993) and TOL LAH (since
  1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
  following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
  majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
  National Assembly and appointed by the king

Cameroon
  chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
  head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
  September 1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
  by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October
  2004); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
  Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates
  boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares
  relatively meaningless

Canada
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
  the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
  five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
  governor general

Cape Verde
  chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
  February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA
  February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly
  and appointed by the president
  election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
  Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
  election was won by only twelve votes

Cayman Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
  head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
  four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
  appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the
  governor

Central African Republic
  chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE
  (since 15 March 2003 coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abel GOUMBA (since NA March 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on
  15 March 2003 in which former President Ange-Felix PATASSE was
  overthrown (President BOZIZE has stated that elections will be held
  by NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

Chad
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4
  December 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Moussa Faki MAHAMAT (since NA
  July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
  two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
  round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
  of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
  KEBZABO 7%
  note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD

Chile
  chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11
  March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
  January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)
  election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
  of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

China
  chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and
  Vice President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
  Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
  Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
  (NPC)
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
  March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
  the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
  election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
  People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates voted
  against him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
  elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
  a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
  abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacant

Christmas Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4
  February 1999)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator (nonresident) William Leonard
  TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Colombia
  chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
  August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
  2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
  - the PL and PSC - and independents
  elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
  a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA
  May 2006)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
  vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Comoros
  chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May
  2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president;
  in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
  note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
  January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
  rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
  main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
  be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president;
  note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn
  into office in May 2002
  election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
  75% of the vote

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of state: President Joseph
  KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination
  of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph
  KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
  elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
  was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
  held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
  formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
  High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
  drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
  in NA 2005
  election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese
  Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without
  opposition
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
  following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
  with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a Transitional
  Government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
  NA 2005

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of state: President Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in
  which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
  2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
  2.7%

Cook Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High
  Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New Zealand
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON (since 12
  February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Ngamau MUNOKOA (since 5
  November 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
  appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
  appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Coral Sea Islands
  administered from Canberra by the Department of
  the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Costa Rica
  chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May
  2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002);
  Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
  President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
  2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
  February 2006)
  election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
  Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26
  October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of
  the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious
  victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed
  power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the
  government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE
  head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
  2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
  GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
  - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
  2.2%

Croatia
  chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18
  February 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January
  2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000),
  Ante SIMONIC (since 30 July 2002), Zeljka ANTUNOVI (since 27 January
  2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27 January 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister nominated by the president in line with the balance of
  power in the Assembly
  election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote -
  Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%
  note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a sixth party,
  the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001

Cuba
  chief of state: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
  Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there
  is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National
  Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
  legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - 100%

Cyprus
  chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
  2008)
  election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
  vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
  MARKIDIS 6.6%
  note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot
  area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for
  a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be
  held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president
  after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime
  minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is
  a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area

Czech Republic
  chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March
  2003)
  note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
  from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
  parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
  inconclusive elections in January 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir SPIDLA (since 12 July
  2002), Deputy Prime Ministers Bohuslav SOBOTKA (since 20 August
  2003), Cyril SVOBODA (since July 2002), Stanislav GROSS (since July
  2002), Petr MARES (since July 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
  elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
  2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
  combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Denmark
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972);
  Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born
  26 May 1968)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Djibouti
  chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Dominica
  chief of state: President Nicholas LIVERPOOL (since 10
  November 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October
  2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt
  DOUGLAS
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
  NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Dominican Republic
  chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA
  Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros
  ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since
  16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000
  (next to be held NA May 2004)
  election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected
  president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD)
  49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%

East Timor
  chief of state: President Jose Alexander GUSMAO (since 20
  May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
  able to veto some legislation; he often is referred to as Xanana
  GUSMAO
  head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
  May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of State
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);
  after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
  precedent for the future
  election results: Jose Alexander GUSMAO elected president; percent
  of vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
  17.3%

Ecuador
  chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
  2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
  2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election
  last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002
  (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
  Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
  54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%

Egypt
  chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14
  October 1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (since 5
  October 1999)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a
  six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national,
  popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999
  (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's
  nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

El Salvador
  chief of state: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since
  1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1
  June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June
  1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June
  1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 7 March 1999
  (next to be held NA March 2004)
  election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president; percent
  of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%,
  Ruben ZAMORA (CD) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5%

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)
  Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized
  power in a military coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26
  February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG
  (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG
  NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president
  election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
  Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Eritrea
  chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June
  1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
  members appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
  held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
  Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
  anticipated)
  election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Estonia
  chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  approved by Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
  he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds
  of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up
  of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
  president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
  percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
  president and approved by Parliament
  election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
  2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
  Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
  successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes
  to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots
  were either left blank or invalid

Ethiopia
  chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8
  October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
  1995)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
  constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of People's Representatives
  elections: president elected by the House of People's
  Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
  2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by
  the party in power following legislative elections
  election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
  vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
  Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
  Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
  cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
  Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
  secretary), and the governor
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch

Faroe Islands
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since
  14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,
  chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
  30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006)
  election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent
  of parliamentary vote - 52.8%
  note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule
  Party, and Center Party

Fiji
  chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda
  (since NA 2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
  September 2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
  is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
  of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
  of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
  elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
  five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
  by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Finland
  chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
  2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April
  2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned
  cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
  president, responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
  held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed from the majority party by the president after
  parliamentary elections
  election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
  Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
  note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP

France
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  suggestion of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April
  and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second
  round NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
  Assembly majority and appointed by the president
  election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
  vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
  (FN) 18.04%

French Guiana
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31
  July 2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
  HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
  Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
  Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

French Polynesia
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the
  Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
  French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of
  the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
  of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
  ministers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
  are elected by the members of the assembly

Gabon
  chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December
  1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
  (since 23 January 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
  vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul
  M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Gambia, The
  chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since
  18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
  October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October
  2001 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Georgia
  chief of state: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president
  since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed
  the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president
  since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed
  the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 4 January 2004 to
  replace Eduard SHEVARDNADZE)
  election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%; note - following the resignation
  of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Nino BURJANADZE became acting president

Germany
  chief of state: President Johannes RAU (since 1 July 1999)
  head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
  the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
  Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
  equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
  last held 23 May 1999 (next to be held 23 May 2004); chancellor
  elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
  four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
  held NA September 2006)
  election results: Johannes RAU elected president; percent of Federal
  Convention vote - 57.6%; Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor;
  percent of Federal Assembly vote 50.7%

Ghana
  chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
  to approval by Parliament
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28
  December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004)
  election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff
  election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6%

Gibraltar
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis
  RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
  head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
  members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
  with the chief minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Greece
  chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis)
  STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
  January 1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February
  2005); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
  percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Greenland
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14
  January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS
  (since NA 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
  2002)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
  (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
  by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
  leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
  (next to be held NA December 2006)
  election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
  note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Grenada
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
  1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Guadeloupe
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
  17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 6 August
  2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
  (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette
  MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  election results: NA

Guam
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
  2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
  cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
  the consent of the Guam legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
  elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
  election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
  election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
  vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
  UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%

Guatemala
  chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera
  (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez
  (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera
  (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez
  (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999
  (next to be held NA November 2003)
  election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected
  president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG)
  68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32%

Guernsey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt.
  Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff de Vic Graham CAREY
  (since NA 1999)
  cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of
  the States
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor
  appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch

Guinea
  chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
  government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
  president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA
  December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president
  election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
  - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UPR) 24.6%, Alpha
  CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim;
  since 28 September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrough
  the elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia
  SEABRA served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur SANHA (since 28 September
  2003)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
  consultation with party leaders in the legislature
  election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
  second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
  note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
  government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
  Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
  until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
  a caretaker government

Guyana
  chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August
  1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN
  head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
  responsible to the legislature
  elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
  Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
  least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
  be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Haiti
  chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7
  February 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March
  2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January
  2002
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National
  Assembly
  election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
  of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16
  October 1978)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
  2 December 1990)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
  election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
  of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Honduras
  chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
  52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Hong Kong
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15
  March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and
  10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald
  TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG
  (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1
  July 1997)
  elections: TUNG Chee-Hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
  by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
  the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Hungary
  chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Peter MEDGYESSY (since 27 May
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
  the recommendation of the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
  June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the president
  election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
  of voting); Peter MEDGYESSY elected prime minister; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%
  note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
  legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
  third round

Iceland
  chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1
  August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April
  1991)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  Parliament
  elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
  popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996
  (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in
  June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by
  the president
  election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and
  was reelected

India
  chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002);
  Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 12 August 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19
  March 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
  the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002
  (next to be held NA July 2007); vice president elected by both
  houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12
  August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister elected
  by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
  elections; election last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA
  October 2004)
  election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - NA%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
  president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE
  elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA%

Indonesia
  chief of state: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23
  July 2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July
  2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected separately by the
  People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; selection
  of president last held 23 July 2001; selection of vice president
  last held 26 July 2001; next election to be held in July 2004; in
  accordance with constitutional changes, the election of the
  president and vice president will be by direct vote of the citizenry
  election results: MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected president, receiving
  591 votes in favor (91 abstentions); Hamzah HAZ elected vice
  president, receiving 340 votes in favor (237 against)
  note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
  Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan
  Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 195 indirectly selected members; it
  meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and
  to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly
  meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes;
  constitutional amendments adopted in 2001 and 2002 provide for the
  MPR to be restructured in 2004 and to consist entirely of
  popularly-elected members who will be in the DPR and the new House
  of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD); the
  MPR will no longer formulate national policy

Iran
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
  (since 4 June 1989)
  head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since
  3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI
  (since 26 August 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
  legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
  appointments to the more sensitive ministries
  elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
  the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held June
  2005)
  election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected
  president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%

Iraq
  chief of state: in transition following April 2003 defeat of
  SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November
  1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
  by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November
  2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and
  appointed by the president
  election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
  Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
  note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
  Democrats

Israel
  chief of state: President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
  Knesset
  elections: president elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member -
  traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming
  a governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next to
  be held fall of 2007)
  election results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member
  Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
  received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
  continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
  2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
  government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
  National Union

Italy
  chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
  president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
  June 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
  seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA
  May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
  by Parliament
  election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 70%
  note: a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
  National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center,
  United Christian Democrats

Jamaica
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
  August 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
  30 March 1992)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
  general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
  minister

Japan
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the
  prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister
  must command a parliamentary majority; therefore, following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
  a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes
  prime minister
  note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI,
  Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority
  Liberal Democratic Party and soon thereafter designated by the Diet
  to become the next prime minister

Jersey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
  Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
  Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
  cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
  bailiff appointed by the monarch

Jordan
  chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999);
  Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)
  head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
  with the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Kazakhstan
  chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
  (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
  president 1 December 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
  scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
  previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
  30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
  percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
  ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
  note: President NAZARBAYEV expanded his presidential powers by
  decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and
  dismiss the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his
  discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Kenya
  chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
  terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
  vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
  avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
  NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
  Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Kiribati
  chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
  Vice President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
  members of the House of Parliament
  elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
  candidates from among their members and then those candidates
  compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote
  for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be
  held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the
  president
  election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
  9.1%

Korea, North
  chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note
  - on 3 September 2003, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the
  National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's
  "highest administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was reelected
  President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the
  responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic
  credentials
  head of government: Premier PAK Pong-chu (since 3 September 2003);
  Vice Premiers KWAK Pom-ki (since 5 September 1998), CHON Sung-hun
  (since 3 September 2003), NO Tu-chol (since 3 September 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
  People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
  elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly;
  election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA)
  election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme
  People's Assembly vote - NA%

Korea, South
  chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun)
  (since 25 February 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27
  February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Chin-p'yo (KIM Jin-pyo)
  (since 27 February 2003) and YUN Tok-hong (since 6 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
  term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held NA
  December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy
  prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's
  recommendation
  election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO
  Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of
  vote - NO Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Kuwait
  chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since
  31 December 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
  (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al
  Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al
  Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
  approved by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October
  1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May
  2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May
  2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in
  March of 2002
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held November or
  December 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
  note - election marred by serious irregularities

Laos
  chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26
  February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason
  (since 27 March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
  March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli
  (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since
  27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since
  26 February 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
  approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
  election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Latvia
  chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  appointed by the Parliament
  elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
  parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Lebanon
  chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November
  1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October
  2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000);
  note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed the
  next day
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president and members of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
  term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004);
  prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
  in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president
  is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
  the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim
  election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly
  vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Lesotho
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
  note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
  1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
  majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
  the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
  which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
  a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
  powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
  determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
  regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
  even depose the monarch

Liberia
  chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
  2005)
  election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
  of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
  (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor
  stepped down in August 2003
  note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and the
  Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
  former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
  President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the National
  Transitional Government on 14 October 2003

Libya
  chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
  al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
  but is de facto chief of state
  head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
  (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)
  cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
  People's Congress
  elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
  people's committees; head of government elected by the General
  People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA)
  election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of
  General People's Congress vote - NA%

Liechtenstein
  chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
  1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
  ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
  head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
  2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
  appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
  the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
  deputy head of government by the monarch

Lithuania
  chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26
  February 2003)
  head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
  July 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the premier
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be
  held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the
  approval of the Parliament
  election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote
  - Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1%

Luxembourg
  chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
  Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
  1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
  January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
  elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
  appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
  Deputies
  note: government coalition - CSV and DP

Macau
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March
  2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
  December 1999)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government
  secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
  elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection
  committee for up to two five-year terms

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  chief of state: President
  Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1
  November 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
  the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
  government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October
  2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1
  November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round
  ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI
  46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with
  72% of the vote

Madagascar
  chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of
  candidates nominated by the National Assembly
  election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%,
  Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High
  Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5%
  after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house
  arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime
  minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Malawi
  chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote
  - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%

Malaysia
  chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
  Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
  December 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
  31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NA (since 31 October 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
  elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
  of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
  December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
  from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
  of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
  election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
  Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler

Maldives
  chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note -
  need not be members of Majlis
  elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
  must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
  margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)
  election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
  referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
  Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Mali
  chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag HAMANI (since 9
  June 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
  vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Malta
  chief of state: President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6
  September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 4 April
  1999)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
  five-year term; election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by
  April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
  deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister
  election results: Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House
  of Representatives vote - 54%

Man, Isle of
  chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since
  6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN
  (since 26 October 2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Richard CORKILL (since 6 December
  2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
  by the Tynwald; election last held 6 December 2001 (next to be held
  NA December 2006)
  election results: Richard CORKILL elected chief minister by the
  Tynwald

Marshall Islands
  chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3
  January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
  members for a four-year term; election last held 15 November 1999
  (next to be held NA November 2003)
  election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
  Parliament vote - 100%

Martinique
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
  17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000)
  head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
  (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
  MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Mauritania
  chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA
  (since 12 December 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
  July 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
  for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Mauritius
  chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7
  October 2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will
  be determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
  (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
  election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
  elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
  NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30
  September 2003

Mayotte
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
  May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 3 July
  2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
  BAMANA (since NA 1977)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
  elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term

Mexico
  chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1
  December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
  attorney general requires consent of the Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006)
  election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
  vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
  (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of state: President Joseph J.
  URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
  2003); Vice President Redley KILLION; note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
  among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
  held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
  constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
  president and vice president failed
  election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
  of Congress vote - NA%

Moldova
  chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
  2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002),
  Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002)
  cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
  presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
  2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
  failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early
  parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
  by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
  15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
  a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
  program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
  cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
  election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
  votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA
  3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
  confidence - 75 of 101

Monaco
  chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
  Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
  (born 14 March 1958)
  head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
  January 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
  appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
  candidates presented by the French Government

Mongolia
  chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20
  June 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July
  2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
  with the president
  elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural
  and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held
  20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
  usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election
  last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent
  of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn
  GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other
  1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the
  State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Montserrat
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
  head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
  minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
  finance secretary
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party usually becomes chief minister

Morocco
  chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch following legislative elections

Mozambique
  chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since
  6 November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO
  was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November
  1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17
  December 1994)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA
  47.71%

Namibia
  chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21
  March 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
  2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA
  2004)
  election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent
  of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Nauru
  chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003)
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
  election last held 29 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Ludwig SCOTTY elected president 29 May 2003;
  Ludwig SCOTTY 10 parliamentary votes, Kinza CLODUMAR 7
  note: Ludwig SCOTTY was removed from the presidency in a
  no-confidence vote 8 August 2003; Rene HARRIS became president

Nepal
  chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to
  the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King
  DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)
  head of government: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA (since 4 June
  2003); note - Prime Minister CHAND resigned 30 May 2003
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
  note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
  the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
  of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
  believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
  wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
  still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
  days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Netherlands
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980);
  Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the
  monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
  July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
  2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
  Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
  note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
  apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime
  minister on legislative and administrative policy

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the
  Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General
  Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT (since 11
  August 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
  by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
  by NA 2006)
  note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP

New Caledonia
  chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel
  CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
  head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER
  (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Consultative Committee
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
  - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was
  reelected

New Zealand
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since
  4 April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
  1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua
  chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
  2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
  56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC)
  1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Niger
  chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
  appointed by the president and shares some executive
  responsibilities with the president
  cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: TANDJA Mamadou elected president; percent of vote
  - TANDJA Mamadou 59.9%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40.1%

Nigeria
  chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May
  1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Executive Council
  elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
  four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2007)
  election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
  vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
  Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Niue
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the
  UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
  John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May
  2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of
  Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama
  HUNUKI (AI) 30%

Norfolk Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony
  J. MESSNER (since 4 August 1997)
  head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
  Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
  the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
  acts as an advisor to the administrator
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
  election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
  percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of
  the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY
  (since 20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January
  2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
  election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
  race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%

Norway
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
  July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19
  October 2001)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
  Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Oman
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
  Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
  Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Pakistan
  note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999,
  Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's
  constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive;
  exercising the powers of the head of the government, he appointed an
  eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's
  supreme governing body; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court
  unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF
  executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup
  date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was
  sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30
  April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years
  chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan JAMALI (since
  23 November 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister
  elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
  term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
  presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
  2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
  four-year term (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: results are for the 10 October 2002 election for
  prime minister - Mir Zafarullah Khan JAMALI elected prime minister

Palau
  chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since
  19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November
  2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. elected president;
  percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA
  46%; Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president; percent of vote -
  Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45%

Panama
  chief of state: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez
  (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises
  VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador
  "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since
  1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO
  (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser"
  Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 1999
  (next to be held NA May 2004)
  election results: Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president;
  percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin
  TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%
  note: government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change,
  MORENA, PLN, PS

Papua New Guinea
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Albert KIPALAN
  (since 13 November 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
  August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Andrew BAING (since 15 November
  2003)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
  general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
  governor general

Paraguay
  chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15
  August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (since 15 August 2003); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
  election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent
  of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
  Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
  SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Peru
  chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
  the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28
  July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July
  2001)
  head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
  the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28
  July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July
  2001)
  note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
  does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
  president; note - Beatriz MERINO was asked to resign on 12 December
  2003 and was replaced by Carlos FERRERO Costa three days later
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
  with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
  election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
  president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
  Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Philippines
  chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since
  20 January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
  January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
  Commission of Appointments
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998
  (next to be held 16 May 2004)
  election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph
  Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately
  40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote
  - 55%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria
  MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to
  President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that
  ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his
  government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death,
  permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the
  president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term

Pitcairn Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand
  and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL
  (since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT
  (since NA); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island
  Council
  head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Steve
  CHRISTIAN (since 7 December 1999)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
  commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by
  popular vote for a three-year term; election last held NA December
  1999 (next to be held NA December 2002)
  election results: Steve CHRISTIAN elected mayor; percent of vote -
  NA%

Poland
  chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23
  December 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19
  October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October
  2001), Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
  the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
  the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  and confirmed by the Sejm
  election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
  percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
  OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Portugal
  chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since
  6 April 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
  body to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
  2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
  minister by the president
  election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
  - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
  (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Puerto Rico
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20
  January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held
  2 November 2004)
  election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent
  of vote - 48.6%
  note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice
  president

Qatar
  chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June
  1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin
  Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad
  bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown
  prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds
  the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the
  armed forces
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
  brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
  Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
  (since 20 January 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
  note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
  Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
  at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
  for the CMC was held in March 1999

Reunion
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
  May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
  POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
  Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Romania
  chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December
  2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two
  candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA
  November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu
  Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

Russia
  chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN
  (acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Mikhail Mikhaylovich KASYANOV (since 7
  May 2000); Deputy Premiers Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31
  May 1999), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 18 May 2000), Aleksey
  Vasilyevich GORDEYEV (since 20 May 2000), Boris Sergeyevich ALESHIN
  (since 24 April 2003), Galina Nikolayevna KARELOVA (since 24 April
  2003), Vladimir Anatolyevich YAKOVLEV (since 16 June 2003)
  cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
  the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other
  individuals; all are appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
  staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
  decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
  Security Council also reports directly to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 26 March 2000 (next to be held March 2004); note
  - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
  exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
  the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
  until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
  three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
  of the Duma
  election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN elected president;
  percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 52.9%, Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV 29.2%, Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY 5.8%

Rwanda
  chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since
  22 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
  popular vote; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
  Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Saint Helena
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952)
  head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
  (since NA October 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
  officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
  the monarch

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville
  SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
  1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
  with the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
  usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Lucia
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since
  September 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
  May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC
  of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX
  (since 9 October 2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Marc
  PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
  - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
  French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
  president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
  council

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir
  Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Samoa
  chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state
  from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
  (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
  1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former
  Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
  TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister after TOFILAU died; the
  post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
  state with the prime minister's advice
  elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
  chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
  a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
  state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

San Marino
  chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Giovanni
  LONFERNINI and Captain Regent Valeria CIAVATTA (for the period 1
  October 2003-31 March 2004)
  head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
  Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 17 December 2002)
  cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
  for a five-year term
  elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
  and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
  September 2003 (next to be held NA March 2004); secretary of state
  for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
  Council for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 2002
  (next to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: Giovanni LONFERNINI and Valeria CIAVATTA elected
  captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fiorenzo STOLFI
  elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
  percent of legislative vote - 40%
  note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
  selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
  of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
  Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
  has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
  assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
  secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
  prerogatives of a prime minister

Sao Tome and Principe
  chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES
  (since 3 September 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Maria das NEVES (since 7 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  proposal of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006);
  prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
  president
  election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
  Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%

Saudi Arabia
  chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd
  al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy
  Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the
  monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1
  January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
  Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime
  Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the
  monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1
  January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
  includes many royal family members
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Senegal
  chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Idrissa SECK (since 4 November
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March
  2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president
  election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
  in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
  DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Serbia and Montenegro
  chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC
  (since 7 March 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dragisa PESIC (since 24 July
  2001); Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub LABUS (since 25 January 2001)
  cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
  elections: president elected by the Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
  Parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47

Seychelles
  chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5
  June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June
  1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  2006)
  election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of
  vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
  44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
  presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
  elections

Sierra Leone
  chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29
  March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
  1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
  approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
  to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -
  president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
  election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
  vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Singapore
  chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN
  (since 1 September 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
  1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong
  (since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
  following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
  the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
  minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president
  election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
  unopposed

Slovakia
  chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
  October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June
  2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first
  direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%;
  Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
  note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO

Slovenia
  chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
  in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 December 2002
  (next National Assembly elections to be held NA October 2004)
  election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
  - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Anton ROP elected
  prime minister; National Assembly vote - 63 to 24

Solomon Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
  December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
  years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament

Somalia
  chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August
  2000); note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in
  southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a
  three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a
  transitional government but has little power and was due to leave
  office in August 2003; the political situation, particularly in the
  south, with interclan fighting and random banditry, remains fluid
  head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20
  October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker
  status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted
  HASSAN's predecessor
  election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of
  an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace
  Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali
  clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly

South Africa
  chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June
  1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for
  sometime between May and July 2004)
  election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
  Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
  note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Spain
  chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);
  Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
  head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR
  Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of
  Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second
  Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since
  4 September 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
  note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
  consultative organ of the government
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000
  (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the
  monarch on the proposal of the president
  election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president;
  percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party
  (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of
  Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections

Sri Lanka
  chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
  KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE
  (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; the president is
  considered both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
  (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9
  December 2001) is the prime minister; the president is considered
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
  president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA)
  51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Sudan
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad
  TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR
  (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad
  TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR
  (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
  National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
  or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected
  president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%,
  Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a
  combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular
  opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of
  guarantees for a free and fair election
  note: Lt. Gen. al-BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and
  retained it through several transitional governments in the early
  and mid-1990s before being popularly elected for the first time in
  March 1996

Suriname
  chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since
  12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
  August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
  the members of the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
  receives a constitutional majority in the National Assembly after
  two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from
  the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms;
  election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
  call for elections a year early
  election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president by the
  National Assembly; percent of legislative vote - Runaldo Ronald
  VENETIAAN 72.5%; Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 19.6%; total votes cast -
  Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP)
  10 votes

Svalbard
  chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January
  1991)
  head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998)
  and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
  governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
  Justice

Swaziland
  chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
  head of government: Prime Minister Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
  the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Sweden
  chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September
  1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree,
  daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
  1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election
  last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
  election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
  out of 349 votes

Switzerland
  chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January
  2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
  (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
  Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
  terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002
  (next to be held NA December 2003)
  election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of
  Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - NA%

Syria
  chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);
  Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984)
  and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS
  (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr.
  Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
  President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
  NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
  and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
  - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
  note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
  Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
  to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Taiwan
  chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)
  and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) YU
  Shyi-kun (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
  the Executive Yuan) LIN Hsin-yi (since 1 February 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March
  2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the
  president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the premier
  election results: CHEN Shui-bian elected president; percent of vote
  - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu) (PFP)
  36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%,
  LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13%

Tajikistan
  chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6
  November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
  November 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
  minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
  constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
  set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president
  election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
  vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%

Tanzania
  chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
  matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
  office on 29 October 2000
  cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
  appointed by the president from among the members of the National
  Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
  2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president
  election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
  percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
  LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%

Thailand
  chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
  head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
  February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT
  Yongchaiyut, KON Thappharansi, SUWIT Khunkitti, CHATURON Chaisaeng,
  VISHANU Krua-ngam, and PROMMIN Lertsuridej (since 18 February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  note: there is also a Privy Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
  designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
  following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
  leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
  is appointed prime minister by the king

Togo
  chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14
  April 1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of
  vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi
  AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Tokelau
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT
  (since NA March 1993)
  head of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002)
  cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders
  - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
  head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
  a one-year term

Tonga
  chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December
  1965)
  head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
  (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU
  (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
  note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
  the Cabinet, and two governors
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of state: President George Maxwell
  RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
  elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
  of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
  five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
  leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
  election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
  of electoral college vote - 43%

Tunisia
  chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7
  November 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
  November 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
  third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN
  ALI nearly 100%

Turkey
  chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May
  2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
  2003); note - Abdullah GUL resigned 11 March 2003; Recep Tayyip
  ERDOGAN was given a mandate to form a new government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  note: a National Security Council serves as an advisory body to the
  government composed of top military and cabinet officials and
  presided over by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president
  election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
  ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
  note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
  Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
  ballot

Turkmenistan
  chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet
  of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the
  first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president
  is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
  Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
  direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
  December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the
  People's Council (Halk Maslahaty)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA); note -
  President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
  the Assembly on 28 December 1999); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of
  ministers are appointed by the president
  election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
  opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16
  December 2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January
  1995)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
  five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
  Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Tuvalu
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Faimalaga LUKA (since 9 September
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Saufatu SOPOANGA (since 2 August
  2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
  minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
  of Parliament; election last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA)
  election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA elected prime minister;
  Parliamentary vote - Saufatu SOPOANGA 8, Amasone KILEI 7

Uganda
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
  (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
  (since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
  and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
  the supervision of the cabinet
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
  legislators
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
  first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
  held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
  BESIGYE 27.8%

Ukraine
  chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July
  1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 21
  November 2002); First Deputy Prime Minister Mykola AZAROV (since 26
  November 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
  approved by the Supreme Council
  note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
  originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
  significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the
  NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on
  domestic and international matters and advising the president; a
  Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and
  provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions
  that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in
  September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kiev (Kyyiv) and
  Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held
  NA October 2004); prime minister and deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council
  election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of
  vote - Leonid KUCHMA 57.7%, Petro SYMONENKO 38.8%

United Arab Emirates
  chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
  Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
  (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
  head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
  (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
  Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
  seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
  authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
  federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
  elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group
  of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2
  December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;
  percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin
  Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%,
  but believed to be unanimous

United Kingdom
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14
  November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually the prime minister

United States
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20
  January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
  and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
  state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
  last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
  election results: George W. BUSH elected president; percent of
  popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A.
  GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%,
  other 1%

Uruguay
  chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
  2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
  2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
  parliamentary approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
  1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA
  2004)
  election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of
  vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

Uzbekistan
  chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March
  1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
  approval of the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
  amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
  held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
  appointed by the president
  election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Vanuatu
  chief of state: President Father John BANI (since 25 March
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Edward Nipake NATAPEI (since 13
  April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since NA)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral
  college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
  councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25
  March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
  usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members;
  election for prime minister last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2003)
  election results: Father John BANI elected president on second vote
  (24 March 1999) after the first (17 March 1999) did not have any
  candidate with the required two-thirds majority; percent of
  electoral college vote - NA%

Venezuela
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3
  February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April
  2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
  vote - 60%

Vietnam
  chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September
  1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September
  1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29
  September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (since NA) and Pham
  Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the
  prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
  members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
  to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
  elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
  among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the prime minister
  election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Virgin Islands
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20
  January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
  January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Vargrave RICHARDS (since NA
  January 2003)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
  election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
  percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
  de JONGH 24.4%

Wallis and Futuna
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Christian JOB
  (since 6 August 2002)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
  KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
  members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
  Territorial Assembly
  note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
  Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
  the members of the assembly

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of state: President Field Marshall Ali Abdallah SALIH
  (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed
  office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President
  Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
  April 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
  seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
  constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
  (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
  president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president
  election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%

Zambia
  chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January
  2002); Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president
  is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2006); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
  - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
  Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
  SATA 3%, other 5%

Zimbabwe
  chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE
  (since 31 December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
  31 December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
  House of Assembly
  elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
  signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
  province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March
  2002 (next to be held NA March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed
  by the president
  election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2078 Exports

Afghanistan
  $1.2 billion (not including illicit exports) (2001 est.)

Albania
  $340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Algeria
  $19.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  $345 million (1999)

Andorra
  $58 million f.o.b. (1998)

Angola
  $8.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  $2.6 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $40 million

Argentina
  $25.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Armenia
  $525 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Aruba
  $1.88 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

Australia
  $66.3 billion (2002 est.)

Austria
  $70 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Azerbaijan
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Bahamas, The
  $560.7 million (2002 est.)

Bahrain
  $5.8 billion (2002)

Bangladesh
  $6.2 billion (2002)

Barbados
  $227 million (2002)

Belarus
  $7.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Belgium
  $162 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Belize
  $290 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Benin
  $207 million f.o.b. (2002)

Bermuda
  $51 million (2000)

Bhutan
  $154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $1.15 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Botswana
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Brazil
  $59.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $25.3 million (2002)

Brunei
  $3 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Bulgaria
  $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $250 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Burma
  $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Burundi
  $26 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  $1.38 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Canada
  $260.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  $30 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $1.2 million (1999)

Central African Republic
  $134 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
  $197 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chile
  $17.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

China
  $325.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Comoros
  $16.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  $9.1 million (2000)

Costa Rica
  $5.1 billion (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Croatia
  $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Cuba
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: $1.03 billion f.o.b. Turkish Cypriot
  area: $46 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Czech Republic
  $40.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Denmark
  $56.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  $70 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $50 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

East Timor
  $8 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  $4.9 billion (2002 est.)

Egypt
  $7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  $3 billion (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  $20 million f.o.b. (2001)

Estonia
  $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Ethiopia
  $433 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $7.6 million (1995)

Faroe Islands
  $418 million f.o.b. (2001)

Fiji
  $442 million f.o.b. (2001)

Finland
  $40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

France
  $307.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

French Guiana
  $155 million f.o.b.

French Polynesia
  $260 million f.o.b. (2000)

Gabon
  $2.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  $138 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank

Georgia
  $515 million (2002 est.)

Germany
  $608 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ghana
  $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  $81.1 million f.o.b. (1997)

Greece
  $12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Greenland
  $364 million f.o.b. (2001)

Grenada
  $78 million (2000 est.)

Guadeloupe
  $140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Guam
  $75.7 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $835 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $71 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
  $500 million f.o.b. (2002)

Haiti
  $298 million f.o.b. (2002)

Honduras
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  $200.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2002 est.)

Hungary
  $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iceland
  $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

India
  $44.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Indonesia
  $52.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iran
  $24.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iraq
  $13 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ireland
  $86.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Israel
  $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Italy
  $259.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  $1.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Japan
  $383.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kenya
  $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  $6 million f.o.b. (1998)

Korea, North
  $842 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  $162.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  $16 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $488 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Laos
  $345 million (2002 est.)

Latvia
  $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Lebanon
  $1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  $422 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Liberia
  $110 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
  $11.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $2.47 billion (1996)

Lithuania
  $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  $10.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Macau
  $2.36 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  $700 million f.o.b. (2002)

Malawi
  $435 million f.o.b. (201)

Malaysia
  $95.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Maldives
  $110 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Mali
  $680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
  $250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mauritania
  $355 million f.o.b. (2002)

Mauritius
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
  $158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY 99/00 est.)

Moldova
  $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Monaco
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia
  $501 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  $700,000 (2001)

Morocco
  $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  $680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Namibia
  $1.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nauru
  $27 million f.o.b. (1995)

Nepal
  $720 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border
  trade with India (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  $243.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  $553 million f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
  $400 million f.o.b. (2000)

New Zealand
  $15 billion (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  $637 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Niger
  $293 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  $17.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Niue
  $137,200 (1999)

Norfolk Island
  $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY 91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
  $NA

Norway
  $68.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Oman
  $10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  $9.8 billion f.o.b. (FY02/03 est.)

Palau
  $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
  $5.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  $2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Peru
  $7.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Philippines
  $35.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $32.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Portugal
  $25.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Puerto Rico
  $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Qatar
  $10.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Reunion
  $214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Romania
  $13.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Russia
  $104.6 billion (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  $68 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  $704,000 f.o.b. (1995)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $47 million (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $68.3 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $12 million f.o.b. (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $53.7 million (2000 est.)

Samoa
  $15.5 million f.o.b. (2001)

San Marino
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  $5.5 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $71 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Senegal
  $1.15 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Seychelles
  $235 million f.o.b. (2002)

Sierra Leone
  $35 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Singapore
  $127 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  $12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Solomon Islands
  $47 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Somalia
  $126 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

South Africa
  $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Spain
  $122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $4.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Sudan
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Suriname
  $445 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $820 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Sweden
  $80.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  $100.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Syria
  $6.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  $130 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  $710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  $863 million f.o.b. (2001)

Thailand
  $67.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Togo
  $449 million f.o.b. (2002)

Tokelau
  $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Tonga
  $8.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $4.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Turkey
  $35.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Turkmenistan
  $2.97 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $169.2 million (2000)

Tuvalu
  $276,000 f.o.b. (1997)

Uganda
  $476 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  $18.1 billion (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $44.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  $286.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

United States
  $687 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  $22 million f.o.b. (2001)

Venezuela
  $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Vietnam
  $16.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
  $603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Yemen
  $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Zambia
  $709 million f.o.b. (2001)

Zimbabwe
  $1.57 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2079 Debt - external

Afghanistan
  NA (1996 est.)

Albania
  $784 million (2000)

Algeria
  $21.6 billion (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  $NA

Andorra
  $NA

Angola
  $9.9 billion (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  $8.8 million (1998)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $231 million (1999)

Argentina
  $155 billion (2001 est.)

Armenia
  $905 million (June 2001)

Aruba
  $285 million (1996)

Australia
  $176.8 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Austria
  $12.1 billion (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $1.4 billion (2002)

Bahamas, The
  $371.6 million (2001)

Bahrain
  $3.7 billion (2002)

Bangladesh
  $16.5 billion (2002)

Barbados
  $692 million (2002)

Belarus
  $851 million (2001 est.)

Belgium
  $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Belize
  $475 million (2001 est.)

Benin
  $1.6 billion (2000)

Bermuda
  $145 million (FY 99/00)

Bhutan
  $245 million (2000)

Bolivia
  $5.9 billion (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $2.8 billion (2001)

Botswana
  $360 million (2002)

Brazil
  $222.4 billion (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  $36.1 million (1997)

Brunei
  $0

Bulgaria
  $10.3 billion (yearend 2002)

Burkina Faso
  $1.3 billion (2000)

Burma
  $6.1 billion (2002 est.)

Burundi
  $1.14 billion (2001)

Cambodia
  $829 million (1999 est.)

Cameroon
  $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

Canada
  $1.9 billion $NA (2000)

Cape Verde
  $325 million (2002)

Cayman Islands
  $70 million (1996)

Central African Republic
  $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Chad
  $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Chile
  $40.4 billion (2002)

China
  $149.4 billion (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $38.4 billion (2002 est.)

Comoros
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $12.9 billion (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $5 billion (2000 est.)

Cook Islands
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Costa Rica
  $4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $10.3 billion (2002 est.)

Croatia
  $16.5 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Cuba
  $12.3 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20
  billion owed to Russia (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: $8 billion; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA
  (2002)

Czech Republic
  $23.8 billion (2002)

Denmark
  $21.7 billion (2000)

Djibouti
  $366 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $161.5 million (2001)

Dominican Republic
  $4.8 billion (2002 est.)

East Timor
  $NA

Ecuador
  $14.4 billion (2002)

Egypt
  $30.5 billion (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  $5.6 billion (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $248 million (2000 est.)

Eritrea
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Estonia
  $3.3 billion (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  $5.3 billion (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $NA

Faroe Islands
  $64 million (1999)

Fiji
  $135.9 million (2000)

Finland
  $30 billion (December 1993)

France
  NA (1998)

French Guiana
  $1.2 billion (1988)

French Polynesia
  $NA

Gabon
  $3.8 billion (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  $476 million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Georgia
  $1.7 billion (2001)

Germany
  $NA

Ghana
  $7.2 billion (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  $NA

Greece
  $63.4 billion (2002 est.)

Greenland
  $25 million (1999)

Grenada
  $196 million (2000)

Guadeloupe
  $NA

Guam
  $NA

Guatemala
  $4.9 billion (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $941.5 million (2000 est.)

Guyana
  $1.2 billion (2002)

Haiti
  $1.2 billion (1999)

Honduras
  $5.4 billion (2002)

Hong Kong
  $49.5 billion (2002 est.)

Hungary
  $31.5 billion (2002 est.)

Iceland
  $2.6 billion (1999)

India
  $100.6 billion (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  $131 billion (2002 est.)

Iran
  $8.7 billion (2002 est.)

Iraq
  $120 billion (2002 est.)

Ireland
  $11 billion (1998)

Israel
  $42.8 billion (2001 est.)

Italy
  NA

Jamaica
  $5.3 billion (2002 est.)

Japan
  $NA

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  $8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $6.6 billion (2002 est.)

Kenya
  $5.7 billion (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  $10 million (1999 est.)

Korea, North
  $12 billion (1996 est.)

Korea, South
  $135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Kuwait
  $10.4 billion (2000 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Laos
  $2.53 billion (1999)

Latvia
  $3.4 billion (2000 est.)

Lebanon
  $9.3 billion (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  $735 million (2002)

Liberia
  $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Libya
  $4.4 billion (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $0 (2001)

Lithuania
  $5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  $NA

Macau
  $255 million (2000 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  $4.6 billion (2002)

Malawi
  $2.9 billion (2002)

Malaysia
  $47.5 billion (2002 est.)

Maldives
  $281 million (2003 est.)

Mali
  $3.3 billion (2000)

Malta
  $130 million (1997)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $86.5 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Martinique
  $180 million (1994)

Mauritania
  $2.5 billion (2000)

Mauritius
  $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  $NA

Mexico
  $150 billion (2000 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $53.1 million (FY 02/03 est.)

Moldova
  $1.3 billion (2002)

Monaco
  $NA

Mongolia
  $913 million (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  $8.9 million (1997)

Morocco
  $17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  $966 million (2002 est.)

Namibia
  $517 million (2002 est.)

Nauru
  $33.3 million

Nepal
  $2.55 billion (FY 00/01)

Netherlands Antilles
  $1.35 billion (1996)

New Caledonia
  $79 million (1998 est.)

New Zealand
  $33 billion (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  $5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Niger
  $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Nigeria
  $29.7 billion (2002 est.)

Niue
  $418,000 (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island
  $NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  $NA

Norway
  $0 (Norway is a net external creditor)

Oman
  $5.7 billion (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  $32.3 billion (2002 est.)

Palau
  $0 (FY 99/00)

Panama
  $7 billion (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  $3.2 billion (2002 est.)

Peru
  $29.2 billion (2002 est.)

Philippines
  $60.3 billion (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $64 billion (2002)

Portugal
  $13.1 billion (1997 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $NA

Qatar
  $15.4 billion (2002 est.)

Reunion
  $NA

Romania
  $13.7 billion (2002 est.)

Russia
  $153.5 billion (yearend 2002)

Rwanda
  $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Saint Helena
  $NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $171 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
  $214 million (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $167.2 million (2000)

Samoa
  $197 million (2000)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  $253.8 million (2000)

Saudi Arabia
  $25.9 billion (2003 est.)

Senegal
  $3.1 billion (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  $170 million (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Singapore
  $8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  $9.6 billion (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  $7.9 billion (2001)

Solomon Islands
  $137 million (2001 est.)

Somalia
  $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

South Africa
  $24.7 billion (2002 est.)

Spain
  $90 billion (1993 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $9.8 billion (2002)

Sudan
  $15.8 billion (2002 est.)

Suriname
  $321 million (2002 est.)

Swaziland
  $320 million (2002 est.)

Sweden
  $66.5 billion (1994)

Switzerland
  $NA

Syria
  $22 billion (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  $24.7 billion (2002)

Tajikistan
  $1 billion (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  $6.8 billion (2002 est.)

Thailand
  $62.5 billion (2002 est.)

Togo
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Tokelau
  $0

Tonga
  $57.5 million (June 2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  $13.6 billion (2003 est.)

Turkey
  $118.3 billion (Yearend 2001)

Turkmenistan
  $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $NA

Tuvalu
  $NA

Uganda
  $2.8 billion (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  $14.2 billion (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  $18.5 billion (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  $NA

United States
  $862 billion (1995 est.)

Uruguay
  $11.8 billion (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $4.6 billion (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  $68.6 million (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  $38.2 billion (2000)

Vietnam
  $14.1 billion (2001)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $NA

West Bank
  $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $2 trillion for less developed countries (2002 est.)

Yemen
  $6.2 billion (2002)

Zambia
  $5.8 billion (2001)

Zimbabwe
  $3.9 billion (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2080 Fiscal year

Afghanistan
  21 March - 20 March

Albania
  calendar year

Algeria
  calendar year

American Samoa
  1 October - 30 September

Andorra
  calendar year

Angola
  calendar year

Anguilla
  1 April - 31 March

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 April - 31 March

Argentina
  calendar year

Armenia
  calendar year

Aruba
  calendar year

Australia
  1 July - 30 June

Austria
  calendar year

Azerbaijan
  calendar year

Bahamas, The
  1 July - 30 June

Bahrain
  calendar year

Bangladesh
  1 July - 30 June

Barbados
  1 April - 31 March

Belarus
  calendar year

Belgium
  calendar year

Belize
  1 April - 31 March

Benin
  calendar year

Bermuda
  1 April - 31 March

Bhutan
  1 July - 30 June

Bolivia
  calendar year

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  calendar year

Botswana
  1 April - 31 March

Brazil
  calendar year

British Virgin Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Brunei
  calendar year

Bulgaria
  calendar year

Burkina Faso
  calendar year

Burma
  1 April - 31 March

Burundi
  calendar year

Cambodia
  calendar year

Cameroon
  1 July - 30 June

Canada
  1 April - 31 March

Cape Verde
  calendar year

Cayman Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Central African Republic
  calendar year

Chad
  calendar year

Chile
  calendar year

China
  calendar year

Christmas Island
  1 July - 30 June

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 July - 30 June

Colombia
  calendar year

Comoros
  calendar year

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  calendar year

Congo, Republic of the
  calendar year

Cook Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Costa Rica
  calendar year

Cote d'Ivoire
  calendar year

Croatia
  calendar year

Cuba
  calendar year

Cyprus
  calendar year

Czech Republic
  calendar year

Denmark
  calendar year

Djibouti
  calendar year

Dominica
  1 July - 30 June

Dominican Republic
  calendar year

East Timor
  1 July - 30 June

Ecuador
  calendar year

Egypt
  1 July - 30 June

El Salvador
  calendar year

Equatorial Guinea
  1 January - 31 December

Eritrea
  calendar year

Estonia
  calendar year

Ethiopia
  8 July - 7 July

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1 April - 31 March

Faroe Islands
  calendar year

Fiji
  calendar year

Finland
  calendar year

France
  calendar year

French Guiana
  calendar year

French Polynesia
  calendar year

Gabon
  calendar year

Gambia, The
  calendar year

Gaza Strip
  calendar year

Georgia
  calendar year

Germany
  calendar year

Ghana
  calendar year

Gibraltar
  1 July - 30 June

Greece
  calendar year

Greenland
  calendar year

Grenada
  calendar year

Guadeloupe
  calendar year

Guam
  1 October - 30 September

Guatemala
  calendar year

Guernsey
  calendar year

Guinea
  calendar year

Guinea-Bissau
  calendar year

Guyana
  calendar year

Haiti
  1 October - 30 September

Holy See (Vatican City)
  calendar year

Honduras
  calendar year

Hong Kong
  1 April - 31 March

Hungary
  calendar year

Iceland
  calendar year

India
  1 April - 31 March

Indonesia
  calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March,
  but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Iran
  21 March - 20 March

Iraq
  calendar year

Ireland
  calendar year

Israel
  calendar year

Italy
  calendar year

Jamaica
  1 April - 31 March

Japan
  1 April - 31 March

Jersey
  1 April - 31 March

Jordan
  calendar year

Kazakhstan
  calendar year

Kenya
  1 July - 30 June

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  calendar year

Korea, South
  calendar year

Kuwait
  1 April - 31 March

Kyrgyzstan
  calendar year

Laos
  1 October - 30 September

Latvia
  calendar year

Lebanon
  calendar year

Lesotho
  1 April - 31 March

Liberia
  calendar year

Libya
  calendar year

Liechtenstein
  calendar year

Lithuania
  calendar year

Luxembourg
  calendar year

Macau
  calendar year

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  calendar year

Madagascar
  calendar year

Malawi
  1 July - 30 June

Malaysia
  calendar year

Maldives
  calendar year

Mali
  calendar year

Malta
  1 April - 31 March

Man, Isle of
  1 April - 31 March

Marshall Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Martinique
  calendar year

Mauritania
  calendar year

Mauritius
  1 July - 30 June

Mayotte
  calendar year

Mexico
  calendar year

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1 October - 30 September

Moldova
  calendar year

Monaco
  calendar year

Mongolia
  calendar year

Montserrat
  1 April - 31 March

Morocco
  calendar year

Mozambique
  calendar year

Namibia
  1 April - 31 March

Nauru
  1 July - 30 June

Nepal
  16 July - 15 July

Netherlands
  calendar year

Netherlands Antilles
  calendar year

New Caledonia
  calendar year

New Zealand
  1 July - 30 June

Nicaragua
  calendar year

Niger
  calendar year

Nigeria
  calendar year

Niue
  1 April - 31 March

Norfolk Island
  1 July - 30 June

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Norway
  calendar year

Oman
  calendar year

Pakistan
  1 July - 30 June

Palau
  1 October - 30 September

Panama
  calendar year

Papua New Guinea
  calendar year

Paraguay
  calendar year

Peru
  calendar year

Philippines
  calendar year

Pitcairn Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Poland
  calendar year

Portugal
  calendar year

Puerto Rico
  1 July - 30 June

Qatar
  1 April - 31 March

Reunion
  calendar year

Romania
  calendar year

Russia
  calendar year

Rwanda
  calendar year

Saint Helena
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  calendar year

Saint Lucia
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  calendar year

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  calendar year

Samoa
  June 1 - May 31

San Marino
  calendar year

Sao Tome and Principe
  calendar year

Saudi Arabia
  calendar year

Senegal
  calendar year

Serbia and Montenegro
  calendar year

Seychelles
  calendar year

Sierra Leone
  calendar year

Singapore
  1 April - 31 March

Slovakia
  calendar year

Slovenia
  calendar year

Solomon Islands
  calendar year

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  1 April - 31 March

Spain
  calendar year

Sri Lanka
  calendar year

Sudan
  calendar year

Suriname
  calendar year

Swaziland
  1 April - 31 March

Sweden
  calendar year

Switzerland
  calendar year

Syria
  calendar year

Taiwan
  1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December
  2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Tajikistan
  calendar year

Tanzania
  1 July - 30 June

Thailand
  1 October - 30 September

Togo
  calendar year

Tokelau
  1 April - 31 March

Tonga
  1 July - 30 June

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 October - 30 September

Tunisia
  calendar year

Turkey
  calendar year

Turkmenistan
  calendar year

Turks and Caicos Islands
  calendar year

Tuvalu
  calendar year

Uganda
  1 July - 30 June

Ukraine
  calendar year

United Arab Emirates
  calendar year

United Kingdom
  1 April - 31 March

United States
  1 October - 30 September

Uruguay
  calendar year

Uzbekistan
  calendar year

Vanuatu
  calendar year

Venezuela
  calendar year

Vietnam
  calendar year

Virgin Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Wallis and Futuna
  calendar year

West Bank
  calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Western Sahara
  calendar year

Yemen
  calendar year

Zambia
  calendar year

Zimbabwe
  1 January - 31 December

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2081 Flag description

Afghanistan
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and
  green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem
  features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left
  and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Albania
  red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Algeria
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a
  red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the
  two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are
  traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

American Samoa
  blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is
  based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and
  white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying
  two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Andorra
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the
  coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of
  Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the
  center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Angola
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a
  centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half
  a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Anguilla
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an
  interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy
  water below

Antigua and Barbuda
  red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based
  on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal
  bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising
  sun in the black band

Argentina
  three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,
  and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun
  with a human face known as the Sun of May

Armenia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Aruba
  blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the
  lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the
  upper hoist-side corner

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Australia
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side
  quadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation
  of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for
  each of the six original states and one representing all of
  Australia's internal and external territories; the remaining half is
  a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with
  one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Austria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Azerbaijan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
  green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in
  red band

Bahamas, The
  three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
  and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist
  side

Bahrain
  red with a white serrated band (five white points) on the
  hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Baker Island
  the flag of the US is used

Bangladesh
  green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
  center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
  independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
  secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Barbados
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and
  blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
  trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
  colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Bassas da India
  the flag of France is used

Belarus
  red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half
  the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
  bears a Belarusian national ornament in red

Belgium
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,
  and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Belize
  blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom
  edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the
  coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a
  mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in
  the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green
  garland

Benin
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a
  vertical green band on the hoist side

Bermuda
  red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with
  a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship
  Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the
  flag

Bhutan
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
  upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered
  along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing
  away from the hoist side

Bolivia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
  with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the
  flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in
  the yellow band

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly
  side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top
  of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven
  full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom
  along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Botswana
  light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in
  the center

Bouvet Island
  the flag of Norway is used

Brazil
  green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a
  blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each
  state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the
  night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with
  the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Virgin Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked
  on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll
  bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Brunei
  yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double
  width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national
  emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
  swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
  crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Bulgaria
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and
  red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white
  stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a
  wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a
  ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and
  1944 (liberation from Nazi control)

Burkina Faso
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with
  a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular
  pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Burma
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
  containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14
  administrative divisions

Burundi
  divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and
  bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white
  disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
  outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
  two stars below)

Cambodia
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),
  and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat
  outlined in black in the center of the red band

Cameroon
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and
  yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Canada
  two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width),
  with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is
  centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red
  and white

Cape Verde
  three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width),
  white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light
  blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the
  hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower
  blue bands

Cayman Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above
  a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a
  scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE
  SEAS

Central African Republic
  four equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
  white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there
  is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

Chad
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of
  Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms
  centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Chile
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a
  blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end
  of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
  center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
  the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
  blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
  US flag

China
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller
  yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
  middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Christmas Island
  the flag of Australia is used; note - in early
  1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an
  island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally
  adopted as the official flag of the territory

Clipperton Island
  the flag of France is used

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Colombia
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
  and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears
  the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Comoros
  four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and
  blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered
  within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing
  the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a
  line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and
  the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
  Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
  France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  light blue with a large yellow
  five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six
  small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Congo, Republic of the
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
  lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of
  Ethiopia

Cook Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for
  every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Coral Sea Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Costa Rica
  five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
  width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical
  disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a
  light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just
  below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the
  words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Cote d'Ivoire
  three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),
  white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer
  and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side),
  white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Croatia
  red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of
  arms (red and white checkered)

Cuba
  five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the
  hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design
  influenced by the US flag

Cyprus
  white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the
  name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two
  green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
  symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
  and Turkish communities
  note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the
  top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a
  white field

Czech Republic
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
  with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to
  the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Denmark
  red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side,
  and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was
  subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,
  Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Djibouti
  two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light
  green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
  bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Dominica
  green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the
  vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the
  horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in
  the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
  encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
  stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Dominican Republic
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges
  divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
  side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a
  small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch
  (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;
  above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,
  LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA
  DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

East Timor
  red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that
  extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the
  center of the black triangle

Ecuador
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,
  and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the
  flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not
  bear a coat of arms

Egypt
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle
  facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country
  in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen,
  which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria,
  which has two green stars, and to the flag of Iraq, which has three
  green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
  centered in the white band

El Salvador
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag
  of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the
  white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA
  DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar
  to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X
  pattern centered in the white band

Equatorial Guinea
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and
  five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton
  tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,
  JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Eritrea
  red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing
  the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is
  centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Estonia
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
  equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Ethiopia
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and
  red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from
  the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the
  three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,
  and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other
  African countries upon independence that they became known as the
  pan-African colors

Europa Island
  the flag of France is used

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Faroe Islands
  white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to
  the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted
  toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Fiji
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered
  by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm
  tree, bananas, and a white dove

Finland
  white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;
  the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
  style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

France
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
  red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or
  colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
  Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;
  the official flag for all French dependent areas

French Guiana
  the flag of France is used

French Polynesia
  two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white
  band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave
  pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the
  upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave
  pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the flag of France is used

Gabon
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Gambia, The
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
  white edges, and green

Georgia
  maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side
  corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below

Germany
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Ghana
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
  with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag
  of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Gibraltar
  two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red
  with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;
  hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Glorioso Islands
  the flag of France is used

Greece
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;
  there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
  white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
  religion of the country

Greenland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
  large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of
  the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Grenada
  a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top
  and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a
  red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed
  stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in
  the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the
  center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the
  hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer
  of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven
  administrative divisions

Guadeloupe
  the flag of France is used

Guam
  territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all
  four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
  containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
  with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
  national flag

Guatemala
  three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),
  white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white
  band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the
  national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE
  SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)
  all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed
  swords and framed by a wreath

Guernsey
  white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
  England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed
  cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Guinea
  three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and
  green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guinea-Bissau
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green
  with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black
  five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular
  pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guyana
  green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,
  black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
  between the yellow and the green

Haiti
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
  centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a
  palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing
  the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Holy See (Vatican City)
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)
  and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter
  centered in the white band

Honduras
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue
  with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered
  in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
  Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
  Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
  triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
  AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Hong Kong
  red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in
  the center

Howland Island
  the flag of the US is used

Hungary
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Iceland
  blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

India
  three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)
  (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)
  centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has
  a small orange disk centered in the white band

Indonesia
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar
  to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
  Poland, which is white (top) and red

Iran
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;
  the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in
  the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in
  the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
  repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
  times along the top edge of the red band

Iraq
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in
  the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green
  Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to
  the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
  Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has two
  stars but no script and the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white
  band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle
  centered in the white band

Ireland
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
  has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
  of green (hoist side), white, and red

Israel
  white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as
  the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal
  horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Italy
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green
  (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the
  Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
  white, and green
  note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
  1797

Jamaica
  diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -
  green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Jan Mayen
  the flag of Norway is used

Japan
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without
  rays) in the center

Jarvis Island
  the flag of the US is used

Jersey
  white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of
  the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a
  red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow

Johnston Atoll
  the flag of the US is used

Jordan
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid
  Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and
  green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle
  (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side
  bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
  verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
  points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
  spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations

Juan de Nova Island
  the flag of France is used

Kazakhstan
  sky blue background representing the endless sky and a
  gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the
  center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kenya
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;
  the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
  crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Kingman Reef
  the flag of the US is used

Kiribati
  the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying
  over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
  horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Korea, North
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
  width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
  of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Korea, South
  white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the
  center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching
  (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Kuwait
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red
  with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Kyrgyzstan
  red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
  representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
  counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
  sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
  representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Laos
  three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and
  red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Latvia
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),
  and maroon

Lebanon
  three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width),
  and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Lesotho
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
  upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield
  with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band
  with a green triangle in the corner

Liberia
  11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue
  square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the
  US flag

Libya
  plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the
  state religion)

Liechtenstein
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with
  a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Lithuania
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and
  red

Luxembourg
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
  darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Macau
  light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and
  water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one
  large in center of arc and four smaller

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  a yellow sun with eight
  broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

Madagascar
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Malawi
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green
  with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Malaysia
  14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with
  white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
  corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star;
  the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the
  design was based on the flag of the US

Maldives
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a
  vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the
  hoist side of the flag

Mali
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Malta
  two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
  upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
  edged in red

Man, Isle of
  red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in
  the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
  knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of
  the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Marshall Islands
  blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
  hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star
  with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the
  two stripes

Martinique
  a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by
  a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the
  flag of France is used for official occasions

Mauritania
  green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,
  horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the
  crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Mauritius
  four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,
  and green

Mayotte
  the flag of France is used

Mexico
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in
  its beak) is centered in the white band

Micronesia, Federated States of
  light blue with four white
  five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond
  pattern

Midway Islands
  the flag of the US is used

Moldova
  same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of
  blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
  Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
  carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
  right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
  is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
  head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Monaco
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to
  the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which
  is white (top) and red

Mongolia
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and
  red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national
  emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
  representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
  symbol)

Montserrat
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer
  half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside
  a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Morocco
  red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known
  as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the
  traditional color of Islam

Mozambique
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and
  yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the
  black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow
  five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black
  superimposed on an open white book

Namibia
  a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper
  left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower
  right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
  contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Nauru
  blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the
  center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the
  hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to
  the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12
  original tribes of Nauru

Navassa Island
  the flag of the US is used

Nepal
  red with a blue border around the unique shape of two
  overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a
  white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white
  12-pointed sun

Netherlands
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue
  and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating
  with William I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th
  century

Netherlands Antilles
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the
  center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five
  white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the
  center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main
  islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

New Caledonia
  the flag of France is used

New Zealand
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
  constellation

Nicaragua
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
  NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
  the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
  the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
  the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
  blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Niger
  three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green
  with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
  white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
  wheel centered in the white band

Nigeria
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  green

Niue
  yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -
  a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each
  arm of the bold red cross

Norfolk Island
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
  and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in
  the slightly wider white band

Northern Mariana Islands
  blue, with a white, five-pointed star
  superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
  foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
  wreath

Norway
  red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Oman
  three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width
  with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national
  emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
  swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the
  vertical band

Pakistan
  green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of
  religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and
  star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Palau
  light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)
  shifted slightly to the hoist side

Palmyra Atoll
  the flag of the US is used

Panama
  divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are
  white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and
  plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and
  white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Papua New Guinea
  divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;
  the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise
  centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed
  stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Paraguay
  three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
  with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
  emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the
  left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
  within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
  all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears
  the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty
  and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
  REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Peru
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
  with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
  features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
  quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
  framed by a green wreath

Philippines
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
  white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of
  the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each
  containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle
  is a small yellow five-pointed star

Pitcairn Islands
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
  on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
  and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Poland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to
  the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Portugal
  two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and
  red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
  dividing line

Puerto Rico
  five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design
  initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,
  with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Qatar
  maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
  the hoist side

Reunion
  the flag of France is used

Romania
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the
  yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
  resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Russia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Rwanda
  three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),
  yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end
  of the blue band

Saint Helena
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of
  the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted
  sailing ship

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the
  black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower triangle is red

Saint Lucia
  blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black
  arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist
  side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under
  the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three
  parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal
  cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing
  the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white
  background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
  background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one
  above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by
  colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the
  flag of France is used for official occasions

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  three vertical bands of blue (hoist
  side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three
  green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Samoa
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
  bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
  Cross constellation

San Marino
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue
  with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat
  of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked
  by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word
  LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Sao Tome and Principe
  three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
  (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
  side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
  triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia
  green with large white Arabic script (that may be
  translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of
  God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist
  side); green is the traditional color of Islam

Senegal
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,
  and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow
  band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Serbia and Montenegro
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
  white, and red

Seychelles
  five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
  white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Sierra Leone
  three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
  white, and light blue

Singapore
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near
  the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
  (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five
  white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Slovakia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
  superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
  side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Slovenia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,
  with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,
  Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the
  center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
  rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an
  inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the
  Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
  and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist
  side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Solomon Islands
  divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
  with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
  lower triangle is green

Somalia
  light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
  center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

South Africa
  two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue
  separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y,
  the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y
  embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
  separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
  separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  blue, with the flag of
  the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and
  the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion
  centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a
  penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below
  it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the
  Lion Protect its Own Land)

Spain
  three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),
  and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the
  yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the
  Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and
  Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Sri Lanka
  yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other
  panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a
  sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow
  field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between
  the two panels

Sudan
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Suriname
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,
  red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
  large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Svalbard
  the flag of Norway is used

Swaziland
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
  and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band
  is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
  decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Sweden
  blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in
  the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Switzerland
  red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
  center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Syria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,
  with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line
  centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has
  a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
  an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle
  centered in the white band

Taiwan
  red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Tajikistan
  three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of
  white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,
  five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Tanzania
  divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green
  and the lower triangle is blue

Thailand
  five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
  width), white, and red

Togo
  five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
  alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red
  square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Tokelau
  the flag of New Zealand is used

Tonga
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner

Trinidad and Tobago
  red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
  the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Tromelin Island
  the flag of France is used

Tunisia
  red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent
  nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Turkey
  red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is
  toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just
  outside the crescent opening

Turkmenistan
  green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist
  side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs)
  stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive
  branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars
  appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the
  red stripe

Turks and Caicos Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer
  half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,
  lobster, and cactus

Tuvalu
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
  with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Uganda
  six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
  black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center
  and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the
  hoist side

Ukraine
  two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
  represent grainfields under a blue sky

United Arab Emirates
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

United Kingdom
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron
  saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
  cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is
  superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
  saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly
  called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
  Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including
  other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or
  provinces, as well as British overseas territories

United States
  thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and
  bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the
  upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
  arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
  bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
  the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
  number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
  Puerto Rico

Uruguay
  nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
  alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper
  hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as
  the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Uzbekistan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and
  12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Vanuatu
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by
  a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
  points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
  centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
  namele leaves, all in yellow

Venezuela
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and
  red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and
  an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Vietnam
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Virgin Islands
  white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center
  between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a
  yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows
  in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white
  stripes below a blue panel

Wake Island
  the flag of the US is used

Wallis and Futuna
  a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a
  little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red
  background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in
  the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official
  occasions

Yemen
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
  which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
  horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
  of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Zambia
  green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist
  side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer
  edge of the flag

Zimbabwe
  seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,
  red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in
  black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird
  representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a
  red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which
  symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral
  wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands
  for the native people

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2085 Highways (km)

Afghanistan
  total: 21,000 km
  paved: 2,793 km
  unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)

Albania
  total: 18,000 km
  paved: 5,400 km
  unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)

Algeria
  total: 104,000 km
  paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)

American Samoa
  total: 350 km
  paved: 150 km
  unpaved: 200 km

Andorra
  total: 269 km
  paved: 198 km
  unpaved: 71 km (1994)

Angola
  total: 51,429 km
  paved: 5,349 km
  unpaved: 46,080 km (1999)

Anguilla
  total: 105 km
  paved: 65 km
  unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Argentina
  total: 215,471 km
  paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Armenia
  total: 15,918 km
  paved: 15,329 km (includes 7,527 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 589 km (2000)

Aruba
  total: 800 km
  paved: 513 km
  unpaved: 287 km
  note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large
  tracts of the interior (1995)

Australia
  total: 811,603 km
  paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Austria
  total: 200,000 km
  paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Azerbaijan
  total: 24,981 km
  paved: 23,057 km
  unpaved: 1,924 km (2000)

Bahamas, The
  total: 2,693 km
  paved: 1,546 km
  unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 3,261 km
  paved: 2,531 km
  unpaved: 730 km (2000)

Bangladesh
  total: 207,486 km
  paved: 19,773 km
  unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Barbados
  total: 1,793 km
  paved: 1,719 km
  unpaved: 74 km (1999)

Belarus
  total: 74,385 km
  paved: 66,203 km
  unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)

Belgium
  total: 148,216 km
  paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)

Belize
  total: 2,872 km
  paved: 488 km
  unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Benin
  total: 6,787 km
  paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Bermuda total: 450 km paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)

Bhutan
  total: 3,690 km
  paved: 2,240 km
  unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 53,790 km
  paved: 3,496 km (including 13 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 50,294 km (2000 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 21,846 km
  paved: 11,424 km
  unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est)

Botswana
  total: 10,217 km
  paved: 5,619 km
  unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Brazil
  total: 1,724,929 km
  paved: 94,871 km
  unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  total: NA km
  paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
  Diego Garcia
  unpaved: NA km

British Virgin Islands
  total: 177 km
  paved: 177 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Brunei
  total: 2,525 km
  paved: 2,525 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Bulgaria
  total: 37,286 km
  paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)

Burkina Faso
  total: 12,506 km
  paved: 2,001 km
  unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Burma
  total: 28,200 km
  paved: 3,440 km
  unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Burundi
  total: 14,480 km
  paved: 1,028 km
  unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 12,323 km
  paved: 1,996 km
  unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Cameroon
  total: 34,300 km
  paved: 4,288 km
  unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Canada
  total: 1.408 million km
  paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Cape Verde
  total: 1,100 km
  paved: 858 km
  unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.)

Cayman Islands total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Central African Republic
  total: 23,810 km
  paved: 643 km
  unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Chad
  total: 33,400 km
  paved: 267 km
  unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Chile
  total: 79,814 km
  paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)

China
  total: 1,402,698 km
  paved: 314,204 km (with at least 16,314 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,088,494 km (2000)

Christmas Island
  total: 240 km
  paved: 30 km
  unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 15 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (2003)

Colombia
  total: 110,000 km
  paved: 26,000 km
  unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Comoros
  total: 880 km
  paved: 673 km
  unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 12,800 km
  paved: 1,242 km
  unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: 320 km
  paved: 33 km
  unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Costa Rica
  total: 35,892 km
  paved: 7,896 km
  unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 50,400 km
  paved: 4,889 km
  unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Croatia
  total: 28,123 km
  paved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)

Cuba
  total: 60,858 km
  paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
  unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 13,491 km
  note: Greek Cypriot area: 11,141 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km
  paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,428 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km
  unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,713 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 980 km
  (2000/1996)

Czech Republic
  total: 55,408 km
  paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Denmark
  total: 71,591 km
  paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Djibouti
  total: 2,890 km
  paved: 364 km
  unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Dominica
  total: 780 km
  paved: 393 km
  unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 12,600 km
  paved: 6,224 km
  unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

East Timor
  total: 3,800 km
  paved: 428 km
  unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ecuador
  total: 43,197 km
  paved: 8,164 km
  unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)

Egypt
  total: 64,000 km
  paved: 49,984 km
  unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 10,029 km
  paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 4,010 km
  paved: 874 km
  unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Estonia
  total: 51,411 km
  paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)

Ethiopia
  total: 31,571 km
  paved: 3,789 km
  unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 440 km
  paved: 50 km
  unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Faroe Islands
  total: 463 km
  paved: 454 km
  unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Fiji
  total: 3,440 km
  paved: 1,692 km
  unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Finland
  total: 77,943 km
  paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 27,688 km (2001)

France
  total: 894,000 km
  paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

French Guiana
  total: 722 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1996)

French Polynesia
  total: 2,590 km
  paved: 1,735 km
  unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Gabon
  total: 8,464 km
  paved: 838 km
  unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 2,700 km
  paved: 956 km
  unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Gaza Strip total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Georgia
  total: 20,362 km
  paved: 19,038 km
  unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Germany
  total: 230,735 km
  paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Ghana
  total: 39,409 km
  paved: 11,665 km
  unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 29 km
  paved: 29 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Greece
  total: 117,000 km
  paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Greenland
  total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Grenada
  total: 1,040 km
  paved: 638 km
  unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 2,467 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1998)

Guam
  total: 885 km
  paved: 675 km
  unpaved: 210 km
  note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public,
  including roads located on federal government installations

Guatemala
  total: 14,118 km
  paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Guernsey
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Guinea
  total: 30,500 km
  paved: 5,033 km
  unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 4,400 km
  paved: 453 km
  unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Guyana
  total: 7,970 km
  paved: 590 km
  unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Haiti
  total: 4,160 km
  paved: 1,011 km
  unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none; all city streets

Honduras
  total: 13,603 km
  paved: 2,775 km
  unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 1,831 km
  paved: 1,831 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Hungary
  total: 188,203 km
  paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)

Iceland
  total: 12,955 km
  paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
  unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)

India
  total: 3,319,644 km
  paved: 1,517,077 km
  unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 342,700 km
  paved: 158,670 km
  unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Iran
  total: 167,157 km
  paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Iraq
  total: 45,550 km
  paved: 38,399 km
  unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)

Ireland
  total: 92,500 km
  paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)

Israel
  total: 16,281 km
  paved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Italy
  total: 479,688 km
  paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Jamaica
  total: 18,700 km
  paved: 13,109 km
  unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Japan
  total: 1,161,894 km
  paved: 534,471 km (including 6,455 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 627,423 km (1999)

Jersey
  total: 577 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Jordan
  total: 7,245 km
  paved: 7,245 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Kazakhstan
  total: 81,331 km
  paved: 77,020 km
  unpaved: 4,311 km (2000)

Kenya
  total: 63,942 km
  paved: 7,737 km
  unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Kiribati
  total: 670 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 31,200 km
  paved: 1,997 km
  unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 86,990 km
  paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 4,450 km
  paved: 3,587 km
  unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 18,500 km
  paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Laos
  total: 21,716 km
  paved: 9,664 km
  unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Latvia
  total: 73,202 km
  paved: 28,256 km
  unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)

Lebanon
  total: 7,300 km
  paved: 6,198 km
  unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 5,940 km
  paved: 1,087 km
  unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Liberia
  total: 10,600 km
  paved: 657 km
  unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Libya
  total: 83,200 km
  paved: 47,590 km
  unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 250 km
  paved: 250 km
  unpaved: 0 km

Lithuania
  total: 75,243 km
  paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Luxembourg
  total: 5,189 km
  paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Macau
  total: 271 km
  paved: 271 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 8,684 km
  paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 49,827 km
  paved: 5,780 km
  unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Malawi
  total: 28,400 km
  paved: 5,254 km
  unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 65,877 km
  paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)

Maldives
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Mali
  total: 15,100 km
  paved: 1,827 km
  unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Malta
  total: 2,254 km
  paved: 1,972 km
  unpaved: 282 km (2000)

Man, Isle of
  total: 800 km
  paved: 800 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Marshall Islands total: NA km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Martinique
  total: 2,105 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (2000)

Mauritania
  total: 7,720 km
  paved: 830 km
  unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Mauritius
  total: 1,926 km
  paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Mayotte
  total: 93 km
  paved: 72 km
  unpaved: 21 km

Mexico
  total: 329,532 km
  paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 240 km
  paved: 42 km
  unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Midway Islands
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Moldova
  total: 12,657 km
  paved: 11,012 km
  unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Monaco
  total: 50 km
  paved: 50 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 49,250 km
  paved: 1,724 km
  unpaved: 47,526 km (2000)

Montserrat
  total: 227 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
  road system (2003)

Morocco
  total: 57,707 km
  paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Mozambique
  total: 30,400 km
  paved: 5,685 km
  unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Namibia
  total: 66,467 km
  paved: 9,172 km
  unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Nauru
  total: 30 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Nepal
  total: 13,223 km
  paved: 4,073 km
  unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 116,500 km
  paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 600 km
  paved: 300 km
  unpaved: 300 km

New Caledonia
  total: 4,825 km
  paved: 2,287 km
  unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

New Zealand
  total: 92,053 km
  paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)

Nicaragua
  total: 19,032 km
  paved: 2,094 km
  unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)

Niger
  total: 10,100 km
  paved: 798 km
  unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 194,394 km
  paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Niue
  total: 234 km
  paved: 86 km
  unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Norfolk Island
  total: 80 km
  paved: 53 km
  unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 362 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1991)

Norway
  total: 91,454 km
  paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 21,949 km (2000)

Oman
  total: 34,965 km
  paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pakistan
  total: 254,410 km
  paved: 109,396 km (including 339 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 145,014 km (1999)

Palau
  total: 61 km
  paved: 36 km
  unpaved: 25 km

Palmyra Atoll
  most of the roads and many causeways built during
  World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Panama
  total: 11,400 km
  paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,456 km (1999)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 19,600 km
  paved: 686 km
  unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 29,500 km
  paved: 14,986 km
  unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Peru
  total: 72,900 km
  paved: 9,331 km
  unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.)

Philippines
  total: 201,994 km
  paved: 42,419 km
  unpaved: 159,575 km (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
  total: 6.4 km
  paved: 0 km
  unpaved: 6.4 km

Poland
  total: 364,656 km
  paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)

Portugal
  total: 68,732 km
  paved: 59,110 km (including 1441 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)

Puerto Rico
  total: 14,400 km
  paved: 14,400 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Qatar
  total: 1,230 km
  paved: 1,107 km
  unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Reunion
  total: 2,724 km
  paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)
  unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)

Romania
  total: 198,603 km
  paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)

Russia
  total: 532,393 km
  paved: 358,833 km
  unpaved: 173,560 km (2000)

Rwanda
  total: 12,000 km
  paved: 996 km
  unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km,
  Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
  paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km)
  unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km) (2000)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 320 km
  paved: 136 km
  unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Saint Lucia
  total: 1,210 km
  paved: 63 km
  unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 114 km
  paved: 69 km
  unpaved: 45 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 1,040 km
  paved: 320 km
  unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)

Samoa
  total: 790 km
  paved: 332 km
  unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

San Marino
  total: 220 km
  paved: 220 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 320 km
  paved: 218 km
  unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 151,470 km
  paved: 45,592 km
  unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)

Senegal
  total: 14,576 km
  paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
  unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 49,805 km
  paved: 31,029 km (including 560 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 18,776 km (2000)

Seychelles
  total: 373 km
  paved: 315 km
  unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 11,330 km
  paved: 895 km
  unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)

Singapore
  total: 3,066 km
  paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Slovakia
  total: 42,717 km
  paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Slovenia
  total: 20,177 km
  paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Solomon Islands
  total: 1,360 km
  paved: 34 km
  unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Somalia
  total: 22,100 km
  paved: 2,608 km
  unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

South Africa
  total: 362,099 km
  paved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)

Spain
  total: 663,795 km
  paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)

Sri Lanka
  total: 96,695 km
  paved: 91,860 km
  unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)

Sudan
  total: 11,900 km
  paved: 4,320 km
  unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Suriname
  total: 4,492 km
  paved: 1,168 km
  unpaved: 3,324 km (2000)

Svalbard
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Swaziland
  total: 3,247 km
  paved: NA
  unpaved: NA (1998)

Sweden
  total: 212,402 km
  paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 45,879 km (2000)

Switzerland
  total: 71,011 km
  paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Syria
  total: 43,381 km
  paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)

Taiwan
  total: 35,931 km
  paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)

Tajikistan
  total: 27,767 km
  paved: NA
  unpaved: NA (2000)

Tanzania
  total: 88,200 km
  paved: 3,704 km
  unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Thailand
  total: 64,600 km
  paved: 62,985 km
  unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)

Togo
  total: 7,520 km
  paved: 2,376 km
  unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Tokelau
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Tonga
  total: 680 km
  paved: 184 km
  unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 8,320 km
  paved: 4,252 km
  unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 18,997 km
  paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,687 km (2000)

Turkey
  total: 385,960 km
  paved: 131,226 km (including 1,749 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 254,734 km (1999)

Turkmenistan
  total: 24,000 km
  paved: 19,488 km
  unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 121 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Tuvalu
  total: 8 km
  paved: 0 km
  unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Uganda
  total: 27,000 km
  paved: 1,809 km
  unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 169,491 km
  paved: 163,898 km
  unpaved: 5,593 km (2000)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 1,088 km
  paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 371,913 km
  paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

United States
  total: 6,334,859 km
  paved: 3,737,567 km (including 89,426 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,597,292 km (2000)

Uruguay
  total: 8,983 km
  paved: 8,081 km
  unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 81,600 km
  paved: 71,237 km
  unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 1,070 km
  paved: 256 km
  unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 93,300 km
  paved: 23,418 km
  unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Virgin Islands total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)

Wallis and Futuna total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

West Bank
  total: 4,500 km
  paved: 2,700 km
  unpaved: 1,800 km
  note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
  settlements (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: 6,200 km
  paved: 1,350 km
  unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

World
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Yemen
  total: 67,000 km
  paved: 7,705 km
  unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Zambia
  total: 66,781 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 18,338 km
  paved: 8,692 km
  unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2086 Illicit drugs

Afghanistan
  world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium
  poppy - used to make heroin - expanded to 30,750 hectares in 2002,
  despite eradication; potential opium production of 1,278 metric
  tons; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout
  the country; drug trade source of instability and some government
  groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in
  Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money
  laundering through the hawala system

Albania
  increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
  a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
  Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
  ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly
  expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with
  regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal
  aliens

Angola
  used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for
  Western Europe and other African states

Anguilla
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
  considered a minor transshipment point for
  narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an
  offshore financial center

Argentina
  used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for
  Europe and the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the
  Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is
  increasing

Armenia
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
  consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
  opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

Aruba
  transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
  accompanying money-laundering activity

Australia
  Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit
  opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of
  opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Austria
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
  American cocaine destined for Western Europe

Azerbaijan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy,
  mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program;
  transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

Bahamas, The
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  US and Europe; offshore financial center

Bangladesh
  transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring
  countries

Barbados
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics
  bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Belarus
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and
  via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; lax
  money-laundering and banking regulations

Belgium
  growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for
  US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American
  cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
  hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; money laundering
  related to trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco

Belize
  major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit
  producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; some
  money-laundering activity related to offshore sector

Benin
  transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
  trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
  Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
  regulated financial infrastructure

Bolivia
  world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and
  Peru) with an estimated 24,400 hectares under cultivation in June
  2002, a 23% increase from June 2001; intermediate coca products and
  cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and
  Chile to the US and other international drug markets; eradication
  and alternative crop programs under the SANCHEZ DE LOZADA
  administration have been unable to keep pace with farmers' attempts
  to increase cultivation after significant reductions in 1998 and
  1999; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade,
  especially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  minor transit point for marijuana and opiate
  trafficking routes to Western Europe; organized crime launders
  money, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
  limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Brazil
  illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the
  Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a
  large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important
  transshipment country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for
  the US and Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for
  narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in
  drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for
  Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics
  proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial
  system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area

British Virgin Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial
  center

Brunei
  drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled
  substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory
  death penalty

Bulgaria
  major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the
  European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money
  laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

Burma
  world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential
  production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and,
  to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000
  hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); surrender of drug warlord KHUN
  SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
  counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to
  take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment
  against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug
  effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional
  consumption

Cambodia
  narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in
  the government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
  heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
  the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
  cash-based economy and porous borders

Canada
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market;
  use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large
  quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for
  heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics
  money laundering because of its mature financial services sector

Cape Verde
  used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving
  from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of
  a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

Cayman Islands
  offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug
  transshipment to the US and Europe

Chile
  a growing transshipment country for cocaine destined for the
  US and Europe; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made
  Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug
  profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported
  precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is
  rising

China
  major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
  Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
  chemical precursors and methamphetamine

Colombia
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;
  world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was
  144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of
  opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons;
  potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the
  world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier
  of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority
  of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier
  of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
  significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
  laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
  exchange

Congo, Democratic Republic of the illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Costa Rica
  transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
  America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;
  domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

Cote d'Ivoire
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local
  consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian
  heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American
  cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant
  corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial
  system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering
  center

Croatia
  transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian
  heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for
  maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Cuba
  territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone
  for cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the
  death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

Cyprus
  minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
  container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
  some cocaine transits as well; anti-money-laundering laws
  strengthened but few convictions

Czech Republic
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
  minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
  producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets;
  susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking,
  organized crime

Dominica
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
  Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement
  is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money
  laundering

Dominican Republic
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for
  ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada;
  substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
  traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial
  transactions

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  significant transit country for cocaine originating in
  Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in
  production of illicit narcotics; dollarization may raise the volume
  of money-laundering activity, especially along the border with
  Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking
  groups and Colombian insurgents

Egypt
  transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin
  and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
  Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
  banking regulations

El Salvador
  transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of
  marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on
  the rise

Estonia
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest
  Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to
  Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western
  Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem;
  possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking

Ethiopia
  transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
  Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as
  cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat
  (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti
  and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

France
  transshipment point for and consumer of South American
  cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

French Guiana
  small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption;
  minor transshipment point to Europe

Georgia
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
  Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

Germany
  source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs

Ghana
  illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
  lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
  US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a
  problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
  limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Greece
  a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and
  heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and
  precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine
  transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug
  trafficking and organized crime

Grenada
  small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point
  for marijuana and cocaine to US

Guatemala
  major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor
  producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic
  consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging
  area for drugs (cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a
  serious problem; corruption is a major problem

Guyana
  transshipment point for narcotics from South America -
  primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

Haiti
  major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to
  the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
  narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
  transactions; pervasive corruption

Honduras
  transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit
  producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally
  for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some
  money-laundering activity

Hong Kong
  Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious
  challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
  regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit
  for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
  especially among young people

Hungary
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis
  and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited
  producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
  methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

India
  world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
  trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
  international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
  produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
  vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

Indonesia
  illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;
  possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle
  heroin

Iran
  despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
  narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and Iranian press
  reports estimate at least 2 million drug users in the country

Ireland
  transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North
  Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic
  drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
  Western Europe

Israel
  increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs
  arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan

Italy
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine
  and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
  laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Jamaica
  major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to
  North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis;
  government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
  corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering
  activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit
  financial transactions

Kazakhstan
  significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS
  markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra
  (for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit
  crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia
  and the rest of Europe

Kenya
  widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit
  country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North
  America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa;
  significant potential for money-laundering activity given the
  country's status as a regional financial center, massive corruption,
  and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Kyrgyzstan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy
  for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops;
  transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the
  rest of Europe

Laos
  world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated
  cultivation in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase over 2001;
  estimated potential production in 2002 - 180 metric tons, a 10%
  decrease from 2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point
  for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer
  of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem

Latvia
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
  Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
  cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money
  laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation

Lebanon
  cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares
  in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
  American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
  to US and European markets

Liberia
  transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin
  and South American cocaine for the European and US markets;
  corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade
  provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  major money-laundering center

Liechtenstein
  multilateral organizations engaged in issuing
  international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps
  in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it
  vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less
  attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in
  2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual
  legal assistance cooperation with other countries

Lithuania
  transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs
  from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western
  Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and
  ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
  legislation

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  major transshipment point
  for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for
  South American cocaine destined for Europe; while money laundering
  is a problem on a local level due to organized crime activities, the
  lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the
  country's utility as a money-laundering center

Madagascar
  illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
  varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
  for heroin

Malaysia
  transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking
  prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

Malta
  minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to
  Western Europe

Martinique
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  the US and Europe

Mauritius
  minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from
  South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;
  significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money
  laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the
  government appears generally to be committed to regulating its
  banking industry

Mexico
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 -
  4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
  cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
  have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
  heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
  to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
  US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control
  majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing
  producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering
  center

Moldova
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from
  Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and
  possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

Montserrat
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Morocco
  illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both
  domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly
  directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
  America destined for Western Europe

Mozambique
  Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish,
  South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for
  the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for
  local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
  corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
  financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

Nauru
  broad-based money-laundering center

Nepal
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and
  international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
  Asia to the West

Netherlands
  major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other
  synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish
  entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial
  sector vulnerable to money laundering

Netherlands Antilles
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

Nicaragua
  transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
  transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Nigeria
  a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for
  European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for
  Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major
  money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity,
  along with unwillingness of the government to address the
  deficiencies in its anti-money-laundering regime make money
  laundering a major problem

Pakistan
  opium poppy cultivation practically eliminated; key transit
  point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western markets; Afghan
  narcotics continue to transit Federally Administered Tribal Areas,
  Balochistan Province, and Karachi; financial crimes related to drug
  trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems

Panama
  major cocaine transshipment point and primary money
  laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity
  is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial
  center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of
  financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a
  major problem

Paraguay
  major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
  consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine
  headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, Europe, and US;
  corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the
  Tri-Border Area

Peru
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging
  opium producer; cultivation of coca in Peru increased by 8% to
  36,600 hectares between 2001 and the end of 2002; much of the
  cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into
  cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to
  the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and
  finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for
  use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

Philippines
  exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East
  Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point
  for heroin and crystal methamphetamine

Poland
  major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international
  market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
  illicit drugs to Western Europe

Portugal
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest
  Asian heroin entering the European market; transshipment point for
  hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin

Romania
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American
  cocaine bound for Western Europe

Russia
  limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
  producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
  government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
  transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
  cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
  Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
  of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
  key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Saint Lucia
  transit point for South American drugs destined for the
  US and Europe

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  transshipment point for South
  American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis
  cultivation

Saudi Arabia
  death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption
  of heroin, cocaine, and hashish

Senegal
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin
  moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

Serbia and Montenegro
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to
  money laundering

Singapore
  as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore
  is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
  transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
  laundering

Slovakia
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
  Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

Slovenia
  minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
  bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

South Africa
  transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana,
  and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's
  largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally
  from India through various east African countries; illicit
  cultivation of marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers
  given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics
  activity in the region

Spain
  key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and
  North African hashish entering the European market; destination and
  minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Suriname
  growing transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for
  arms-for-drugs dealing

Switzerland
  because of more stringent government regulations, used
  significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for
  and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Syria
  a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
  Western markets

Taiwan
  regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
  problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin

Tajikistan
  major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for
  Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption;
  Tajikistan seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in
  Central Asia and stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates
  (heroin and raw opium)

Tanzania
  growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast
  Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,
  European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for
  Southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

Thailand
  a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit
  transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market
  from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
  cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
  countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
  efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
  amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
  indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

Togo
  transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
  laundering not a significant problem

Trinidad and Tobago
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Turkey
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western
  Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea
  routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
  organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
  imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
  as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
  areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
  concentrate

Turkmenistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; small-scale
  government-run eradication of illicit crops; transit point for
  heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Ukraine
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the
  West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment
  point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin
  America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; drug-related money
  laundering a minor, but growing, problem; lax anti-money-laundering
  regime

United Arab Emirates
  the UAE is a drug transshipment point for
  traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing
  countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it
  vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation
  was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002

United Kingdom
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering
  the European market; major consumer of synthetic drugs, producer of
  limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor
  chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin;
  money-laundering center

United States
  consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through
  Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and
  increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality
  Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana,
  depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine;
  money-laundering center

Uzbekistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for
  domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by
  government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin
  precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Venezuela
  small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the
  processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large
  quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country
  from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
  money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
  and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
  targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
  Colombian insurgents on border

Vietnam
  minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point
  for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
  addiction problems

World
  cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 205,450
  hectares - almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
  potential cocaine production during 2002 is estimated at 938 metric
  tons (or 1,200 metric tons of export quality cocaine at an average
  of 78% purity); coca eradication programs continue in Bolivia,
  Colombia, and Peru, and 292 metric tons of export quality cocaine
  are documented to have been seized in 2002; consumption of export
  quality cocaine is estimated to have been 875 metric tons
  opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 141,213
  hectares in 2002 and potentially produced 2,183 metric tons of opium
  - which conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 238
  metric tons of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been
  undertaken in Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan,
  Thailand, and Vietnam, and the annual average for opiates seized
  worldwide over the past five years (1998-2002) has been 45 metric
  tons of pure heroin equivalent; estimates for average annual
  consumption over this time period are 315 metric tons pure heroin
  equivalent

Zambia
  transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone,
  small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
  possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
  with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
  an unattractive venue for money launderers

Zimbabwe
  transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin,
  mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and
  European markets

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2087 Imports

Afghanistan
  $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Albania
  $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Algeria
  $10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  $452 million (1999)

Andorra
  $1.077 billion (1998)

Angola
  $4.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  $80.9 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $357 million (2000 est.)

Argentina
  $9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Armenia
  $991 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Aruba
  $2.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Australia
  $68 billion (2002 est.)

Austria
  $74 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Azerbaijan
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Bahamas, The
  $1.86 billion (2002 est.)

Bahrain
  $4.2 billion (2002)

Bangladesh
  $8.5 billion (2002)

Barbados
  $987 million (2002)

Belarus
  $8.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Belgium
  $152 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Belize
  $430 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Benin
  $479 million c.i.f. (2002)

Bermuda
  $719 million (2000)

Bhutan
  $196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Botswana
  $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Brazil
  $46.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  $187 million (2002 est.)

Brunei
  $1.4 billion c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Bulgaria
  $6.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $525 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Burma
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Burundi
  $135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  $1.73 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Canada
  $229 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  $220 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $457.4 million (1999)

Central African Republic
  $102 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
  $570 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chile
  $15.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

China
  $295.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $12.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Comoros
  $39.8 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $890 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $730 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  $50.7 million (2000)

Costa Rica
  $6.4 billion (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Croatia
  $10.7 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Cuba
  $4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: $3.9 billion f.o.b.; Turkish Cypriot
  area: $301 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Czech Republic
  $43.2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Denmark
  $47.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  $255 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

East Timor
  $237 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  $6 billion (2002 est.)

Egypt
  $15.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  $4.9 billion (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  $562 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  $500 million c.i.f. (2001)

Estonia
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Ethiopia
  $1.63 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $24.7 million (1995)

Faroe Islands
  $469 million c.i.f. (1999)

Fiji
  $642 million c.i.f. (2001)

Finland
  $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

France
  $303.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  $625 million c.i.f.

French Polynesia
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Gabon
  $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  $225 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank

Georgia
  $750 million (2002 est.)

Germany
  $487.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ghana
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  $492 million c.i.f. (1997)

Greece
  $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Greenland
  $403 million c.i.f. (2001)

Grenada
  $270 million (2000 est.)

Guadeloupe
  $1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Guam
  $203 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  $5.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $670 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $59 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
  $575 million c.i.f. (2002)

Haiti
  $1.14 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Honduras
  $2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  $208.1 billion (2002 est.)

Hungary
  $33.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iceland
  $2.1 billion (2002)

India
  $53.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Indonesia
  $32.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iran
  $21.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Iraq
  $7.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ireland
  $48.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Israel
  $30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Italy
  $238.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  $3.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Japan
  $292.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $9.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kenya
  $3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  $44 million c.i.f. (1999)

Korea, North
  $1.314 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  $148.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  $7.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $587 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Laos
  $555 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Latvia
  $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Lebanon
  $6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Lesotho
  $738 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Liberia
  $165 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
  $6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $917.3 million (1996)

Lithuania
  $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  $13.25 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Macau
  $2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  $985 million f.o.b. (2002)

Malawi
  $505 million f.o.b. (2001)

Malaysia
  $76.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Maldives
  $395 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Mali
  $630 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
  $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
  $2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Mauritania
  $360 million f.o.b. (2000)

Mauritius
  $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
  $168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $149 million f.o.b. (FY 99/00 est.)

Moldova
  $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Monaco
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia
  $659 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  $17 million (2001)

Morocco
  $10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  $1.18 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Namibia
  $1.38 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nauru
  $33 million c.i.f. (1995)

Nepal
  $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  $201.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $1.43 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
  $1 billion f.o.b. (2000)

New Zealand
  $12.5 billion (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Niger
  $368 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  $13.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Niue
  $2.38 million (1999)

Norfolk Island
  $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY 91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
  $NA

Norway
  $37.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Oman
  $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  $11.1 billion f.o.b. (FY02/03 est.)

Palau
  $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
  $6.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  $2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Peru
  $7.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Philippines
  $33.5 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $43.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Portugal
  $39 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Puerto Rico
  $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Qatar
  $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Reunion
  $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Romania
  $16.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Russia
  $60.7 billion (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  $253 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  $14.434 million c.i.f. (1995)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $152 million (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $319.4 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $55 million f.o.b. (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $185.6 million (2000 est.)

Samoa
  $130.1 million f.o.b. (2001)

San Marino
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  $24.8 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $39.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Senegal
  $1.46 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Seychelles
  $380 million f.o.b. (2002)

Sierra Leone
  $190 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Singapore
  $113 billion (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  $15.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  $11.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Solomon Islands
  $82 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Somalia
  $343 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

South Africa
  $26.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Spain
  $156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Sudan
  $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Suriname
  $300 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $938 million f.o.b. (2002)

Sweden
  $68.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  $94.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Syria
  $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  $113 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Tajikistan
  $830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  $1.67 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Thailand
  $58.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Togo
  $561 million f.o.b. (2002)

Tokelau
  $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Tonga
  $70 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $3.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Turkey
  $50.8 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $2.25 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $175.6 million (2000)

Tuvalu
  $7.2 million c.i.f. (1998)

Uganda
  $1.14 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  $18 billion (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  $330.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

United States
  $1.165 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  $1.87 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  $93 million c.i.f. (2001)

Venezuela
  $18.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Vietnam
  $16.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Yemen
  $2.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Zambia
  $1.123 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Zimbabwe
  $1.739 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2088 Independence

Afghanistan
  19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
  affairs)

Albania
  28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Algeria
  5 July 1962 (from France)

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French
  count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

Angola
  11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981 (from UK)

Argentina
  9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Armenia
  21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Austria
  1156 (from Bavaria)

Azerbaijan
  30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973 (from UK)

Bahrain
  15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bangladesh
  16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March
  1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December
  1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation
  of the state of Bangladesh

Barbados
  30 November 1966 (from UK)

Belarus
  25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Belgium
  4 October 1830 a provisional government declared
  independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of
  King Leopold I to the throne

Belize
  21 September 1981 (from UK)

Benin
  1 August 1960 (from France)

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  8 August 1949 (from India)

Bolivia
  6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for
  independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3
  March 1992)

Botswana
  30 September 1966 (from UK)

Brazil
  7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  1 January 1984 (from UK)

Bulgaria
  3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)

Burkina Faso
  5 August 1960 (from France)

Burma
  4 January 1948 (from UK)

Burundi
  1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
  administration)

Cambodia
  9 November 1953 (from France)

Cameroon
  1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Canada
  1 July 1867 (from UK)

Cape Verde
  5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  13 August 1960 (from France)

Chad
  11 August 1960 (from France)

Chile
  18 September 1810 (from Spain)

China
  221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC;
  Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912;
  People's Republic established 1 October 1949)

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Comoros
  6 July 1975 (from France)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

Congo, Republic of the
  15 August 1960 (from France)

Cook Islands
  none (became self-governing in free association with
  New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move
  to full independence by unilateral action)

Costa Rica
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Cote d'Ivoire
  7 August (1960) (from France)

Croatia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Cuba
  20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the
  US from 1898 to 1902)

Cyprus
  16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area
  proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975

Czech Republic
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Denmark
  first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
  became a constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  27 June 1977 (from France)

Dominica
  3 November 1978 (from UK)

Dominican Republic
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

East Timor
  28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence
  from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of
  international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

Ecuador
  24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt
  28 February 1922 (from UK)

El Salvador
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea
  12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia
  regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Ethiopia
  oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
  in the world - at least 2,000 years

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji
  10 October 1970 (from UK)

Finland
  6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France
  486 (unified by Clovis)

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas territory of France)

Gabon
  17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The
  18 February 1965 (from UK)

Georgia
  9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Germany
  18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
  four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
  following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
  Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
  French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
  proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
  unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
  1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana
  6 March 1957 (from UK)

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
  note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but
  Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating
  to Greenland

Grenada
  7 February 1974 (from UK)

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau
  24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
  Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

Guyana
  26 May 1966 (from UK)

Haiti
  1 January 1804 (from France)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  11 February 1929 (from Italy)
  note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy
  which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the
  Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin
  of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably
  in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century

Honduras
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Iceland
  1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish
  Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

India
  15 August 1947 (from UK)

Indonesia
  17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December
  1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

Iran
  1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Iraq
  3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Ireland
  6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

Israel
  14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Italy
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not
  finally unified until 1870)

Jamaica
  6 August 1962 (from UK)

Japan
  660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Kazakhstan
  16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Kenya
  12 December 1963 (from UK)

Kiribati
  12 July 1979 (from UK)

Korea, North
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Korea, South
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Kuwait
  19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kyrgyzstan
  31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Laos
  19 July 1949 (from France)

Latvia
  21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Lebanon
  22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
  French administration)

Lesotho
  4 October 1966 (from UK)

Liberia
  26 July 1847

Libya
  24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Liechtenstein
  23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
  established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy
  Roman Empire

Lithuania
  11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
  September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

Luxembourg
  1839 (from the Netherlands)

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  8 September 1991
  referendum by registered voters endorsing independence (from
  Yugoslavia)

Madagascar
  26 June 1960 (from France)

Malawi
  6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malaysia
  31 August 1957 (from UK)

Maldives
  26 July 1965 (from UK)

Mali
  22 September 1960 (from France)

Malta
  21 September 1964 (from UK)

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritius
  12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3 November 1986 (from the
  US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Moldova
  27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Monaco
  1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

Mongolia
  11 July 1921 (from China)

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  2 March 1956 (from France)

Mozambique
  25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Namibia
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Nauru
  31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Nepal
  1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Netherlands
  1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the
  Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before
  Spain finally recognized their independence

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a
  referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new
  referendum is scheduled for 2014

New Zealand
  26 September 1907 (from UK)

Nicaragua
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Niger
  3 August 1960 (from France)

Nigeria
  1 October 1960 (from UK)

Niue
  on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
  government in free association with New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US)

Norway
  7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved;
  26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union

Oman
  1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Pakistan
  14 August 1947 (from UK)

Palau
  1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Panama
  3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain
  28 November 1821)

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Paraguay
  14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Peru
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Philippines
  12 June 1898 (from Spain)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

Portugal
  1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  3 September 1971 (from UK)

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey;
  independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;
  kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December
  1947)

Russia
  24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Rwanda
  1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983 (from UK)

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979 (from UK)

Samoa
  1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino
  3 September 301

Sao Tome and Principe
  12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia
  23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)

Senegal
  4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was
  achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

Serbia and Montenegro
  27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  or FRY formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal
  Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

Seychelles
  29 June 1976 (from UK)

Sierra Leone
  27 April 1961 (from UK)

Singapore
  9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978 (from UK)

Somalia
  1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
  became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
  Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
  UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

South Africa
  31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a
  republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum

Spain
  the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of
  independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in
  the early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the
  small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost
  immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this
  event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is
  traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Sri Lanka
  4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sudan
  1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

Suriname
  25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Svalbard
  none (territory of Norway)

Swaziland
  6 September 1968 (from UK)

Sweden
  6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Switzerland
  1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Syria
  17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

Tajikistan
  9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tanzania
  26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December
  1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became
  independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with
  Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and
  Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

Thailand
  1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Togo
  27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Trinidad and Tobago
  31 August 1962 (from UK)

Tunisia
  20 March 1956 (from France)

Turkey
  29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Turkmenistan
  27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978 (from UK)

Uganda
  9 October 1962 (from UK)

Ukraine
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971 (from UK)

United Kingdom
  England has existed as a unified entity since the
  10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284
  with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an
  Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland
  agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union
  of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the
  adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
  Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of
  Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United
  Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the
  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in
  1927

United States
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

Uruguay
  25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uzbekistan
  1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Venezuela
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Vietnam
  2 September 1945 (from France)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Yemen
  22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger
  of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
  Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
  (Aden) or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had become
  independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
  Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Zambia
  24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zimbabwe
  18 April 1980 (from UK)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2089 Industrial production growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  9% (2000 est.)

Algeria
  6% (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  1%

Anguilla
  3.1% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  6% (1997 est.)

Argentina
  1% (2000 est.)

Armenia
  15% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Austria
  3.8% (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  6% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA%

Bahrain
  2% (2000 est.)

Bangladesh
  1.8% (2002 est.)

Barbados
  -3.2% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Belgium
  4.5% (2000 est.)

Belize
  4.6% (1999)

Benin
  8.3% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA%

Bhutan
  9.3% (1996 est.)

Bolivia
  3.9% (1998)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  7% (2002 est.)

Botswana
  2.4% (2001 est.)

Brazil
  2.3% (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  5% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  2% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  14% (2001 est.)

Burma
  NA%

Burundi
  18% (2001)

Cambodia
  16% (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  4.2% (1999 est.)

Canada
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  NA%

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  3% (2002)

Chad
  5% (1995)

Chile
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

China
  12.6% (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  4% (2001 est.)

Comoros
  -2% (1999 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  0% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  1% (2002)

Costa Rica
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  15% (1998 est.)

Croatia
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: -1.4% (2002); Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3%
  (2002)

Czech Republic
  3.5% (2002)

Denmark
  1.4% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  3% (1996 est.)

Dominica
  -10% (1997 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2% (2001 est.)

East Timor
  8.5%

Ecuador
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  2.2% (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  3% (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  30% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  NA%

Estonia
  5% (2000 est.)

Ethiopia
  6.7% (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  8% (1999 est.)

Fiji
  NA%

Finland
  5% (2002 est.)

France
  -0.3% (2002)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  NA%

Gaza Strip
  NA%

Georgia
  3% (2000)

Germany
  -2.1% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  3.8% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  7% (2000 est.)

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  0.7% (1997 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA%

Guatemala
  4.1% (1999)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  3.2% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.6% (1997 est.)

Guyana
  7.1% (1997 est.)

Haiti
  NA

Honduras
  4% (1999 est.)

Hong Kong
  -9.7% (2002 est.)

Hungary
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Iceland
  0.2% (2002 est.)

India
  6% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Iran
  5.5% excluding oil (2001 est.)

Iraq
  NA%

Ireland
  6% (2002 est.)

Israel
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

Italy
  -2.8% (2002)

Jamaica
  -2% (2000 est.)

Japan
  -1.4% (2002 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  1% (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  10% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  0.7% (1991 est.)

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  6.5% (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  -5% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  6% (2000 est.)

Laos
  7.5% (1999 est.)

Latvia
  5.7% (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  NA%

Lesotho
  15.5% (1999)

Liberia
  NA%

Libya
  NA%

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  6% (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  0% (2002 est.)

Macau
  NA%

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  -5% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  3% (2000 est.)

Malawi
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

Malaysia
  5% (2002 est.)

Maldives
  4.4% (1996 est.)

Mali
  NA%

Malta
  NA%

Man, Isle of
  3.2% (FY 96/97)

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  2% (2000 est.)

Mauritius
  8% (2000 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  4.9% (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA%

Moldova
  9% (2002 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Mozambique
  3.4% (2000)

Namibia
  NA%

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  8.7% (FY 99/00)

Netherlands
  0% (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Caledonia
  -0.6% (1996)

New Zealand
  3% (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  4.4% (2000 est.)

Niger
  NA%

Nigeria
  0.4% (2002 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Oman
  4% (2000 est.)

Pakistan
  2.4% (FY01/02 est.)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  0% (2000 est.)

Peru
  6.5% (2002 est.)

Philippines
  4% (2000 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  0.3% (2001)

Portugal
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  NA%

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  6% (2002)

Russia
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  7% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  -8.9% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.9% (1997 est.)

Samoa
  2.8% (2000)

San Marino
  6% (1997 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA%

Saudi Arabia
  1% (1997 est.)

Senegal
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  NA%

Sierra Leone
  NA%

Singapore
  -9.8% (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  4.4% (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  2.4% (2002)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  3% (2002 est.)

Spain
  1.2% (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  1.1% (2002)

Sudan
  8.5% (1999 est.)

Suriname
  6.5% (1994 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  3.7% (FY 95/96)

Sweden
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  3.2% (2001)

Syria
  NA%

Taiwan
  6% (2002)

Tajikistan
  10.3% (2000 est.)

Tanzania
  8.4% (1999 est.)

Thailand
  3% (2000 est.)

Togo
  NA%

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  8.6% (FY 98/99)

Trinidad and Tobago
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Turkey
  8.5% (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1% (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  6.3% (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  6% (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  4% (2000)

United Kingdom
  -3.4% (2002 est.)

United States
  -0.4% (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  -12% (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  3.5% (2000 est.)

Vanuatu
  1% (1997 est.)

Venezuela
  -5.4% (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  10.2% (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  NA%

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  3% (2002 est.)

Yemen
  4% (2002 est.)

Zambia
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -3.1% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2090 Industries

Afghanistan
  small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
  shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal,
  copper

Albania
  food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
  chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
  electrical, petrochemical, food processing

American Samoa
  tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing
  vessels), handicrafts

Andorra
  tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber,
  banking

Angola
  petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,
  uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;
  food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles

Anguilla
  tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Antigua and Barbuda
  tourism, construction, light manufacturing
  (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Argentina
  food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
  textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Armenia
  metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines,
  electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric,
  chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, gem cutting,
  jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy

Aruba
  tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Australia
  mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
  processing, chemicals, steel

Austria
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food,
  chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
  communications equipment, tourism

Azerbaijan
  petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield
  equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals;
  textiles

Bahamas, The
  tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and
  transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded
  steel pipe

Bahrain
  petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting,
  offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Bangladesh
  cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper
  newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Barbados
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for
  export

Belarus
  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
  motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
  radios, refrigerators

Belgium
  engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
  processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles,
  glass, petroleum, coal

Belize
  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Benin
  textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction
  materials (2001)

Bermuda
  tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Bhutan
  cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
  calcium carbide

Bolivia
  mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
  handicrafts, clothing

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese,
  bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden
  furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil
  refining (2001)

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
  processing; textiles

Brazil
  textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
  steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
  equipment

British Virgin Islands
  tourism, light industry, construction, rum,
  concrete block, offshore financial center

Brunei
  petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,
  construction

Bulgaria
  electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco;
  machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke,
  refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Burkina Faso
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap,
  cigarettes, textiles, gold

Burma
  agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
  products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
  pharmaceuticals; fertilizer

Burundi
  light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly
  of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Cambodia
  tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood
  products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Cameroon
  petroleum production and refining, food processing, light
  consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Canada
  transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and
  unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish
  products, petroleum and natural gas

Cape Verde
  food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments,
  salt mining, ship repair

Cayman Islands
  tourism, banking, insurance and finance,
  construction, construction materials, furniture

Central African Republic
  diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles,
  footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Chad
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
  carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Chile
  copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
  steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

China
  iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles
  and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear,
  toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics,
  telecommunications

Christmas Island
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra products and tourism

Colombia
  textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
  beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Comoros
  tourism, perfume distillation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,
  brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Cook Islands
  fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,
  handicrafts

Costa Rica
  microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
  construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Cote d'Ivoire
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,
  truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials,
  electricity

Croatia
  chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
  electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
  wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
  petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Cuba
  sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services,
  nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology

Cyprus
  food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products,
  tourism, wood products

Czech Republic
  metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,
  glass, armaments

Denmark
  food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and
  clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture
  and other wood products, shipbuilding, windmills

Djibouti
  construction, agricultural processing

Dominica
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
  blocks, shoes

Dominican Republic
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
  mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

East Timor
  printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Ecuador
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper
  products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Egypt
  textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
  construction, cement, metals

El Salvador
  food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,
  fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Eritrea
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Estonia
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
  information technology, telecommunications

Ethiopia
  food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals
  processing, cement

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Faroe Islands
  fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction,
  handicrafts

Fiji
  tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
  cottage industries

Finland
  metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper,
  copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

France
  machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
  electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

French Guiana
  construction, shrimp processing, forestry products,
  rum, gold mining

French Polynesia
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing,
  handicrafts, phosphates

Gabon
  petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
  chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
  plywood; cement.

Gambia, The
  processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
  agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Gaza Strip
  generally small family businesses that produce textiles,
  soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
  Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an
  industrial center

Georgia
  steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances,
  mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Germany
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
  producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
  vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
  shipbuilding; textiles

Ghana
  mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,
  food processing

Gibraltar
  tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Greece
  tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals,
  metal products; mining, petroleum

Greenland
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut),
  handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Grenada
  food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,
  tourism, construction

Guadeloupe
  construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Guam
  US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
  concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Guatemala
  sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
  petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Guernsey
  tourism, banking

Guinea
  bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light
  manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Guinea-Bissau
  agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Guyana
  bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Haiti
  sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light
  assembly industries based on imported parts

Holy See (Vatican City) printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Honduras
  sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Hong Kong
  textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,
  electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Hungary
  mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
  textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Iceland
  fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
  geothermal power; tourism

India
  textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
  equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Indonesia
  petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and
  footwear; mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber;
  food; tourism

Iran
  petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other
  construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining
  and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Iraq
  petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
  processing

Ireland
  food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
  crystal; software

Israel
  high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
  computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood
  and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and
  tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Italy
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food
  processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Jamaica
  tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light
  manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products

Japan
  among world's largest and technologically advanced producers
  of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
  nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Jersey
  tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Jordan
  phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining,
  cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism

Kazakhstan
  oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,
  copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron
  and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric
  motors, construction materials

Kenya
  small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
  textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products
  processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Kiribati
  fishing, handicrafts

Korea, North
  military products; machine building, electric power,
  chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
  zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
  processing; tourism

Korea, South
  electronics, automobile production, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Kuwait
  petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing,
  construction materials

Kyrgyzstan
  small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement,
  shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold,
  rare earth metals

Laos
  tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
  processing, construction, garments, tourism

Latvia
  buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
  agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
  dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Lebanon
  banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral
  and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining;
  metal fabricating

Lesotho
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
  construction; tourism

Liberia
  rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Libya
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Liechtenstein
  electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,
  ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,
  tourism, optical instruments

Lithuania
  metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television
  sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding
  (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,
  fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic
  components, computers, amber

Luxembourg
  banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals,
  metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Macau
  tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear,
  toys

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  coal, metallic chromium,
  lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food
  processing, buses

Madagascar
  meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
  textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
  petroleum, tourism

Malawi
  tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
  manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
  and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
  petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
  production and refining, logging

Maldives
  fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
  mining

Mali
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Malta
  tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction;
  food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Man, Isle of
  financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Marshall Islands
  copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood,
  and pearls

Martinique
  construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Mauritania
  fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Mauritius
  food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles,
  clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,
  nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Mayotte
  newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Mexico
  food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel,
  petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer
  durables, tourism

Micronesia, Federated States of
  tourism, construction, fish
  processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood,
  and pearls

Moldova
  food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
  refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
  vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Monaco
  tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer
  products

Mongolia
  construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
  fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal
  products

Montserrat
  tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Morocco
  phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,
  leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Mozambique
  food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),
  aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos,
  tobacco

Namibia
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining
  (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Nauru
  phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Nepal
  tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
  mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Netherlands
  agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
  electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
  construction, microelectronics, fishing

Netherlands Antilles
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire),
  petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities
  (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

New Caledonia
  nickel mining and smelting

New Zealand
  food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
  machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
  mining

Nicaragua
  food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
  textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
  footwear, wood

Niger
  uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
  chemicals, slaughterhouses

Nigeria
  crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton,
  rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other
  construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,
  fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Niue
  tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Norfolk Island
  tourism

Northern Mariana Islands
  tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Norway
  petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and
  paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Oman
  crude oil production and refining, natural gas production,
  construction, cement, copper

Pakistan
  textiles, and apparel, food processing, beverages,
  construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Palau
  tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
  garment making

Panama
  construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other
  construction materials, sugar milling

Papua New Guinea
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood
  production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and
  copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Paraguay
  sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products

Peru
  mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
  processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
  fabrication

Philippines
  textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products,
  food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Pitcairn Islands
  postage stamps, handicrafts

Poland
  machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Portugal
  textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork;
  metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Puerto Rico
  pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products;
  tourism

Qatar
  crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
  petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Reunion
  sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
  extraction

Romania
  textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly,
  mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
  processing, petroleum refining

Russia
  complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
  coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
  from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
  shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
  equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
  equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
  medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
  foodstuffs, handicrafts

Rwanda
  cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
  furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Saint Helena
  construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy
  woodwork), fishing

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt,
  copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Saint Lucia
  clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,
  corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut
  processing

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish processing and supply base for
  fishing fleets; tourism

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  food processing, cement, furniture,
  clothing, starch

Samoa
  food processing, building materials, auto parts

San Marino
  tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics,
  cement, wine

Sao Tome and Principe
  light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish
  processing; timber

Saudi Arabia
  crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
  petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Senegal
  agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining,
  fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Serbia and Montenegro
  machine building (aircraft, trucks, and
  automobiles; tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural
  machinery); metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc,
  chromium, antimony, bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite,
  nonferrous ore, iron ore, limestone); consumer goods (textiles,
  footwear, foodstuffs, appliances); electronics, petroleum products,
  chemicals, and pharmaceuticals

Seychelles
  fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla,
  coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;
  beverages

Sierra Leone
  mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing
  (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Singapore
  electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
  equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
  products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade,
  biotechnology

Slovakia
  metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,
  gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers;
  machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport
  vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Slovenia
  ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc
  smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks,
  electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals,
  machine tools

Solomon Islands
  fish (tuna), mining, timber

Somalia
  a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
  petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

South Africa
  mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
  chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile,
  iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Spain
  textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
  metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
  machine tools, tourism

Sri Lanka
  rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
  commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Sudan
  oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar,
  soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals,
  armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Suriname
  bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil,
  lumbering, food processing, fishing

Swaziland
  mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates,
  textile and apparel

Sweden
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and
  telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed
  foods, motor vehicles

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
  instruments

Syria
  petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
  phosphate rock mining

Taiwan
  electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron
  and steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Tajikistan
  aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement,
  vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and
  freezers

Tanzania
  agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal
  twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement,
  textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Thailand
  tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing,
  beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry;
  electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated
  circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten
  producer and third-largest tin producer

Togo
  phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
  textiles, beverages

Tokelau
  small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking,
  plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Tonga
  tourism, fishing

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,
  cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Tunisia
  petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore),
  tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Turkey
  textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite,
  copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Turkmenistan
  natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food
  processing

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tourism, offshore financial services

Tuvalu
  fishing, tourism, copra

Uganda
  sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Ukraine
  coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals,
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing
  (especially sugar)

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals,
  construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

United Kingdom
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation
  equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor
  vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment,
  metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food
  processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

United States
  leading industrial power in the world, highly
  diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor
  vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,
  food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Uruguay
  food processing, electrical machinery, transportation
  equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Uzbekistan
  textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy,
  natural gas, chemicals

Vanuatu
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Venezuela
  petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
  processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Vietnam
  food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining,
  cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Virgin Islands
  tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
  distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

West Bank
  generally small family businesses that produce cement,
  textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs;
  the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in
  the settlements and industrial centers

Western Sahara
  phosphate mining, handicrafts

World
  dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in
  computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical
  equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a
  small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly
  adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development
  of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating
  already grim environmental problems

Yemen
  crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale
  production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing;
  handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement

Zambia
  copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,
  beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Zimbabwe
  mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous
  metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement,
  chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)

Afghanistan
  total: 142.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 145.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 138.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Albania
  total: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 39.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Algeria
  total: 37.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Andorra
  total: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Angola
  total: 193.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 206.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 180.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  total: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Argentina
  total: 16.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Armenia
  total: 40.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 36.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Aruba
  total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Australia
  total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Austria
  total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 82.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 26.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 66.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Barbados
  total: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Belarus
  total: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Belgium
  total: 4.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Belize
  total: 27.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Benin
  total: 86.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 91.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 104.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 102.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 106.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 56.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 52.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Botswana
  total: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Brazil
  total: 31.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Brunei
  total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 99.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Burma
  total: 70.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Burundi
  total: 71.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 78.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 75.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 84.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 70.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Canada
  total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 50.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Chad
  total: 95.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Chile
  total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

China
  total: 25.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Colombia
  total: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Comoros
  total: 79.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 88.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 96.56 deaths/1,000 live
  births
  male: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 87.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 95.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 101.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Costa Rica
  total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 98.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 115.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Croatia
  total: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cuba
  total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Denmark
  total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 106.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 114.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 98.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Dominica
  total: 15.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

East Timor
  total: 50.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 31.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Egypt
  total: 35.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 26.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 89.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 76.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 83.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Estonia
  total: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 103.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 113.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 92.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Faroe Islands
  total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Fiji
  total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Finland
  total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

France
  total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Gabon
  total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 81.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 24.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Georgia
  total: 51.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Germany
  total: 4.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Ghana
  total: 53.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Greece
  total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Greenland
  total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Grenada
  total: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guam
  total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  total: 37.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 38.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guinea
  total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 87.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 110.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 120.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Guyana
  total: 37.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 41.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Haiti
  total: 76.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 81.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Honduras
  total: 29.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Hungary
  total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Iceland
  total: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

India
  total: 59.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 38.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 43.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Iran
  total: 44.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 44.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Iraq
  total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Ireland
  total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Israel
  total: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Italy
  total: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 13.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Japan
  total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Jersey
  total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Jordan
  total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 58.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Kenya
  total: 63.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 51.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 10.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 75.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 84.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Laos
  total: 88.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 99.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 78.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Latvia
  total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Liberia
  total: 132.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 139.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Libya
  total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 14.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Macau
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 12.14 deaths/1,000
  live births
  male: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Malawi
  total: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 109.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Maldives
  total: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mali
  total: 119.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 125.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 112.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Malta
  total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 31.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Martinique
  total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 73.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 65.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mexico
  total: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 32.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Moldova
  total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Monaco
  total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 57.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 60.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Morocco
  total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 199 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 216.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 180.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Namibia
  total: 68.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Nauru
  total: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Nepal
  total: 70.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 72.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Niger
  total: 123.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 127.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 119.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 71.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Niue
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Norfolk Island
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Norway
  total: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Oman
  total: 21.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 76.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 76.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Palau
  total: 15.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Panama
  total: 21.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 54.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Peru
  total: 36.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 42.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Philippines
  total: 24.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Poland
  total: 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Portugal
  total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Qatar
  total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Reunion
  total: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Romania
  total: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Russia
  total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 102.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 97.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 20.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 14.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 7.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Samoa
  total: 29.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

San Marino
  total: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 46.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 47.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Senegal
  total: 57.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 61.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 16.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 146.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 164.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 128.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Singapore
  total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Somalia
  total: 120.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 129.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 110.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

South Africa
  total: 60.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 64.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Spain
  total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Sudan
  total: 65.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Suriname
  total: 24.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Swaziland
  total: 67.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 70.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Sweden
  total: 3.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Syria
  total: 31.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 103.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 113.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 93.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Thailand
  total: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Togo
  total: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Tonga
  total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Turkey
  total: 44.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 47.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 73.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 21.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Uganda
  total: 87.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 20.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 15.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

United States
  total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 71.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 75.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 58.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 30.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

West Bank
  total: 20.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

World
  total: 51.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Yemen
  total: 65.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 59.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Zambia
  total: 99.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 106.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 66.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 69.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  6% (2002 est.)

Algeria
  3% (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  4.3% (2000)

Angola
  106% (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  2.3%

Antigua and Barbuda
  0.4% (2000 est.)

Argentina
  41% (2002, yearend)

Armenia
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Australia
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Austria
  1.8% (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Barbados
  -0.6% (2002 est.)

Belarus
  42.8% (2002 est.)

Belgium
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Belize
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Benin
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  2.3% (July 2002)

Bhutan
  3% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  2% (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Botswana
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Brazil
  8.3% (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  2.5% (2002)

Brunei
  -2% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.9% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Burma
  53.7% (2002 est.)

Burundi
  12% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Canada
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  3% (2002)

Cayman Islands
  2.8% (2002)

Central African Republic
  3.6% (2001 est.)

Chad
  6% (2002 est.)

Chile
  2.5% (2002 est.)

China
  -0.8% (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  6.2% (2002 est.)

Comoros
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  16% (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  4% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  3.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Croatia
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  7.1% (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 2.8% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area:
  24.5% (2002 est.)

Czech Republic
  0.6% (2002 est.)

Denmark
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  2% (2002 est.)

Dominica
  1% (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  5.3% (2002 est.)

East Timor
  NA%

Ecuador
  12.5% (2002 est.)

Egypt
  4.3% (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  3.8% (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  6% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  15% (2001)

Estonia
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  4% (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  3.6% (1998)

Faroe Islands
  5.1% (1999)

Fiji
  2% (2002 est.)

Finland
  1.9% (2002 est.)

France
  1.8% (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  1.5% (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.5%

Gabon
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Georgia
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Germany
  1.3% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  14.5% (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  1.5% (1998)

Greece
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Greenland
  1.6% (1999 est.)

Grenada
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  0% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  8.1% (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  3.99% (2000 est.)

Guinea
  6% (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  4% (2002 est.)

Guyana
  4.7% (2002 est.)

Haiti
  11.9% (2001 est.)

Honduras
  7.7% (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  3% (2002 est.)

Hungary
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Iceland
  5.2% (2002 est.)

India
  5.4% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  11.9% (2002 est.)

Iran
  15.3% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  70% (2002 est.)

Ireland
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Israel
  5.7% (2002 est.)

Italy
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  7% (2002 est.)

Japan
  -0.9% (2002 est.)

Jersey
  4.7% (1998)

Jordan
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  6% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  2.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  2.8% (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  2% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.1% (2002 est.)

Laos
  10% (2002 est.)

Latvia
  2% (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Lesotho
  10% (2002 est.)

Liberia
  15% (2002 est.)

Libya
  1% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1% (2001)

Lithuania
  0.8% (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Macau
  -2.6% (2002 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  1.1% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  7.4% (2001 est.)

Malawi
  27.4% (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Maldives
  1% (2002 est.)

Mali
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Malta
  2.4% (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  2% (2001 est.)

Martinique
  3.9% (1990)

Mauritania
  3% (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  6.4% (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  6.4% (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  3% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  3.6% (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  15.2% (2002 est.)

Namibia
  8% (2001)

Nauru
  -3.6% (1993)

Nepal
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  3.4% (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0.4% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  -0.6% (2000 est.)

New Zealand
  2.7% (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Niger
  3% (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  14.2% (2002 est.)

Niue
  1% (1995)

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  1.2% (1997 est.)

Norway
  1.3% (2001 est.)

Oman
  -0.5% (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Palau
  3.4% (2000 est.)

Panama
  1.1% (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  9.8% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  10.5% (2002 est.)

Peru
  0.2% (2002 est.)

Philippines
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Portugal
  3.7% (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  5% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  1.9% (2002)

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  22.5% (2002 est.)

Russia
  15% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  5.5% (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  3.2% (1997 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  3% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2.1% (1991-96 average)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.4% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  4% (2001 est.)

San Marino
  3.3% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  9% (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1% (2002 est.)

Senegal
  3% (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  19% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  1% (2002 est.)

Singapore
  -0.4% (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  7.4% (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Somalia
  over 100% (businesses print their own money)

South Africa
  9.9% (2002 est.)

Spain
  3% (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  9.6% (2002 est.)

Sudan
  9.2% (2002 est.)

Suriname
  17% (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  11.8% (2002 est.)

Sweden
  2.2% (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  0.5% (2002 est.)

Syria
  0.9% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  -0.2% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  12% (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  0.6% (2002 est.)

Togo
  4% (2002 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  8.4% (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Turkey
  45.2% (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  5% (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4% (1995)

Tuvalu
  5% (2000 est.)

Uganda
  0.1% (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  -1.2% (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.8% (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.1% (2002 est.)

United States
  1.6% (2002)

Uruguay
  14.1% (2002 est.)

Uzbekistan
  26% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  3.2% (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  31.2% (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2% (1992)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries
  5% to 60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in
  individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation
  in several Third World countries

Yemen
  12.2% (2002 est.)

Zambia
  21% (2002 est.)

Zimbabwe
  134.5% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2093 Waterways (km)

Afghanistan 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)

Albania
  43 km
  note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and
  Lake Prespa (1990)

Algeria
  none

American Samoa
  none

Andorra
  none

Angola
  1,295 km

Anguilla
  none

Antigua and Barbuda
  none

Argentina
  10,950 km

Armenia
  NA km

Aruba
  none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none

Australia
  8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)

Austria
  358 km (1999)

Azerbaijan
  none

Bahamas, The
  none

Bahrain
  none

Baker Island
  none

Bangladesh
  up to 8,046 km depending on season
  note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes

Barbados
  none

Bassas da India
  none

Belarus
  NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal
  and river systems

Belgium
  1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)

Belize
  825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally
  navigable)

Benin
  streams navigable along small sections, important only locally

Bermuda
  none

Bhutan
  none

Bolivia
  10,000 km (commercially navigable)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by
  downed bridges, silt, and debris

Botswana
  none

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  50,000 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none

British Virgin Islands
  none

Brunei
  209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Bulgaria
  470 km (1987)

Burkina Faso
  none

Burma
  12,800 km
  note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels

Burundi
  Lake Tanganyika

Cambodia
  3,700 km
  note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km
  navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m

Cameroon
  2,090 km (of decreasing importance) (2002)

Canada
  3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)

Cape Verde
  none

Cayman Islands
  none

Central African Republic
  900 km
  note: traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft
  dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to
  craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as
  much as 1.8 m

Chad
  2,000 km

Chile
  725 km

China
  110,000 km (1999)

Christmas Island
  none

Clipperton Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)

Comoros
  none

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  15,000 km (including the Congo and
  its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)

Congo, Republic of the
  1,120 km
  note: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of
  commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for
  local traffic only

Cook Islands
  none

Coral Sea Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  730 km (seasonally navigable)

Cote d'Ivoire
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal
  lagoons)

Croatia
  785 km
  note: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by
  downed bridges, silt, and debris)

Cuba
  240 km

Cyprus
  none

Czech Republic 303 km note: the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river (2000)

Denmark
  417 km

Djibouti
  none

Dominica
  none

Dominican Republic
  none

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  1,500 km

Egypt
  3,500 km
  note: includes the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and
  numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
  approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water

El Salvador
  Rio Lempa partially navigable

Equatorial Guinea
  none

Eritrea
  none

Estonia
  320 km (perennially navigable) (2002)

Ethiopia
  none

Europa Island
  none

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none

Faroe Islands
  none

Fiji
  203 km
  note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Finland
  6,675 km
  note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships

France
  14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

French Guiana
  3,300 km navigable by native craft
  note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
  river steamers

French Polynesia
  none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none

Gabon
  1,600 km (perennially navigable)

Gambia, The
  400 km

Gaza Strip
  none

Georgia
  none

Germany
  7,500 km
  note: major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an
  important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea (1999)

Ghana
  1,293 km
  note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial
  navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km
  of arterial and feeder waterways

Gibraltar
  none

Glorioso Islands
  none

Greece
  80 km
  note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth
  Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the
  Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage
  from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also
  three unconnected rivers

Greenland
  none

Grenada
  none

Guadeloupe
  none

Guam
  none

Guatemala
  990 km
  note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
  during highwater season

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Guinea-Bissau
  several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping

Guyana
  5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways)
  note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
  oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Haiti
  NEGL; less than 100 km navigable

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  465 km (navigable by small craft)

Hong Kong
  none

Howland Island
  none

Hungary
  1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)

Iceland
  none

India
  16,180 km
  note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels

Indonesia
  21,579 km total
  note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
  km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Iran
  904 km
  note: the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for
  about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Iraq
  1,015 km
  note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for
  about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris
  and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft
  boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft
  before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war

Ireland
  700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)

Israel
  none

Italy
  2,400 km
  note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of
  limited overall value (2002)

Jamaica
  none

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  1,770 km approximately
  note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas

Jarvis Island
  none

Jersey
  none

Johnston Atoll
  none

Jordan
  none

Juan de Nova Island
  none

Kazakhstan
  3,900 km
  note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers

Kenya
  NA
  note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of
  Kenya

Kingman Reef
  none

Kiribati
  5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands)

Korea, North
  2,253 km
  note: mostly navigable by small craft only

Korea, South
  1,609 km
  note: restricted to small native craft

Kuwait
  none

Kyrgyzstan
  600 km (1990)

Laos
  4,587 km approximately
  note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
  intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Latvia
  300 km (perennially navigable)

Lebanon
  none

Lesotho
  none

Liberia
  none

Libya
  none

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  600 km (perennially navigable)

Luxembourg
  37 km (on the Moselle)

Macau
  none

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders

Madagascar of local importance only

Malawi
  144 km
  note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall

Malaysia
  7,296 km
  note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km

Maldives
  none

Mali
  1,815 km

Malta
  none

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  none

Martinique
  none

Mauritania
  note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Mauritius
  none

Mayotte
  none

Mexico 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Micronesia, Federated States of
  none

Midway Islands
  none

Moldova
  424 km (1994)

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  400 km (1999)

Montserrat
  none

Morocco
  none

Mozambique
  3,750 km (navigable routes)

Namibia
  none

Nauru
  none

Navassa Island
  none

Nepal
  none

Netherlands
  5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals)
  note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of
  1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger

Netherlands Antilles
  none

New Caledonia
  none

New Zealand
  1,609 km
  note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation
  requirements

Nicaragua
  2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)

Niger
  300 km
  note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin
  frontier from mid-December through March

Nigeria
  8,575 km
  note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers
  and creeks

Niue
  none

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  none

Norway
  1,577 km (along west coast)
  note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  none

Palau
  none

Palmyra Atoll
  none

Panama 882 km note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal

Papua New Guinea
  10,940 km

Paracel Islands
  none

Paraguay
  3,100 km

Peru
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
  of Lago Titicaca

Philippines 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)

Portugal
  820 km
  note: relatively unimportant to national economy, used by
  shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton or less cargo capacity

Puerto Rico
  none

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  none

Romania
  1,724 km (1984)

Russia
  95,900 km (total routes in general use)
  note: routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet
  - 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids - 60,400 km;
  man-made navigable routes - 16,900 km (January 1994)

Rwanda
  note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native
  craft

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  none

Saint Lucia
  none

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  none

Samoa
  none

San Marino
  none

Sao Tome and Principe
  none

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  897 km
  note: 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river

Serbia and Montenegro
  587 km
  note: the Danube River, central Europe's connection to the Black
  Sea, runs through Serbia; since early 2000, a pontoon bridge,
  replacing a destroyed conventional bridge, has obstructed river
  traffic at Novi Sad; the obstruction is bypassed by a canal system,
  but the inadequate lock size limits the size of vessels which may
  pass; the pontoon bridge can be opened for large ships but has
  slowed river traffic (2001)

Seychelles
  none

Sierra Leone
  800 km (of which 600 km is navigable year round)

Singapore
  none

Slovakia
  172 km (all on the Danube)

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  none

Somalia
  none

South Africa
  NA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none

Spain
  1,045 km (of minor economic importance)

Spratly Islands
  none

Sri Lanka
  430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)

Sudan
  5,310 km

Suriname
  1,200 km
  note: most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with
  drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Svalbard
  none

Swaziland
  none

Sweden
  2,052 km
  note: navigable to small steamers and barges

Switzerland
  65 km
  note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and
  Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes

Syria
  870 km (minimal economic importance)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  none

Tanzania
  note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are
  principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on
  those lakes

Thailand
  4,000 km
  note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with
  drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve
  shallow-draft native craft

Togo
  50 km (Mono river)

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  none

Trinidad and Tobago
  none

Tromelin Island
  none

Tunisia
  none

Turkey
  1,200 km (approximately)

Turkmenistan
  the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for
  Turkmenistan, as is the man-made Kara Kum canal

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake
  Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Ukraine
  4,499 km
  note: 1,672 km are on the Pryp'yat' and Dniester (Dnister) (1990)

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  3,200 km

United States 41,009 km note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes

Uruguay
  1,600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)

Uzbekistan
  1,100 km (1990)

Vanuatu
  none

Venezuela
  7,100 km
  note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels

Vietnam
  17,702 km
  note: more than 5,149 km are navigable at all times by vessels up to
  1.8 m draft

Virgin Islands
  none

Wake Island
  none

Wallis and Futuna
  none

West Bank
  none

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  none

Zambia
  2,250 km
  note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers

Zimbabwe
  chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe
  River - to the Zambezi River in Mozambique

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2094 Judicial branch

Afghanistan
  the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a
  Supreme Court; there is also a Minister of Justice

Albania
  Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly
  for a four-year term)

Algeria
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

American Samoa
  High Court (chief justice and associate justices are
  appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Andorra
  Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the
  Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
  Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice
  or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri
  Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Angola
  Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by
  the president)

Anguilla
  High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme
  Court)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
  Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
  and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Argentina
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court
  judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

Armenia
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Aruba
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the
  monarch)

Australia
  High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are
  appointed by the governor general)

Austria
  Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
  Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
  or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Azerbaijan
  Supreme Court

Bahamas, The
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Bahrain
  High Civil Appeals Court

Bangladesh
  Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are
  appointed by the president)

Barbados
  Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the
  Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Belarus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
  and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Belgium
  Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or
  Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
  monarch, although selected by the Government)

Belize
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister)

Benin
  Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court
  or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Bermuda
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Bhutan
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges
  appointed by the monarch)

Bolivia
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year
  terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each
  department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine
  members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's
  National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of
  the European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of
  nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and
  Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law
  and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities;
  note - a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
  note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
  number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
  Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
  has five municipal courts

Botswana
  High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in
  each district)

Brazil
  Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed by the
  president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice;
  Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life)

British Virgin Islands
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting
  of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of
  the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
  High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction

Brunei
  Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the
  monarch for three-year terms)

Bulgaria
  Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
  Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
  terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
  two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
  responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
  investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
  Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
  the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Burkina Faso
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Burma
  remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but
  there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
  independent of the executive

Burundi
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of
  First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local
  tribunals)

Cambodia
  Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the
  constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower
  courts) exercises judicial authority

Cameroon
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High
  Court of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges,
  elected by the National Assembly)

Canada
  Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime
  minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
  Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named
  variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,
  Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Cape Verde
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Cayman Islands
  Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of
  Appeal

Central African Republic
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
  Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the
  president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court
  of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Chad
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate
  Courts

Chile
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
  president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
  provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
  elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

China
  Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National
  People's Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher,
  intermediate and local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily
  military, maritime, and railway transport courts)

Christmas Island
  Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Colombia
  four coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of
  Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law;
  judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of
  Justice for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of
  administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the
  Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Constitutional
  Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution, rules on
  constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and
  international treaties); Higher Council of Justice (administers and
  disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary
  chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other
  courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for
  eight-year terms)

Comoros
  Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
  president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
  by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
  the republic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Congo, Republic of the
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Cook Islands
  High Court

Costa Rica
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected
  for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four
  chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for
  financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases,
  and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit
  to the number of members

Croatia
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
  appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
  Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives

Cuba
  People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,
  vice president, and other judges are elected by the National
  Assembly)

Cyprus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president
  and vice president)
  note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area

Czech Republic
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and
  deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Denmark
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Djibouti
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Dominica
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of
  Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six
  judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction)

Dominican Republic
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
  elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and
  executive branches with the president presiding)

East Timor
  Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the
  National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council
  for the Judiciary

Ecuador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by
  the full Supreme Court)

Egypt
  Supreme Constitutional Court

El Salvador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by
  the Legislative Assembly)

Equatorial Guinea
  Supreme Tribunal

Eritrea
  or High Court, regional, subregional, and village courts;
  also have military and special courts

Estonia
  National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Ethiopia
  Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of
  the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
  federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
  Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
  Judicial Administrative Council)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Faroe Islands
  none

Fiji
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
  Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Finland
  Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the
  president)

France
  Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are
  appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
  the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel
  (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the
  president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the
  president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

French Guiana
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
  based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe,
  and French Guiana)

French Polynesia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
  Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative
  Law or Tribunal Administratif

Gabon
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
  Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Gambia, The
  Supreme Court

Georgia
  Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
  president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

Germany
  Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht
  (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the
  Bundesrat)

Ghana
  Supreme Court

Gibraltar
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Greece
  Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
  appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
  judicial council

Greenland
  High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre
  Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in
  Copenhagen)

Grenada
  West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate
  judge resides in Grenada)

Guadeloupe
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over
  Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Guam
  Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
  Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
  the governor)

Guatemala
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
  (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a
  president of the Court each year from among their number; the
  president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
  judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms);
  Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges
  are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving
  one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by
  Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed
  by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San
  Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados)

Guernsey
  Royal Court

Guinea
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Guinea-Bissau
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists
  of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his
  pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
  Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
  for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
  valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
  necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
  misdemeanor criminal cases)

Guyana
  Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High
  Court

Haiti
  Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Holy See (Vatican City)
  there are three tribunals responsible for
  civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other
  tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
  note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
  XII on 1 May 1946

Honduras
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
  (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Hong Kong
  Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region

Hungary
  Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National
  Assembly for nine-year terms)

Iceland
  Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for
  life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices
  are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

India
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and
  remain in office until they reach the age of 65)

Indonesia
  Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
  president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature);
  note - the Supreme Court is preparing to assume administrative
  responsibility for the lower court system, currently run by the
  Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; a separate Constitutional
  Court was invested by the president on 16 August 2003

Iran
  Supreme Court

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Israel
  Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Italy
  Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
  judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
  Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
  Supreme Courts)

Jamaica
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Japan
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
  designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
  cabinet)

Jersey
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the
  bailiff)

Jordan
  Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Kazakhstan
  Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7
  members)

Kenya
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president);
  High Court

Kiribati
  Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges
  at all levels are appointed by the president

Korea, North
  Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
  People's Assembly)

Korea, South
  Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president
  with the consent of the National Assembly)

Kuwait
  High Court of Appeal

Kyrgyzstan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by
  the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
  Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Laos
  People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme
  Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of
  the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
  People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
  Assembly Standing Committee)

Latvia
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
  Parliament)

Lebanon
  four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
  commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional
  Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of
  laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and
  prime minister as needed)

Lesotho
  High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court
  of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Liberia
  Supreme Court

Libya
  Supreme Court

Liechtenstein
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal
  or Obergericht

Lithuania
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
  judges for all courts appointed by the President

Luxembourg
  judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2
  district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative
  courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative
  courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all
  courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Macau
  The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative
  Region

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Supreme Court -
  Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - Parliament
  appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - Parliament
  appoints the judges

Madagascar
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court
  or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Malawi
  Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed
  by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the
  Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Malaysia
  Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on
  the advice of the prime minister)

Maldives
  High Court

Mali
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Malta
  Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Man, Isle of
  High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the
  Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant
  governor)

Marshall Islands
  Supreme Court; High Court

Martinique
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Mauritania
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower
  courts

Mauritius
  Supreme Court

Mayotte
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Mexico
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Supreme Court

Moldova
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
  constitutional judicature)

Monaco
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the
  monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Mongolia
  Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and
  provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;
  judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval
  by the president)

Montserrat
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,
  one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
  presides over the High Court)

Morocco
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of
  the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Mozambique
  Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its
  professional judges are appointed by the president and some are
  elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative
  Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
  note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
  separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
  its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Namibia
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Nauru
  Supreme Court

Nepal
  Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed
  by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
  other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the Judicial Council)

Netherlands
  Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for
  life by the monarch)

Netherlands Antilles
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed
  by the monarch)

New Caledonia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
  Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

New Zealand
  High Court; Court of Appeal

Nicaragua
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for
  five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Niger
  State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Nigeria
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on
  the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Niue
  Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Norfolk Island
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;
  Federal District Court

Norway
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the
  monarch)

Oman
  Supreme Court
  note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
  non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges

Pakistan
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);
  Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Palau
  Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Panama
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine
  judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three
  courts of appeal

Papua New Guinea
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by
  the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
  Council after consultation with the minister responsible for
  justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
  Services Commission)

Paraguay
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
  (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or
  Consejo de la Magistratura)

Peru
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Philippines
  Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president
  on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve
  until 70 years of age)

Pitcairn Islands
  Island Court (island magistrate presides over the
  court and is elected every three years)

Poland
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
  indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
  the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Portugal
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges
  appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Puerto Rico
  Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
  composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court
  (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the
  consent of the Senate)

Qatar
  Court of Appeal

Reunion
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Romania
  Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the
  president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of
  Magistrates)

Russia
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of
  Arbitration; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the
  Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Rwanda
  Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Saint Helena
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court;
  Juvenile Court

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on
  Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts
  and Nevis)

Saint Lucia
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to
  Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica,
  Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal
  Superieur d'Appel

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
  (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Samoa
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court

San Marino
  Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Sao Tome and Principe
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
  National Assembly)

Saudi Arabia
  Supreme Council of Justice

Senegal
  Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final
  Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial
  system was reformed in 1992

Serbia and Montenegro
  Federal Court or Savezni Sud; Constitutional
  Court; judges for both courts are elected by the Federal Assembly
  for nine-year terms
  note: after the promulgation of the new Constitution, the Federal
  Court will have constitutional and administrative functions; it will
  have an equal number of judges from each republic

Seychelles
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sierra Leone
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Singapore
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by
  the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Slovakia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
  Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
  nominees approved by the National Council)

Slovenia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
  on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
  (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
  nominated by the president)

Solomon Islands
  Court of Appeal

Somalia
  following the breakdown of national government, most regions
  have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for
  appeal of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration

South Africa
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
  Courts; Magistrate Courts

Spain
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Sri Lanka
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sudan
  Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Suriname
  Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Swaziland
  High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the monarch

Sweden
  Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by
  the prime minister and the cabinet)

Switzerland
  Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms
  by the Federal Assembly)

Syria
  Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for
  four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of
  Cassation; State Security Courts

Taiwan
  Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with
  consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices
  will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative
  Yuan)

Tajikistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Tanzania
  Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court
  of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
  (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
  president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
  Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
  higher courts)

Thailand
  Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Togo
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Tokelau
  Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
  jurisdiction in Tokelau

Tonga
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
  justice of the Supreme Court)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the
  High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is
  appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and
  the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the
  president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service
  Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals the highest
  court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Tunisia
  Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Turkey
  Constitutional Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Court of Appeals and Council of State (judges are elected by the
  Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors)

Turkmenistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Supreme Court

Tuvalu
  High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside
  over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of
  Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Uganda
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and
  approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

Ukraine
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

United Arab Emirates
  Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

United Kingdom
  House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several
  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);
  Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising
  the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown
  Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

United States
  Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
  life by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United
  States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and
  County Courts

Uruguay
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Uzbekistan
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Vanuatu
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Venezuela
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
  (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
  12-year term)

Vietnam
  Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a
  five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
  president)

Virgin Islands
  US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third
  Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the
  governor for 10-year terms)

Wallis and Futuna
  none; justice generally administered under French
  law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings
  administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Yemen
  Supreme Court

Zambia
  Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are
  appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction
  to hear civil and criminal cases)

Zimbabwe
  Supreme Court; High Court

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2095 Labor force

Afghanistan
  10 million (2000 est.)

Albania
  1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and
  261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.)

Algeria
  9.4 million (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  14,000 (1996)

Andorra
  33,000 (2001 est.)

Angola
  5 million (1997 est.)

Anguilla
  6,049 (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  30,000

Argentina
  15 million (1999)

Armenia
  1.4 million (2001)

Aruba
  41,501 (1997 est.)

Australia
  9.2 million (37256)

Austria
  4.3 million (2001)

Azerbaijan
  3.7 million (2001)

Bahamas, The
  156,000 (1999)

Bahrain
  295,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  64.1 million
  note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
  Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
  in 1998-99 (1998)

Barbados
  128,500 (2001 est.)

Belarus
  4.8 million (2000)

Belgium
  4.44 million (2001)

Belize
  90,000
  note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  37,472 (2000)

Bhutan
  NA
  note: massive lack of skilled labor

Bolivia
  2.5 million

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.026 million

Botswana
  264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Brazil
  79 million (1999 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  4,911 (1980)

Brunei
  143,400
  note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
  residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)

Bulgaria
  3.83 million (2000 est.)

Burkina Faso
  5 million
  note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
  neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2002)

Burma
  23.7 million (1999 est.)

Burundi
  3.7 million (2000)

Cambodia
  6 million (1998 est.)

Cameroon
  NA

Canada
  16.4 million (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  19,820 (1995)

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  5.9 million (2000 est.)

China
  744 million (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  18.3 million (1999 est.)

Comoros
  144,500 (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  14.51 million (1993 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  8,000 (1996)

Costa Rica
  1.9 million (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
  68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Croatia
  1.7 million (2001)

Cuba
  4.3 million
  note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2000 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 291,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 86,300
  (2000)

Czech Republic
  5.203 million (1999 est.)

Denmark
  2.856 million (2000 est.)

Djibouti
  282,000

Dominica
  25,000

Dominican Republic
  2.3 million - 2.6 million

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  3.7 million (urban)

Egypt
  20.6 million (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  2.35 million (1999)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  608,600 (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,100 (est.)

Faroe Islands
  24,250 (October 2000)

Fiji
  137,000 (1999)

Finland
  2.6 million (2000 est.)

France
  26.6 million (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  58,800 (1997)

French Polynesia
  70,000 (1996)

Gabon
  600,000

Gambia, The
  400,000

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

Germany
  41.9 million (2001)

Ghana
  9 million (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
  14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Greece
  4.37 million (2002 est.)

Greenland
  24,500 (1999 est.)

Grenada
  42,300 (1996)

Guadeloupe
  125,900 (1997)

Guam
  60,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  4.2 million (1999 est.)

Guernsey
  31,322 (2000)

Guinea
  3 million (1999)

Guinea-Bissau
  480,000

Guyana
  418,000 (2001 est.)

Haiti
  3.6 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  2.3 million (1997 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.52 million (2001 est.)

Hungary
  4.2 million (1997)

Iceland
  159,000 (2000)

India
  406 million (1999)

Indonesia
  99 million (1999)

Iran 21 million note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)

Iraq
  6.5 million (2002 est.)

Ireland
  1.8 million (2001)

Israel
  2.5 million (2002 est.)

Italy
  23.6 million (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  1.13 million (1998)

Japan
  67.7 million (December 2001)

Jersey
  57,050 (1996)

Jordan
  1.36 million (2002)

Kazakhstan
  8.4 million (1999)

Kenya
  10 million (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers

Korea, North
  9.6 million

Korea, South
  22 million (2001)

Kuwait
  1.3 million
  note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (1998
  est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.7 million (2000)

Laos
  2.4 million (1999)

Latvia
  1.1 million (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  1.5 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
  (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  838,000

Libya
  1.5 million (2000 est.)

Liechtenstein
  29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute
  from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256)

Lithuania
  1.5 million (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  262,300 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers
  primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000)

Macau
  214,000 (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  1.1 million (2000 est.)

Madagascar
  7.3 million (2000)

Malawi
  4.5 million (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  9.9 million (2001 est.)

Maldives
  88,000 (2000)

Mali
  3.93 million (2001 est.)

Malta
  160,000 (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  36,610 (1998)

Marshall Islands
  28,698

Martinique
  165,900 (1998)

Mauritania
  786,000 (2001)

Mauritius
  514,000 (1995)

Mayotte
  48,800 (2000)

Mexico
  39.8 million (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  1.7 million (1998)

Monaco
  30,540 (January 1994)

Mongolia
  1.4 million (2001)

Montserrat
  4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic
  activity

Morocco
  11 million (1999)

Mozambique
  9.2 million (2000 est.)

Namibia
  725,000 (2000)

Nepal 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Netherlands
  7.2 million (2000)

Netherlands Antilles
  89,000

New Caledonia
  79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

New Zealand
  1.92 million (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  1.7 million (1999)

Niger
  70,000 receive regular wages or salaries

Nigeria
  66 million (1999 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers

Norway
  2.4 million (2000 est.)

Oman
  920,000 (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  40.4 million
  note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
  of child labor (2000)

Palau
  9,845 (2000)

Panama
  1.1 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
  labor (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.3 million (1999)

Paraguay
  2 million (2000 est.)

Peru
  7.5 million (2000 est.)

Philippines
  33.7 million (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  12 able-bodied men (1997)

Poland
  17.6 million (2000 est.)

Portugal
  5.1 million (2000)

Puerto Rico
  1.3 million (2000)

Qatar
  280,122 (1997 est.)

Reunion
  309,900 (2000)

Romania
  9.9 million (1999 est.)

Russia
  71.8 million (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  4.6 million (2000)

Saint Helena 3,500 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18,172 (June 1995)

Saint Lucia
  43,800

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  3,261 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  67,000 (1984 est.)

Samoa
  90,000 (2000 est.)

San Marino
  18,500 (1999)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  7 million
  note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

Senegal
  NA

Serbia and Montenegro
  3 million (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  30,900 (1996)

Sierra Leone
  1.369 million (1981 est.)

Singapore
  2.19 million (2000)

Slovakia
  3 million (1999)

Slovenia
  857,400

Solomon Islands
  26,842

Somalia
  3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

South Africa
  17 million economically active

Spain
  17.1 million (2001)

Sri Lanka
  6.6 million (1998)

Sudan
  11 million (1996 est.)

Suriname
  100,000

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  383,200 (2000)

Sweden
  4.4 million (2000 est.)

Switzerland
  4 million (2001)

Syria
  5.2 million (2000 est.)

Taiwan
  10 million (2003)

Tajikistan
  3.187 million (2000)

Tanzania
  13.495 million

Thailand
  33.4 million (2001 est.)

Togo
  1.74 million (1996)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  33,908 (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
  564,000 (2000)

Tunisia
  2.69 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor (2001 est.)

Turkey
  23.8 million
  note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2001 3rd quarter)

Turkmenistan
  2.34 million (1996)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4,848 (1990 est.)

Tuvalu
  7,000 (2001 est.)

Uganda
  12 million (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  22.8 million (yearend 1997)

United Arab Emirates 1.6 million (2000 est.) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  29.7 million (2001)

United States
  141.8 million (includes unemployed) (2001)

Uruguay
  1.2 million (2001)

Uzbekistan
  11.9 million (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  9.9 million (1999)

Vietnam
  38.2 million (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
  49,000 (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  12,000

World
  NA

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  4.29 million (2000)

Zimbabwe
  5.8 million (2000 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2096 Land boundaries (km)

Afghanistan
  total: 5,529 km
  border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
  Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Albania
  total: 720 km
  border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km

Algeria
  total: 6,343 km
  border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
  Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

American Samoa
  0 km

Andorra
  total: 120.3 km
  border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Angola
  total: 5,198 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of
  which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),
  Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Anguilla
  0 km

Antarctica 0 km note: see entry on International disputes

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 km

Argentina
  total: 9,665 km
  border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km,
  Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Armenia
  total: 1,254 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
  exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Aruba
  0 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 km

Australia
  0 km

Austria
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
  km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
  km, Switzerland 164 km

Azerbaijan
  total: 2,013 km
  border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
  (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
  (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
  exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Bahamas, The
  0 km

Bahrain
  0 km

Baker Island
  0 km

Bangladesh total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Barbados
  0 km

Bassas da India
  0 km

Belarus
  total: 2,900 km
  border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
  Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Belgium
  total: 1,385 km
  border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
  Netherlands 450 km

Belize
  total: 516 km
  border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Benin
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
  Togo 644 km

Bermuda
  0 km

Bhutan
  total: 1,075 km
  border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bolivia
  total: 6,743 km
  border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
  Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,459 km
  border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Botswana
  total: 4,013 km
  border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
  813 km

Bouvet Island
  0 km

Brazil
  total: 14,691 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
  1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
  Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 km

British Virgin Islands
  0 km

Brunei
  total: 381 km
  border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Bulgaria
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km,
  Turkey 240 km

Burkina Faso
  total: 3,193 km
  border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
  Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Burma
  total: 5,876 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
  Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Burundi
  total: 974 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
  290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Cambodia
  total: 2,572 km
  border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Cameroon
  total: 4,591 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
  Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
  km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Canada total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Cape Verde
  0 km

Cayman Islands
  0 km

Central African Republic
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
  1,165 km

Chad
  total: 5,968 km
  border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
  km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Chile
  total: 6,171 km
  border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

China
  total: 22,147.34 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
  Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea
  1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia
  4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605
  km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

Christmas Island
  0 km

Clipperton Island
  0 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0 km

Colombia
  total: 6,004 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
  Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Comoros
  0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
  of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
  African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
  217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 5,504 km
  border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
  Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
  1,903 km

Cook Islands
  0 km

Coral Sea Islands
  0 km

Costa Rica
  total: 639 km
  border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 3,110 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
  Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Croatia
  total: 2,197 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
  25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Cuba
  total: 29 km
  border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
  note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
  part of Cuba

Cyprus
  0 km

Czech Republic
  total: 1,881 km
  border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
  Slovakia 215 km

Denmark
  total: 68 km
  border countries: Germany 68 km

Djibouti
  total: 516 km
  border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Dominica
  0 km

Dominican Republic
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Haiti 360 km

East Timor
  total: 228 km
  border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Ecuador
  total: 2,010 km
  border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Egypt
  total: 2,665 km
  border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
  Sudan 1,273 km

El Salvador
  total: 545 km
  border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 539 km
  border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Eritrea
  total: 1,626 km
  border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Estonia
  total: 633 km
  border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Ethiopia
  total: 5,328 km
  border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
  Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Europa Island
  0 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 km

Faroe Islands
  0 km

Fiji
  0 km

Finland
  total: 2,628 km
  border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

France
  total: 2,889 km
  border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
  Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
  Switzerland 573 km

French Guiana total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

French Polynesia
  0 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 km

Gabon
  total: 2,551 km
  border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
  Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Gambia, The
  total: 740 km
  border countries: Senegal 740 km

Gaza Strip
  total: 62 km
  border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Georgia
  total: 1,461 km
  border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
  Turkey 252 km

Germany
  total: 3,621 km
  border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
  km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
  km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Ghana
  total: 2,094 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
  877 km

Gibraltar total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Glorioso Islands
  0 km

Greece
  total: 1,228 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km

Greenland
  0 km

Grenada
  0 km

Guadeloupe total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Guam
  0 km

Guatemala
  total: 1,687 km
  border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
  km, Mexico 962 km

Guernsey
  0 km

Guinea
  total: 3,399 km
  border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
  Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 724 km
  border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Guyana
  total: 2,462 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Haiti
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 3.2 km
  border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Honduras
  total: 1,520 km
  border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
  922 km

Hong Kong total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km

Howland Island
  0 km

Hungary
  total: 2,171 km
  border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
  Ukraine 103 km

Iceland
  0 km

India
  total: 14,103 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
  km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Indonesia
  total: 2,830 km
  border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
  Guinea 820 km

Iran
  total: 5,440 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
  Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
  1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Iraq
  total: 3,650 km
  border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
  Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Ireland
  total: 360 km
  border countries: UK 360 km

Israel
  total: 1,017 km
  border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
  Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Italy
  total: 1,932.2 km
  border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
  City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Jamaica
  0 km

Jan Mayen
  0 km

Japan
  0 km

Jarvis Island
  0 km

Jersey
  0 km

Johnston Atoll
  0 km

Jordan
  total: 1,635 km
  border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
  Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Juan de Nova Island
  0 km

Kazakhstan
  total: 12,012 km
  border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
  km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Kenya
  total: 3,477 km
  border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
  Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Kingman Reef
  0 km

Kiribati
  0 km

Korea, North
  total: 1,673 km
  border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Korea, South
  total: 238 km
  border countries: North Korea 238 km

Kuwait
  total: 462 km
  border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 3,878 km
  border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Laos
  total: 5,083 km
  border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
  Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Latvia
  total: 1,150 km
  border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
  Russia 217 km

Lebanon
  total: 454 km
  border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Lesotho
  total: 909 km
  border countries: South Africa 909 km

Liberia
  total: 1,585 km
  border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
  306 km

Libya
  total: 4,348 km
  border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
  Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Liechtenstein
  total: 76 km
  border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Lithuania
  total: 1,273 km
  border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
  Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Luxembourg
  total: 359 km
  border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Macau
  total: 0.34 km
  border countries: China 0.34 km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 766 km
  border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Madagascar
  0 km

Malawi
  total: 2,881 km
  border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Malaysia
  total: 2,669 km
  border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Maldives
  0 km

Mali
  total: 7,243 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
  858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
  Senegal 419 km

Malta
  0 km

Man, Isle of
  0 km

Marshall Islands
  0 km

Martinique
  0 km

Mauritania
  total: 5,074 km
  border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
  Western Sahara 1,561 km

Mauritius
  0 km

Mayotte
  0 km

Mexico total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 km

Midway Islands
  0 km

Moldova
  total: 1,389 km
  border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Monaco
  total: 4.4 km
  border countries: France 4.4 km

Mongolia
  total: 8,162 km
  border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,485 km

Montserrat
  0 km

Morocco
  total: 2,017.9 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
  (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Mozambique
  total: 4,571 km
  border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
  105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Namibia
  total: 3,936 km
  border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
  967 km, Zambia 233 km

Nauru
  0 km

Navassa Island
  0 km

Nepal
  total: 2,926 km
  border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Netherlands
  total: 1,027 km
  border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 10.2 km
  border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

New Caledonia
  0 km

New Zealand
  0 km

Nicaragua
  total: 1,231 km
  border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Niger
  total: 5,697 km
  border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
  Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Nigeria
  total: 4,047 km
  border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
  1,497 km

Niue
  0 km

Norfolk Island
  0 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 km

Norway
  total: 2,544 km
  border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Oman
  total: 1,374 km
  border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Pakistan
  total: 6,774 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
  km, Iran 909 km

Palau
  0 km

Palmyra Atoll
  0 km

Panama
  total: 555 km
  border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 820 km
  border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Paracel Islands
  0 km

Paraguay
  total: 3,920 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Peru
  total: 5,536 km
  border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
  Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Philippines
  0 km

Pitcairn Islands
  0 km

Poland
  total: 2,788 km
  border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
  km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
  444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Portugal total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Puerto Rico 0 km

Qatar total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Reunion
  0 km

Romania
  total: 2,508 km
  border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
  169 km

Russia
  total: 19,990 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
  (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
  1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
  Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
  km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
  km

Rwanda
  total: 893 km
  border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Saint Helena
  0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 km

Saint Lucia
  0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 km

Samoa
  0 km

San Marino total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 4,431 km
  border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
  676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Senegal
  total: 2,640 km
  border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
  338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 2,246 km
  border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
  Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
  Hungary 151 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 221 km,
  Romania 476 km

Seychelles
  0 km

Sierra Leone total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Singapore
  0 km

Slovakia
  total: 1,524 km
  border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
  km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Slovenia
  total: 1,334 km
  border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
  Hungary 102 km

Solomon Islands
  0 km

Somalia
  total: 2,340 km
  border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

South Africa
  total: 4,862 km
  border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
  km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 km

Spain
  total: 1,917.8 km
  border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
  Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Spratly Islands
  0 km

Sri Lanka
  0 km

Sudan
  total: 7,687 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
  km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Suriname total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland
  total: 535 km
  border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Sweden
  total: 2,205 km
  border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Switzerland
  total: 1,852 km
  border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
  Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Syria
  total: 2,253 km
  border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
  375 km, Turkey 822 km

Taiwan
  0 km

Tajikistan
  total: 3,651 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Tanzania
  total: 3,861 km
  border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
  km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Thailand
  total: 4,863 km
  border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
  Malaysia 506 km

Togo
  total: 1,647 km
  border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Tokelau
  0 km

Tonga
  0 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 km

Tromelin Island
  0 km

Tunisia
  total: 1,424 km
  border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Turkey
  total: 2,648 km
  border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
  Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Turkmenistan
  total: 3,736 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
  km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 km

Tuvalu
  0 km

Uganda
  total: 2,698 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
  km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Ukraine
  total: 4,663 km
  border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
  Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
  1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 867 km
  border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

United Kingdom
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Ireland 360 km

United States
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
  Mexico 3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
  thus remains part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Uruguay
  total: 1,564 km
  border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Uzbekistan
  total: 6,221 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Vanuatu
  0 km

Venezuela
  total: 4,993 km
  border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Vietnam
  total: 4,639 km
  border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Virgin Islands
  0 km

Wake Island
  0 km

Wallis and Futuna
  0 km

West Bank
  total: 404 km
  border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Western Sahara
  total: 2,046 km
  border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

World
  the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not
  counting shared boundaries twice)

Yemen
  total: 1,746 km
  border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Zambia
  total: 5,664 km
  border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
  338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Zimbabwe
  total: 3,066 km
  border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
  225 km, Zambia 797 km

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2097 Land use (%)

Afghanistan
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 87.65% (1998 est.)

Albania
  arable land: 21.09%
  permanent crops: 4.45%
  other: 74.46% (1998 est.)

Algeria
  arable land: 3.21%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 96.58% (1998 est.)

American Samoa
  arable land: 5%
  permanent crops: 10%
  other: 85% (1998 est.)

Andorra
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.78% (1998 est.)

Angola
  arable land: 2.41%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 97.19% (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
  commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.)

Antarctica
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (1998 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  arable land: 18.18%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 81.82% (1998 est.)

Argentina
  arable land: 9.14%
  permanent crops: 0.8%
  other: 90.06% (1998 est.)

Armenia
  arable land: 17.52%
  permanent crops: 2.3%
  other: 80.18% (1998 est.)

Aruba
  arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.47% (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.)

Australia
  arable land: 6.88%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 93.09% (1998 est.)

Austria
  arable land: 16.89%
  permanent crops: 0.99%
  other: 82.12% (1998 est.)

Azerbaijan
  arable land: 19.31%
  permanent crops: 3.04%
  other: 77.65% (1998 est.)

Bahamas, The
  arable land: 0.6%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 99% (1998 est.)

Bahrain
  arable land: 4.35%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 91.3% (1998 est.)

Baker Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  arable land: 60.7%
  permanent crops: 2.61%
  other: 36.69% (1998 est.)

Barbados
  arable land: 37.21%
  permanent crops: 2.33%
  other: 60.46% (1998 est.)

Bassas da India
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)

Belarus
  arable land: 29.76%
  permanent crops: 0.69%
  other: 69.55% (1998 est.)

Belgium
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 75%
  note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)

Belize
  arable land: 2.81%
  permanent crops: 1.1%
  other: 96.09% (1998 est.)

Benin
  arable land: 15.28%
  permanent crops: 1.36%
  other: 83.36% (1998 est.)

Bermuda
  arable land: 6%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 94% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)

Bhutan
  arable land: 2.98%
  permanent crops: 0.43%
  other: 96.59% (1998 est.)

Bolivia
  arable land: 1.73%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 98.06% (1998 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  arable land: 9.8%
  permanent crops: 2.94%
  other: 87.26% (1998 est.)

Botswana
  arable land: 0.61%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.38% (1998 est.)

Bouvet Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.)

Brazil
  arable land: 6.3%
  permanent crops: 1.42%
  other: 92.28% (1998 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  arable land: NEGL
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 73.33% (1998 est.)

Brunei
  arable land: 0.57%
  permanent crops: 0.76%
  other: 98.67% (1998 est.)

Bulgaria
  arable land: 39%
  permanent crops: 1.8%
  other: 59.2% (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
  arable land: 12.43%
  permanent crops: 0.18%
  other: 87.39% (1998 est.)

Burma
  arable land: 14.53%
  permanent crops: 0.9%
  other: 84.57% (1998 est.)

Burundi
  arable land: 29.98%
  permanent crops: 12.85%
  other: 57.17% (1998 est.)

Cambodia
  arable land: 20.96%
  permanent crops: 0.61%
  other: 78.43% (1998 est.)

Cameroon
  arable land: 12.81%
  permanent crops: 2.58%
  other: 84.61% (1998 est.)

Canada
  arable land: 4.94%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 95.04% (1998 est.)

Cape Verde
  arable land: 9.68%
  permanent crops: 0.5%
  other: 89.82% (1998 est.)

Cayman Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Central African Republic
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.76% (1998 est.)

Chad
  arable land: 2.78%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 97.2% (1998 est.)

Chile
  arable land: 2.65%
  permanent crops: 0.42%
  other: 96.93% (1998 est.)

China
  arable land: 13.31%
  permanent crops: 1.2%
  other: 85.49% (1998 est.)

Christmas Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
  park (1998 est.)

Clipperton Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all coral) (1998 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Colombia
  arable land: 1.9%
  permanent crops: 1.96%
  other: 96.14% (1998 est.)

Comoros
  arable land: 34.98%
  permanent crops: 17.94%
  other: 47.08% (1998 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  arable land: 2.96%
  permanent crops: 0.52%
  other: 96.52% (1998 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  arable land: 0.5%
  permanent crops: 0.13%
  other: 99.37% (1998 est.)

Cook Islands
  arable land: 17.39%
  permanent crops: 13.04%
  other: 69.57% (1998 est.)

Coral Sea Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (1998 est.)

Costa Rica
  arable land: 4.41%
  permanent crops: 5.48%
  other: 90.11% (1998 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  arable land: 9.28%
  permanent crops: 13.84%
  other: 76.88% (1998 est.)

Croatia
  arable land: 23.55%
  permanent crops: 2.24%
  other: 74.21% (1998 est.)

Cuba
  arable land: 33.04%
  permanent crops: 7.61%
  other: 59.35% (1998 est.)

Cyprus
  arable land: 10.61%
  permanent crops: 4.65%
  other: 84.74% (1998 est.)

Czech Republic
  arable land: 40%
  permanent crops: 3.04%
  other: 56.96% (1998 est.)

Denmark
  arable land: 55.74%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 44.07% (1998 est.)

Djibouti
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Dominica
  arable land: 4%
  permanent crops: 16%
  other: 80% (1998 est.)

Dominican Republic
  arable land: 21.08%
  permanent crops: 9.92%
  other: 69% (1998 est.)

East Timor
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Ecuador
  arable land: 5.69%
  permanent crops: 5.15%
  other: 89.16% (1998 est.)

Egypt
  arable land: 2.85%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 96.68% (1998 est.)

El Salvador
  arable land: 27.27%
  permanent crops: 12.11%
  other: 60.62% (1998 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  arable land: 4.63%
  permanent crops: 3.57%
  other: 91.8% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
  arable land: 3.87%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 96.11% (1998 est.)

Estonia
  arable land: 26.5%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 73.15% (1998 est.)

Ethiopia
  arable land: 9.9%
  permanent crops: 0.65%
  other: 89.45% (1998 est.)

Europa Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.)

Faroe Islands
  arable land: 2.14%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.86% (1998 est.)

Fiji
  arable land: 10.95%
  permanent crops: 4.65%
  other: 84.4% (1998 est.)

Finland
  arable land: 6.98%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 93.01% (1998 est.)

France
  arable land: 33.3%
  permanent crops: 2.11%
  other: 64.59% (1998 est.)

French Guiana
  arable land: 0.11% NEGL
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)

French Polynesia
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 6.01%
  other: 92.35% (1998 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Gabon
  arable land: 1.26%
  permanent crops: 0.66%
  other: 98.08% (1998 est.)

Gambia, The
  arable land: 19.5%
  permanent crops: 0.5%
  other: 80% (1998 est.)

Gaza Strip
  arable land: 26.32%
  permanent crops: 39.47%
  other: 34.21% (1998 est.)

Georgia
  arable land: 11.21%
  permanent crops: 4.09%
  other: 84.7% (1998 est.)

Germany
  arable land: 33.88%
  permanent crops: 0.65%
  other: 65.47% (1998 est.)

Ghana
  arable land: 15.82%
  permanent crops: 7.47%
  other: 76.71% (1998 est.)

Gibraltar
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Glorioso Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (1998 est.)

Greece
  arable land: 22.12%
  permanent crops: 8.47%
  other: 69.41% (1998 est.)

Greenland
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Grenada
  arable land: 5.88%
  permanent crops: 26.47%
  other: 67.65% (1998 est.)

Guadeloupe
  arable land: 10.65%
  permanent crops: 4.14%
  other: 85.21% (1998 est.)

Guam
  arable land: 10.91%
  permanent crops: 10.91%
  other: 78.18% (1998 est.)

Guatemala
  arable land: 12.54%
  permanent crops: 5.03%
  other: 82.43% (1998 est.)

Guernsey
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Guinea
  arable land: 3.6%
  permanent crops: 2.44%
  other: 93.96% (1998 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  arable land: 10.67%
  permanent crops: 1.78%
  other: 87.55% (1998 est.)

Guyana
  arable land: 2.44%
  permanent crops: 0.08%
  other: 97.48% (1998 est.)

Haiti
  arable land: 20.32%
  permanent crops: 12.7%
  other: 66.98% (1998 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Honduras
  arable land: 15.15%
  permanent crops: 3.13%
  other: 81.72% (1998 est.)

Hong Kong
  arable land: 5.05%
  permanent crops: 1.01%
  other: 93.94% (1998 est.)

Howland Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Hungary
  arable land: 52.2%
  permanent crops: 2.46%
  other: 45.34% (1998 est.)

Iceland
  arable land: 1%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 28%
  forest and woodlands: 1%
  other: 70% (2001 est.)

India
  arable land: 54.35%
  permanent crops: 2.66%
  other: 42.99% (1998 est.)

Indonesia
  arable land: 9.9%
  permanent crops: 7.2%
  other: 82.9% (1998 est.)

Iran
  arable land: 10.17%
  permanent crops: 1.16%
  other: 88.67% (1998 est.)

Iraq
  arable land: 11.89%
  permanent crops: 0.78%
  other: 87.33% (1998 est.)

Ireland
  arable land: 19.49%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 80.47% (1998 est.)

Israel
  arable land: 17.02%
  permanent crops: 4.17%
  other: 78.81% (1998 est.)

Italy
  arable land: 28.07%
  permanent crops: 9.25%
  other: 62.68% (1998 est.)

Jamaica
  arable land: 16.07%
  permanent crops: 9.23%
  other: 74.7% (1998 est.)

Jan Mayen
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Japan
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 1.01%
  other: 86.86% (1998 est.)

Jarvis Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Jersey
  arable land: NEGL%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Johnston Atoll
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Jordan
  arable land: 2.87%
  permanent crops: 1.52%
  other: 95.61% (1998 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (90% forest) (1998 est.)

Kazakhstan
  arable land: 11.23%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 88.72% (1998 est.)

Kenya
  arable land: 7.03%
  permanent crops: 0.91%
  other: 92.06% (1998 est.)

Kingman Reef
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Kiribati
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 50.68%
  other: 49.32% (1998 est.)

Korea, North
  arable land: 14.12%
  permanent crops: 2.49%
  other: 83.39% (1998 est.)

Korea, South
  arable land: 17.44%
  permanent crops: 2.05%
  other: 80.51% (1998 est.)

Kuwait
  arable land: 0.34%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  other: 99.6% (1998 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  arable land: 7.04%
  permanent crops: 0.39%
  other: 92.57%
  note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
  forest (1998 est.)

Laos
  arable land: 3.47%
  permanent crops: 0.23%
  other: 96.3% (1998 est.)

Latvia
  arable land: 29.01%
  permanent crops: 0.48%
  other: 70.51% (1998 est.)

Lebanon
  arable land: 17.6%
  permanent crops: 12.51%
  other: 69.89% (1998 est.)

Lesotho
  arable land: 10.71%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.29% (1998 est.)

Liberia
  arable land: 1.97%
  permanent crops: 2.08%
  other: 95.95% (1998 est.)

Libya
  arable land: 1.03%
  permanent crops: 0.17%
  other: 98.8% (1998 est.)

Liechtenstein
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 75% (1998 est.)

Lithuania
  arable land: 45.46%
  permanent crops: 0.93%
  other: 53.61% (1998 est.)

Luxembourg
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 75% (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Macau
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  arable land: 23.59%
  permanent crops: 1.85%
  other: 74.56% (1998 est.)

Madagascar
  arable land: 4.41%
  permanent crops: 0.93%
  other: 94.66% (1998 est.)

Malawi
  arable land: 19.93%
  permanent crops: 1.33%
  other: 78.74% (1998 est.)

Malaysia
  arable land: 5.54%
  permanent crops: 17.61%
  other: 76.85% (1998 est.)

Maldives
  arable land: 3.33%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 90% (1998 est.)

Mali
  arable land: 3.77%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 96.19% (1998 est.)

Malta
  arable land: 31.25%
  permanent crops: 3.13%
  other: 65.62% (1998 est.)

Man, Isle of
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
  (1998 est.)

Marshall Islands
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 83.33% (1998 est.)

Martinique
  arable land: 9.43%
  permanent crops: 11.32%
  other: 79.25% (1998 est.)

Mauritania
  arable land: 0.48%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.51% (1998 est.)

Mauritius
  arable land: 49.26%
  permanent crops: 2.96%
  other: 47.78% (1998 est.)

Mayotte
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA% (1998 est.)

Mexico
  arable land: 13.2%
  permanent crops: 1.1%
  other: 85.7% (1998 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 45.71%
  other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

Midway Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Moldova
  arable land: 54.08%
  permanent crops: 12.1%
  other: 33.82% (1998 est.)

Monaco
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Mongolia
  arable land: 0.84%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.16% (1998 est.)

Montserrat
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (1998 est.)

Morocco
  arable land: 20.12%
  permanent crops: 2.05%
  other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Mozambique
  arable land: 3.98%
  permanent crops: 0.29%
  other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Namibia
  arable land: 0.99%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.01% (1998 est.)

Nauru
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Navassa Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Nepal
  arable land: 20.27%
  permanent crops: 0.49%
  other: 79.24% (1998 est.)

Netherlands
  arable land: 26.53%
  permanent crops: 1.03%
  other: 72.44% (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 90% (1998 est.)

New Caledonia
  arable land: 0.38%
  permanent crops: 0.33%
  other: 99.29% (1998 est.)

New Zealand
  arable land: 5.8%
  permanent crops: 6.44%
  other: 87.76% (1998 est.)

Nicaragua
  arable land: 20.24%
  permanent crops: 2.38%
  other: 77.38% (1998 est.)

Niger
  arable land: 3.94%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 96.06% (1998 est.)

Nigeria
  arable land: 30.96%
  permanent crops: 2.79%
  other: 66.25% (1998 est.)

Niue
  arable land: 19.23%
  permanent crops: 7.69%
  other: 73.08% (1998 est.)

Norfolk Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land: 15.22%
  permanent crops: 6.52%
  other: 78.26% (1998 est.)

Norway
  arable land: 2.94%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.06% (1998 est.)

Oman
  arable land: 0.08%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 99.7% (1998 est.)

Pakistan
  arable land: 27.81%
  permanent crops: 0.79%
  other: 71.4% (1998 est.)

Palau
  arable land: 21.74%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 78.26% (1998 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Panama
  arable land: 6.72%
  permanent crops: 2.08%
  other: 91.2% (1998 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  arable land: 0.13%
  permanent crops: 1.35%
  other: 98.52% (1998 est.)

Paracel Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Paraguay
  arable land: 5.54%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 94.25% (1998 est.)

Peru
  arable land: 2.85%
  permanent crops: 0.38%
  other: 96.77% (1998 est.)

Philippines
  arable land: 18.45%
  permanent crops: 14.76%
  other: 66.79% (1998 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA% (1998 est.)

Poland
  arable land: 45.81%
  permanent crops: 1.23%
  other: 52.96% (1998 est.)

Portugal
  arable land: 20.57%
  permanent crops: 7.74%
  other: 71.69% (1999 est.)

Puerto Rico
  arable land: 3.72%
  permanent crops: 5.07%
  other: 91.21% (1998 est.)

Qatar
  arable land: 1.27%
  permanent crops: 0.27%
  other: 98.46% (1998 est.)

Reunion
  arable land: 13.2%
  permanent crops: 2%
  other: 84.8% (1998 est.)

Romania
  arable land: 40.57%
  permanent crops: 2.4%
  other: 57.03% (1998 est.)

Russia
  arable land: 7.46%
  permanent crops: 0.11%
  other: 92.43% (1998 est.)

Rwanda
  arable land: 32.43%
  permanent crops: 10.13%
  other: 57.44% (1998 est.)

Saint Helena
  arable land: 12.9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.1% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 2.78%
  other: 80.55% (1998 est.)

Saint Lucia
  arable land: 4.92%
  permanent crops: 22.95%
  other: 72.13% (1998 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  arable land: 13.04%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 86.96% (1998 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  arable land: 10.26%
  permanent crops: 17.95%
  other: 71.79% (1998 est.)

Samoa
  arable land: 19.43%
  permanent crops: 23.67%
  other: 56.9% (1998 est.)

San Marino
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 83.33% (1998 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  arable land: 2%
  permanent crops: 41%
  other: 57% (1998 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  arable land: 1.72%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  other: 98.22% (1998 est.)

Senegal
  arable land: 11.58%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 88.23% (1998 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  arable land: 36.34%
  permanent crops: 3.44%
  other: 60.22% (1998 est.)

Seychelles
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 13.33%
  other: 84.45% (1998 est.)

Sierra Leone
  arable land: 6.76%
  permanent crops: 0.78%
  other: 92.46% (1998 est.)

Singapore
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 98.36% (1998 est.)

Slovakia
  arable land: 30.74%
  permanent crops: 2.64%
  other: 66.62% (1998 est.)

Slovenia
  arable land: 11.48%
  permanent crops: 2.68%
  other: 85.84% (1998 est.)

Solomon Islands
  arable land: 1.5%
  permanent crops: 0.64%
  other: 97.86% (1998 est.)

Somalia
  arable land: 1.66%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 98.3% (1998 est.)

South Africa
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 0.77%
  other: 87.1% (1998 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
  sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)

Spain
  arable land: 28.6%
  permanent crops: 9.56%
  other: 61.84% (1998 est.)

Spratly Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Sri Lanka
  arable land: 13.43%
  permanent crops: 15.78%
  other: 70.79% (1998 est.)

Sudan
  arable land: 7.03%
  permanent crops: 0.08%
  other: 92.89% (1998 est.)

Suriname
  arable land: 0.37%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  other: 99.57%
  note: there are 95,000 hectares of arable land, 7,000 hectares of
  permanent crops, and 15,000 hectares of permanent pastures (1998
  est.)

Svalbard
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
  cloudberry) (1998 est.)

Swaziland
  arable land: 9.77%
  permanent crops: 0.7%
  other: 89.53% (1998 est.)

Sweden
  arable land: 6.8%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 93.2% (1998 est.)

Switzerland
  arable land: 10.57%
  permanent crops: 0.61%
  other: 88.82% (1998 est.)

Syria
  arable land: 25.96%
  permanent crops: 4.08%
  other: 69.96% (1998 est.)

Taiwan
  arable land: 24%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 75%

Tajikistan
  arable land: 5.41%
  permanent crops: 0.92%
  other: 93.67% (1998 est.)

Tanzania
  arable land: 4.24%
  permanent crops: 1.02%
  other: 94.74% (1998 est.)

Thailand
  arable land: 32.88%
  permanent crops: 7%
  other: 60.12% (1998 est.)

Togo
  arable land: 41.37%
  permanent crops: 1.84%
  other: 56.79% (1998 est.)

Tokelau
  arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Tonga
  arable land: 23.61%
  permanent crops: 43.06%
  other: 33.33% (1998 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  arable land: 14.62%
  permanent crops: 9.16%
  other: 76.22% (1998 est.)

Tromelin Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (1998 est.)

Tunisia
  arable land: 18.67%
  permanent crops: 12.87%
  other: 68.46% (1998 est.)

Turkey
  arable land: 34.53%
  permanent crops: 3.36%
  other: 62.11% (1998 est.)

Turkmenistan
  arable land: 3.47%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.39% (1998 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  arable land: 2.33%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.67% (1998 est.)

Tuvalu
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Uganda
  arable land: 25.34%
  permanent crops: 8.77%
  other: 65.89% (1998 est.)

Ukraine
  arable land: 57.1%
  permanent crops: 1.73%
  other: 41.17% (1998 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  arable land: 0.48%
  permanent crops: 0.49%
  other: 99.03% (1998 est.)

United Kingdom
  arable land: 26.41%
  permanent crops: 0.18%
  other: 73.41% (1998 est.)

United States
  arable land: 19.32%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 80.46% (1998 est.)

Uruguay
  arable land: 7.21%
  permanent crops: 0.27%
  other: 92.52% (1998 est.)

Uzbekistan
  arable land: 10.8%
  permanent crops: 0.91%
  other: 88.29% (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  arable land: 2.46%
  permanent crops: 7.38%
  other: 90.16% (1998 est.)

Venezuela
  arable land: 2.99%
  permanent crops: 0.96%
  other: 96.05% (1998 est.)

Vietnam
  arable land: 17.41%
  permanent crops: 4.71%
  other: 77.88% (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
  arable land: 15%
  permanent crops: 6%
  other: 79% (1998 est.)

Wake Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  arable land: 5%
  permanent crops: 20%
  other: 75% (1998 est.)

West Bank
  arable land: NEGL%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Western Sahara
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

World
  arable land: 10.58%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 88.42% (1998 est.)

Yemen
  arable land: 2.75%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 97.04% (1998 est.)

Zambia
  arable land: 7.08%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 92.89% (1998 est.)

Zimbabwe
  arable land: 8.4%
  permanent crops: 0.34%
  other: 91.26% (1998 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2098 Languages (%)

Afghanistan
  Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages
  (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily
  Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Albania
  Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Algeria
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

American Samoa
  Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other
  Polynesian languages), English
  note: most people are bilingual

Andorra
  Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Angola
  Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Anguilla
  English (official)

Antigua and Barbuda
  English (official), local dialects

Argentina
  Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Armenia
  Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Aruba
  Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
  English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Australia
  English, native languages

Austria
  German

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other
  6% (1995 est.)

Bahamas, The
  English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Bahrain
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Bangladesh
  Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Barbados
  English

Belarus
  Belarusian, Russian, other

Belgium
  Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
  (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Belize
  English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Benin
  French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
  south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Bermuda
  English (official), Portuguese

Bhutan
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
  Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Bolivia
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian

Botswana
  English (official), Setswana

Brazil
  Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

British Virgin Islands
  English (official)

Brunei
  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
  breakdown

Burkina Faso
  French (official), native African languages belonging
  to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Burma
  Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Burundi
  Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
  Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Cambodia
  Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Cameroon
  24 major African language groups, English (official),
  French (official)

Canada
  English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Cape Verde
  Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West
  African words)

Cayman Islands
  English

Central African Republic
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca
  and national language), tribal languages

Chad
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more
  than 120 different languages and dialects

Chile
  Spanish

China
  Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
  dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
  (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
  (see Ethnic groups entry)

Christmas Island
  English (official), Chinese, Malay

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Colombia
  Spanish

Comoros
  Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
  Swahili and Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala (a
  lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
  Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Congo, Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
  (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects
  (of which Kikongo has the most users)

Cook Islands
  English (official), Maori

Costa Rica
  Spanish (official), English

Cote d'Ivoire
  French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the
  most widely spoken

Croatia
  Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,
  Slovak, and German)

Cuba
  Spanish

Cyprus
  Greek, Turkish, English

Czech Republic
  Czech

Denmark
  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
  (small minority)
  note: English is the predominant second language

Djibouti
  French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Dominica
  English (official), French patois

Dominican Republic
  Spanish

East Timor
  Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,
  English
  note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
  Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Ecuador
  Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Egypt
  Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by
  educated classes

El Salvador
  Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Equatorial Guinea
  Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin
  English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Eritrea
  Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
  languages

Estonia
  Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other

Ethiopia
  Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic,
  other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in
  schools)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English

Faroe Islands
  Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Fiji
  English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Finland
  Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small
  Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities

France
  French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
  languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
  Flemish)

French Guiana
  French

French Polynesia
  French (official), Tahitian (official)

Gabon
  French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
  Bandjabi

Gambia, The
  English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
  indigenous vernaculars

Gaza Strip
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
  Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Georgia
  Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
  other 7%
  note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Germany
  German

Ghana
  English (official), African languages (including Akan,
  Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Gibraltar
  English (used in schools and for official purposes),
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Greece
  Greek 99% (official), English, French

Greenland
  Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Grenada
  English (official), French patois

Guadeloupe
  French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Guam
  English, Chamorro, Japanese

Guatemala
  Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially
  recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
  Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Guernsey
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country
  districts

Guinea
  French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Guinea-Bissau
  Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Guyana
  English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Haiti
  French (official), Creole (official)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italian, Latin, French, various other
  languages

Honduras
  Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Hong Kong
  Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Hungary
  Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Iceland
  Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

India
  English enjoys associate status but is the most important
  language for national, political, and commercial communication;
  Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the
  people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,
  Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi,
  Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular
  variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is
  not an official language

Indonesia
  Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
  English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is
  Javanese

Iran
  Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects
  26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Iraq
  Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
  Armenian

Ireland
  English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic)
  spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Israel
  Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
  English most commonly used foreign language

Italy
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige
  region are predominantly German speaking), French (small
  French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene
  (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Jamaica
  English, patois English

Japan
  Japanese

Jersey
  English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect
  spoken in country districts

Jordan
  Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and
  middle classes

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,
  used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
  communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
  languages

Kiribati
  I-Kiribati, English (official)

Korea, North
  Korean

Korea, South
  Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
  school

Kuwait
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
  note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an
  official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

Laos
  Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Latvia
  Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Lebanon
  Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lesotho
  Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Liberia
  English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of
  which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Libya
  Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the
  major cities

Liechtenstein
  German (official), Alemannic dialect

Lithuania
  Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Luxembourg
  Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
  language), French (administrative language)

Macau
  Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonian 70%, Albanian
  21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%

Madagascar
  French (official), Malagasy (official)

Malawi
  English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages
  important regionally

Malaysia
  Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
  (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
  Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East
  Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are
  Iban and Kadazan

Maldives
  Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
  Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Mali
  French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Malta
  Maltese (official), English (official)

Man, Isle of
  English, Manx Gaelic

Marshall Islands
  English (widely spoken as a second language, both
  English and Marshallese are official languages), two major
  Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Martinique
  French, Creole patois

Mauritania
  Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof
  (official), French

Mauritius
  English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi,
  Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri

Mayotte
  Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)
  spoken by 35% of the population

Mexico
  Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
  indigenous languages

Micronesia, Federated States of
  English (official and common
  language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,
  Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Moldova
  Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
  language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Monaco
  French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Mongolia
  Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Montserrat
  English

Morocco
  Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the
  language of business, government, and diplomacy

Mozambique
  Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Namibia
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
  the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
  indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Nauru
  Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language),
  English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
  commercial purposes

Nepal
  Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a
  dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in
  government and business also speak English (1995)

Netherlands
  Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

Netherlands Antilles
  Dutch (official), Papiamento (a
  Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English
  widely spoken, Spanish

New Caledonia
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Zealand
  English (official), Maori (official)

Nicaragua
  Spanish (official)
  note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Niger
  French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Nigeria
  English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Niue
  Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
  Samoan; English

Norfolk Island
  English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
  English and ancient Tahitian

Northern Mariana Islands
  English, Chamorro, Carolinian
  note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Norway
  Norwegian (official)
  note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Oman
  Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Pakistan
  Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
  Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
  English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
  government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Palau
  English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral
  (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
  official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Panama
  Spanish (official), English 14%
  note: many Panamanians bilingual

Papua New Guinea
  English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread,
  Motu spoken in Papua region
  note: 715 indigenous languages

Paraguay
  Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Peru
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Philippines
  two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and
  English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon
  or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Pitcairn Islands
  English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th
  century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Poland
  Polish

Portugal
  Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally
  used)

Puerto Rico
  Spanish, English

Qatar
  Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Reunion
  French (official), Creole widely used

Romania
  Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Russia
  Russian, other

Rwanda
  Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
  (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
  commercial centers

Saint Helena
  English

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  English

Saint Lucia
  English (official), French patois

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  French (official)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  English, French patois

Samoa
  Samoan (Polynesian), English

San Marino
  Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portuguese (official)

Saudi Arabia
  Arabic

Senegal
  French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Serbia and Montenegro
  Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Seychelles
  English (official), French (official), Creole

Sierra Leone
  English (official, regular use limited to literate
  minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
  (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
  spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
  in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
  of the population but understood by 95%)

Singapore
  Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
  (official), English (official)

Slovakia
  Slovak (official), Hungarian

Slovenia
  Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
  franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the
  population
  note: 120 indigenous languages

Somalia
  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

South Africa
  11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
  Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Spain
  Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
  note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
  languages are official regionally

Sri Lanka
  Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
  (national language) 18%, other 8%
  note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population

Sudan
  Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of
  Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
  note: program of "Arabization" in process

Suriname
  Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
  (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
  Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
  among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Svalbard
  Russian, Norwegian

Swaziland
  English (official, government business conducted in
  English), siSwati (official)

Sweden
  Swedish
  note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Switzerland
  German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%,
  Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%

Syria
  Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
  widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Taiwan
  Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Tajikistan
  Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and
  business

Tanzania
  Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili
  in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
  administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
  Zanzibar), many local languages
  note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
  living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
  is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
  of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
  lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
  most people is one of the local languages

Thailand
  Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
  regional dialects

Togo
  French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina
  (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes
  spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the
  north)

Tokelau
  Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Tonga
  Tongan, English

Trinidad and Tobago
  English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish,
  Chinese

Tunisia
  Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
  French (commerce)

Turkey
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  English (official)

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Uganda
  English (official national language, taught in grade schools,
  used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio
  broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo
  languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital
  and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,
  Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ukraine
  Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

United Arab Emirates
  Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

United Kingdom
  English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of
  Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

United States
  English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Uruguay
  Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on
  the Brazilian frontier)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Vanuatu
  three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as
  Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Venezuela
  Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Vietnam
  Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a
  second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
  languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Virgin Islands
  English (official), Spanish, Creole

Wallis and Futuna
  French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

West Bank
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
  Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Western Sahara
  Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

World
  Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish
  5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese
  2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.)
  note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Yemen
  Arabic

Zambia
  English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,
  Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Zimbabwe
  English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
  Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
  dialects

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2100 Legal system

Afghanistan
  the Bonn Agreement calls for a judicial commission to
  rebuild the justice system in accordance with Islamic principles,
  international standards, the rule of law, and Afghan legal traditions

Albania
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Algeria
  socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
  various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review
  of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Angola
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
  recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased
  use of free markets

Anguilla
  based on English common law

Antarctica
  Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
  consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are
  carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in
  accordance with their own national laws. US law, including certain
  criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may
  apply extra-territorially. Some US laws directly apply to
  Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C.
  section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the
  following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute:
  the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
  nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected
  areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
  into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation of the
  Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in
  fines and one year in prison. The National Science Foundation and
  Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law
  95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in
  1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in
  advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,
  Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as
  required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more information, contact
  Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science
  Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or
  visit their website at www.nsf.gov.

Antigua and Barbuda
  based on English common law

Argentina
  mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Armenia
  based on civil law system

Aruba
  based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
  influence

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the laws of the Commonwealth of
  Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Australia
  based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Austria
  civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
  legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
  administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Azerbaijan
  based on civil law system

Bahamas, The
  based on English common law

Bahrain
  based on Islamic law and English common law

Baker Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Bangladesh
  based on English common law

Barbados
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Bassas da India
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Belarus
  based on civil law system

Belgium
  civil law system influenced by English constitutional
  theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Belize
  English law

Benin
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bermuda
  English law

Bhutan
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bolivia
  based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  based on civil law system

Botswana
  based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
  review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bouvet Island
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Brazil
  based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

British Indian Ocean Territory
  the laws of the UK, where applicable,
  apply

British Virgin Islands
  English law

Brunei
  based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
  supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Bulgaria
  civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burkina Faso
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Burma
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burundi
  based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cambodia
  primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
  from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
  period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences
  of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
  influence of common law in recent years

Cameroon
  based on French civil law system, with common law
  influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Canada
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil
  law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Cape Verde
  derived from the legal system of Portugal

Cayman Islands
  British common law and local statutes

Central African Republic
  based on French law

Chad
  based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chile
  based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent
  codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction
  note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
  justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
  gradually implemented throughout the country

China
  a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
  rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
  codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
  made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Christmas Island
  under the authority of the governor general of
  Australia and Australian law

Clipperton Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  based upon the laws of Australia and local
  laws

Colombia
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
  procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Comoros
  French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  based on Belgian civil law system
  and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Congo, Republic of the
  based on French civil law system and
  customary law

Cook Islands
  based on New Zealand law and English common law

Coral Sea Islands
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Costa Rica
  based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Cote d'Ivoire
  based on French civil law system and customary law;
  judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Croatia
  based on civil law system

Cuba
  based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of
  Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cyprus
  based on common law, with civil law modifications

Czech Republic
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
  bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
  theory

Denmark
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Djibouti
  based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
  and Islamic law

Dominica
  based on English common law

Dominican Republic
  based on French civil codes

East Timor
  UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law (2002)

Ecuador
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Egypt
  based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic
  codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State
  (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

El Salvador
  based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law;
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Equatorial Guinea
  partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Eritrea
  primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with
  revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
  promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
  laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Estonia
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative
  acts

Ethiopia
  currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Europa Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English common law

Faroe Islands
  Danish

Fiji
  based on British system

Finland
  civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may
  request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

France
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
  administrative but not legislative acts

French Guiana
  French legal system

French Polynesia
  based on French system

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the laws of France, where
  applicable, apply

Gabon
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gambia, The
  based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
  and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Georgia
  based on civil law system

Germany
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review
  of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ghana
  based on English common law and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gibraltar
  English law

Glorioso Islands
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Greece
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
  criminal, and administrative courts

Greenland
  Danish

Grenada
  based on English common law

Guadeloupe
  French legal system

Guam
  modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Guatemala
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guernsey
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by
  the Royal Court

Guinea
  based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
  legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of
  Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Haiti
  based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the laws of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Holy See (Vatican City)
  based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to
  it

Honduras
  rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
  influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
  abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
  system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Hong Kong
  based on English common law

Howland Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Hungary
  rule of law based on Western model

Iceland
  civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

India
  based on English common law; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Indonesia
  based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iran
  the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  based on English common law, substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Israel
  mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,
  and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal
  systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that
  it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Italy
  based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;
  judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Jamaica
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Jan Mayen
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Japan
  modeled after European civil law system with English-American
  influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Jarvis Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jersey
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by the
  Royal Court

Johnston Atoll
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jordan
  based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
  legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Juan de Nova Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Kazakhstan
  based on civil law system

Kenya
  based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
  tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
  amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
  1991

Kingman Reef
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  based on German civil law system with Japanese
  influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Korea, South
  combines elements of continental European civil law
  systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Kuwait
  civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal
  matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kyrgyzstan
  based on civil law system

Laos
  based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
  procedures, and socialist practice

Latvia
  based on civil law system

Lebanon
  mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and
  civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Lesotho
  based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liberia
  dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common
  law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten
  tribal practices for indigenous sector

Libya
  based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
  religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liechtenstein
  local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Lithuania
  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be
  appealed to the constitutional court

Luxembourg
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Macau
  based on Portuguese civil law system

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  based on civil law
  system; judicial review of legislative acts

Madagascar
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malawi
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malaysia
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the
  federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Maldives
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
  primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mali
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was
  formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Malta
  based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Man, Isle of
  English common law and Manx statute

Marshall Islands
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
  legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Martinique
  French legal system

Mauritania
  a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil
  law

Mauritius
  based on French civil law system with elements of English
  common law in certain areas

Mayotte
  French law

Mexico
  mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
  judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Micronesia, Federated States of based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Midway Islands
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Moldova
  based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
  legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
  resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Monaco
  based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mongolia
  blend of Soviet, German, and US systems of law that
  combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a
  presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Montserrat
  English common law and statutory law

Morocco
  based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law
  system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
  Chamber of Supreme Court

Mozambique
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Namibia
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Nauru
  acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Navassa Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Nepal
  based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Netherlands
  civil law system incorporating French penal theory;
  constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States
  General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Netherlands Antilles
  based on Dutch civil law system, with some
  English common law influence

New Caledonia
  the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy
  to the islands; formerly under French law

New Zealand
  based on English law, with special land legislation and
  land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Nicaragua
  civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative
  acts

Niger
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nigeria
  based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in
  some northern states), and traditional law

Niue
  English common law
  note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Norfolk Island
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
  acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
  Australian or Norfolk Island law

Northern Mariana Islands
  based on US system, except for customs,
  wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Norway
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
  traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
  when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Oman
  based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to
  the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Pakistan
  based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
  Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Palau
  based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Palmyra Atoll
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Panama
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Papua New Guinea
  based on English common law

Paraguay
  based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
  judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Peru
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Philippines
  based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Pitcairn Islands
  local island by-laws

Poland
  mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
  Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
  of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
  final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
  Justice in Strasbourg

Portugal
  civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
  constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Puerto Rico
  based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal
  system of justice

Qatar
  discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although
  civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
  personal matters

Reunion
  French law

Romania
  former mixture of civil law system and communist legal
  theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Russia
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Rwanda
  based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary
  law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  based on English common law

Saint Lucia
  based on English common law

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  French law with special adaptations for
  local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  based on English common law

Samoa
  based on English common law and local customs; judicial review
  of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the
  citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

San Marino
  based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sao Tome and Principe
  based on Portuguese legal system and customary
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saudi Arabia
  based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been
  introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Senegal
  based on French civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State
  audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Serbia and Montenegro
  based on civil law system

Seychelles
  based on English common law, French civil law, and
  customary law

Sierra Leone
  based on English law and customary laws indigenous to
  local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Singapore
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Slovakia
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply
  with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Slovenia
  based on civil law system

Solomon Islands
  English common law, which is widely disregarded

Somalia
  no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
  localities

South Africa
  based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the laws of the UK,
  where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland
  Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Spain
  civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sri Lanka
  a highly complex mixture of English common law,
  Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sudan
  based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January
  1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic
  law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of
  the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
  religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suriname
  based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
  theory

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts
  and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sweden
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Switzerland
  civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
  of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Syria
  based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
  courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Taiwan
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Tajikistan
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of
  legislative acts

Tanzania
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Thailand
  based on civil law system, with influences of common law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Togo
  French-based court system

Tokelau
  New Zealand and local statutes

Tonga
  based on English law

Trinidad and Tobago
  based on English common law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Tromelin Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Tunisia
  based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
  session

Turkey
  derived from various European continental legal systems;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Turkmenistan
  based on civil law system

Turks and Caicos Islands
  based on laws of England and Wales, with a
  few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one
  based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Ukraine
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts

United Arab Emirates
  federal court system introduced in 1971; all
  emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully
  integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and
  Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts

United Kingdom
  common law tradition with early Roman and modern
  continental influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament
  under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

United States
  based on English common law; judicial review of
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Uruguay
  based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Uzbekistan
  evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent
  judicial system

Vanuatu
  unified system being created from former dual French and
  British systems

Venezuela
  based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial
  court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Vietnam
  based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Virgin Islands
  based on US laws

Wake Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna
  French legal system

World
  all members of the UN plus Switzerland are parties to the
  statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or
  World Court

Yemen
  based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
  local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Zambia
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe
  mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2101 Legislative branch

Afghanistan
  nonfunctioning as of June 1993

Albania
  unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats;
  100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote
  for four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,
  22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and
  coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%,
  PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6,
  PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2

Algeria
  bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's
  Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from
  380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats;
  one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds
  elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
  constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
  years)
  elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
  to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations - last held 30 December 2000
  (next to be held NA 2003)
  election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, MRN 43, MSP 38, PT
  21, FNA 8, Nahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
  Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79,
  FLN 12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president,
  party breakdown NA)

American Samoa
  bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
  the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
  popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
  Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
  members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002
  (next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November
  2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - independents 18
  note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
  House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next
  to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
  (Democrat) reelected as delegate

Andorra
  unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General
  de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,
  14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of
  the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD
  23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5,
  independents 2

Angola
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220
  seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
  others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
  3, others 7

Anguilla
  unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by
  direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1

Antigua and Barbuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
  (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
  Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional
  representation to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next
  to be held prior to March 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ALP 53.2%, UPP 45.5%,
  independent 1.3%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1

Argentina
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists
  of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;
  presently one-third of the members being elected every two years to
  a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are
  elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two
  years to a four-year term)
  elections: Senate - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held
  intermittently by province before December 2003); Chamber of
  Deputies - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held intermittently
  by province before December 2003)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%;
  seats by bloc or party - PJ 40, UCR 24, provincial parties 6,
  Frepaso 1, ARI 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or
  party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 113, UCR 74, provincial
  parties 27, Frepaso 17, ARI 17, AR 9

Armenia
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov
  (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms; 75 members selected by direct vote, 56 by party list)
  elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
  2007)
  note: electoral law was changed in 2002 so ratio in next elections
  will be 75 deputies elected by party list, 56 by direct election
  election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%,
  Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National
  Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party -
  Republican Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak)
  11, National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
  frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
  independent

Aruba
  unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%,
  PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP
  12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1

Australia
  bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76
  seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two
  mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three
  years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001
  election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
  preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can
  have fewer than five representatives)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by
  February 2005); House of Representatives - last held 10 November
  2001 (next to be held by February 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor
  Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1,
  Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal
  Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65,
  independent and other 3

Austria
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of
  Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of
  the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
  least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term)
  and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
  by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
  held in the fall of 2006)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
  42.3%, SPOe 36.9%, FPOe 10.2%, Greens 9%; seats by party - OeVP 79,
  SPOe 69, FPOe 19, Greens 16

Azerbaijan
  unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
  basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
  on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
  referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
  next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
  CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
  note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
  seats

Bahamas, The
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member
  body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
  minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
  independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Bahrain
  bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
  appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
  elected to serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
  election to be held NA 2006)
  election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10
  note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
  Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
  bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
  February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
  December 2002

Bangladesh
  unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300
  seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies
  (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and
  above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members
  serve five-year terms
  elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
  partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 191, AL 62, JI 18, JP
  (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
  election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
  with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya
  Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)

Barbados
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
  held by May 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Belarus
  bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of
  the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56
  members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the
  president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives
  or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal
  adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held October 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: party affiliation data unavailable; under present
  political conditions party designations are meaningless

Belgium
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in
  Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by
  popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year
  terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
  Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in
  French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 June 2003
  (next to be held in NA May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
  15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
  5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
  VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
  senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
  15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
  11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
  23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
  governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other
  acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders
  entry

Belize
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12
  members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the
  prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition,
  and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
  Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
  and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
  Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
  members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
  to be held NA March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PUP 21, UDP 8

Benin
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
  small parties) 31

Bermuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member
  body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and
  the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
  NA July 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
  seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Bhutan
  unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105
  elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies,
  and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and
  other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2005)
  election results: NA

Bolivia
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
  Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -
  some members are drawn from party lists, thus not directly elected)
  elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
  30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
  of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR
  36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina
  consists of the National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki
  Dom (42 seats - elected by proportional representation, 28 seats
  allocated from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats
  from the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats -
  5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat
  Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's
  National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's
  election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
  administrative division entity legislatures
  elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
  constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
  election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
  10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
  party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
  2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
  NA%; seats by party/coalition - NA
  note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
  consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
  SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
  Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
  National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
  DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
  constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
  of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
  Assembly; each constituent nation and "others" will have eight
  delegates

Botswana
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a
  largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the
  eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
  selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44
  seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are
  appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999
  (next to be held NA October 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%,
  other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1

Brazil
  bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of
  the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from
  each state or federal district elected according to the principle of
  majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
  four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
  period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
  of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the
  Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
  held NA October 2006)
  election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3,
  PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PPB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PPB
  49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
  other 11

British Virgin Islands
  unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of
  9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 8, VIP 5

Brunei
  unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a
  privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats;
  members appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held in March 1962
  note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by
  decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being
  considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are
  unlikely for several years

Bulgaria
  unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UtdDF
  18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UtdDF 51,
  CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of March 2003 - NMS2 110, UtdDF
  50, CfB 48, MRF 20, independents 12

Burkina Faso
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
  be held NA May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Burma
  unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60

Burundi
  bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the
  transitional government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54
  seats; term length is undefined, the current senators will likely
  serve out the three-year transition period)
  elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
  1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
  are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional
  government)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
  21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
  civilians 27, other parties 13

Cambodia
  bicameral consists of the National Assembly (122 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
  Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected
  by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional
  constituencies"; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
  held in July 2007); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held
  in 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
  47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
  FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (2003)

Cameroon
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term
  of the legislature)
  elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
  note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
  legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Canada
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of
  the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its
  normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre
  des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve for up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be
  held by 2005)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Liberal Party 41%, Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New
  Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 12%; seats by
  party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38,
  New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note -
  percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%,
  Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%,
  Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party
  172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party
  13, Progressive Conservative Party 12

Cape Verde
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
  ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Cayman Islands
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three
  appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by
  popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Central African Republic
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly
  before the 1998 election)
  elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
  held NA 2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
  9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
  independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
  6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Chad
  bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
  Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
  members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
  every two years)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
  held in NA April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11

Chile
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  the Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9
  designated members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year terms
  and are senators for life); elected members serve eight-year terms
  (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or
  Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA
  December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
  (next to be held NA December 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
  independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI
  35, RN 22, independent 1

China
  unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin
  Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,
  and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held NA December 2002-NA February 2003 (next to be
  held late 2007-NA February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Christmas Island
  unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
  elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2003)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire
  Council (7 seats)

Colombia
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA
  March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002
  (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
  aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
  of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
  and other parties 91

Comoros
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the
  deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies
  and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five
  years) note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal
  Assembly, dissolved in 1999, where held on 1 and 8 December 1996;
  the next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to
  be held in April 2003 but have yet to occur

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  a 300-member Transitional
  Constituent Assembly established in August 2000
  elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
  appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Congo, Republic of the
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
  (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July
  2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
  to be held by NA May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Cook Islands
  unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
  note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
  maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Costa Rica
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1

Cote d'Ivoire
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district
  elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
  14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
  note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
  in 2005

Croatia
  unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was
  added in the November Parliamentary elections; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - House of Counties was
  abolished in March 2001
  elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
  2007)
  election results: Assembly (then referred to as the House of
  Representatives) - percent of vote by party - HDZ 43.4%, SDP 23%,
  HNS 7.4%, HSS 6.57%, HSP 6%; seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HNS
  10, HSS 9, HSP 7; note - these are preliminary results

Cuba
  unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea
  Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates
  approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Cyprus
  unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or
  Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24
  to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots
  are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet
  Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
  held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December 1998
  (next to be held NA December 2003)
  election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
  6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
  DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the
  Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP
  15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party - UBP
  24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6

Czech Republic
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the
  Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 25-26 October and 1-2
  November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Chamber of
  Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June
  2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 14, CSSD 11, US 9, KSCM 3, independents 18;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS
  24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor
  12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU
  10

Denmark
  unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2
  from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party 22,
  Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social Liberal
  Party 9, Christian People's Party 4, Unity List 4; note - does not
  include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe
  Islands

Djibouti
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65
  seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
  RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Dominica
  unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed
  senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July
  2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held
  within five years of the last election, but technically it is five
  years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90
  day grace period
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

Dominican Republic
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
  consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
  or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
  2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
  NA May 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

East Timor
  unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary,
  minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term
  of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
  exceptional basis
  elections: last held 30 August 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
  8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
  2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
  party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
  2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Ecuador
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100
  seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
  5, DP 4, PS 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
  National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
  the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Egypt
  bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
  al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
  the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
  Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
  role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
  president; members serve NA-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
  October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next to be held NA)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NDP
  88%, independents 8%, opposition 4%; seats by party - NDP 398, NWP
  7, Tagammu 6, Nasserists 2, LSP 1, independents 38, undecided 2;
  Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%, independents
  1%; seats by party - NA

El Salvador
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  three-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FMLN 31, ARENA 27, PCN 16, PDC 5, CD 5

Equatorial Guinea
  unicameral House of People's Representatives or
  Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS
  5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
  note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the
  House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative
  elections

Eritrea
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
  established)
  elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
  constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
  Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
  Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
  and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
  living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
  serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
  to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
  the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
  stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
  National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
  voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
  postponed indefinitely

Estonia
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
  Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
  Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
  seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
  Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
  Moodukad 6

Ethiopia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or
  upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to
  serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or
  lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177,
  ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
  ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
  political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed
  note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations
  necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
  voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  unicameral Legislative Council (10
  seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve
  four-year terms); presided over by the governor
  elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8;
  note - 71% voter turnout

Faroe Islands
  unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the
  seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than
  April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%,
  Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8%
  Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union
  Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7,
  Home Rule Party 1, Center Party 1
  note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
  20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican
  Party 1, Union Party 1

Fiji
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24
  appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the
  president, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House
  of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19
  reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups,
  one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the
  whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
  September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
  September 2006)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - FLP 34.8%, SDL 26%, NFP 10.1%, MV 9.9%, independents 2.7%,
  other 16.5%; seats by party - NA

Finland
  unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
  Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
  Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4

France
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
  departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
  members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
  nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the
  National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
  to be held NA June 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66;
  National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

French Guiana
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
  other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
  various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
  Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
  independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, Walwari Committee 1

French Polynesia
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001
  election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for
  the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998
  (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the
  French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1

Gabon
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats;
  members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
  assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
  (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
  and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP
  1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
  CLR 1, independents 9

Gambia, The
  unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by
  popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Georgia
  unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as
  Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 November 2003 but results were invalidated
  (next to be held spring 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party (from earlier 1999
  elections) - CUG 41.7%, AGUR 25.2%, IWSG 7.1%, all other parties
  received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 64, IWSG
  15, Labor 2, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents
  12

Germany
  bicameral Parliament or parlament consists of the Federal
  Assembly or Bundestag (603 seats; elected by popular vote under a
  system combining direct and proportional representation; a party
  must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
  representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
  represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
  and are required to vote as a block)
  elections: Federal Assembly - last held 22 September 2002 (next to
  be held NA September 2006); note - there are no elections for the
  Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
  state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
  potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
  election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD
  38.5%, CDU/CSU 38.5%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.6%, FDP 7.4%, PDS 4%;
  seats by party - SPD 251, CDU/CSU 248, Alliance '90/Greens 55, FDP
  47, PDS 2; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Ghana
  unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4

Gibraltar
  unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by
  popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio
  members; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
  seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Greece
  unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA
  May 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%,
  KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party -
  PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6;
  note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE
  11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5

Greenland
  unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
  December 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
  Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
  8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
  Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
  November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1

Grenada
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member
  body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
  opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA
  November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Guadeloupe
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be
  held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
  right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of
  vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG
  5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25,
  PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2
  note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS
  1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
  Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS
  1, different right parties 1

Guam
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
  Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held
  NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party)
  was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
  64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Guatemala
  unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la
  Republica (140 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GANA 49, FRG 42, UNE 33, PAN 16
  note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
  seats increased to 140 from 113

Guernsey
  unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff,
  10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies
  elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her
  Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller
  (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and
  Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own
  parliaments
  elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Guinea
  unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
  other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Guinea-Bissau
  unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve a maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the
  National People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new
  legislature were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then
  postponed to April, then July, and were last scheduled to occur in
  September 2003
  elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA September
  2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the
  remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Guyana
  unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular
  vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting
  members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Haiti
  bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of
  the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber
  of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000,
  with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
  still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
  2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
  May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
  vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
  vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Holy See (Vatican City)
  unicameral Pontifical Commission

Honduras
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128
  seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes
  their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PN
  61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Hong Kong
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30
  indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by
  popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held in September
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong
  Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive
  Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy
  and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19

Hungary
  unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional
  and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
  required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
  Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
  party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Iceland
  unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
  33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
  Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
  Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
  Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

India
  bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of
  States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250
  members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the
  remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and
  territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the
  People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular
  vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3
  October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP
  alliance 40.8%, Congress (I) alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by
  party - BJP alliance 304, Congress (I) alliance 134, other 107

Indonesia
  unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan
  Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are
  appointed military representatives until 2004 election when military
  seats expire; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held April 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDI-P 37.4%, Golkar
  20.9%, PKB 17.4%, PPP 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats
  by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14,
  other 30; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change
  in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is: PDI-P 153,
  Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 13, other 32

Iran
  unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
  Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
  with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 February 2000 with a runoff held 5 May 2000
  (next to be held February 2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers
  189, conservatives 54, independents 42, seats reserved for religious
  minorities 5

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or
  Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
  candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
  by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
  of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
  by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
  (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
  Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
  Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
  3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
  Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
  others 14

Israel
  unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next to be held fall of 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
  Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
  5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
  National Democratic Alliance 2.3%, YBA 2.2%, United Arab List 2.1%,
  Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other 1.6%; seats by party -
  Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11, National Union 7, Meretz 6,
  National Religious Party 6, United Torah Judaism 5, Democratic Front
  for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3, National Democratic Alliance
  3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Italy
  bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or
  Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which
  232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
  representation; in addition, there are a small number of
  senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
  members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
  dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
  proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance
  46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128
  (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16,
  Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with
  either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties
  367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern
  League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138,
  Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9,
  independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15

Jamaica
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member
  body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
  prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
  allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
  the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
  seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Japan
  bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors
  or Sangi-in (247 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
  reelected every three years; 149 members in multi-seat
  constituencies and 98 by proportional representation); House of
  Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
  four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
  proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
  elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be
  held in July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 9 November
  2003 (next election has not been scheduled)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8,
  Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; distribution
  of seats as of July 2001 was: LDP 115, DPJ 60, Komeito 24, JCP 20,
  SDP 8, Liberal Party 8 (merged with DPJ in 2003), independents 6,
  others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP
  49.38%, DPJ 36.88%, Komeito 7.09%, JCP 1.88%, SDP 1.25%, NCP .84%;
  seats by party - LDP 237, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, NCP 4,
  others 13; distribution of seats as of 13 November 2003 was: LDP
  244, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 10

Jersey
  unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12
  senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of
  parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year
  terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members
  - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor
  General all appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52

Jordan
  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of
  the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (40
  seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
  of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
  al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
  of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
  seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
  electoral panel if no women are elected)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003, next
  to be held NA 2007
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%;
  seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18
  (note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF
  candidate)
  note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
  by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
  parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
  were not legalized until 1992; King Abdallah delayed the 2001
  elections until 2003

Kazakhstan
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats -
  previously 47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president;
  other members are popularly elected, two from each of the 14
  oblasts, the capital of Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve
  six-year terms) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis
  members are elected from the winning party's lists; members are
  popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
  be held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 10 and 24 October and
  26 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: note - the election results are for the old Senate
  structure; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; 16 seats up for election in 1999, candidates nominated by local
  councils; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Otan 23, Civic Party 13, Communist Party 3, Agrarian Party 3,
  People's Cooperative Party 1, independents 34; note - most
  independent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises
  and other pro-government institutions

Kenya
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
  "nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
  by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
  ex-officio members)
  elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
  by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Kiribati
  unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42
  seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the
  attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
  round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
  note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
  round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Korea, North
  unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
  Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected without
  opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Korea, South
  unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total
  - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year
  terms); note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly
  elected; possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of
  seats in the National Assembly
  elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats
  as of April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1,
  independents 5; one seat vacant

Kuwait
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21,
  government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
  all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
  Assembly

Kyrgyzstan
  bicameral Supreme Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of
  the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
  Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005);
  Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next
  to be held NA February 2005)
  election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
  seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
  Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
  independents 73, other 10
  note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
  elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
  People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly

Laos
  unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
  increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
  elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Latvia
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL
  18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%;
  seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12,
  First Party 10, LNNK 7

Lebanon
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
  Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
  vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held
  NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which
  Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian
  43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which
  Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which
  Maronite 34)

Lesotho
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
  principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
  and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
  proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
  terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
  in the May 2002 election
  elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
  7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Liberia
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and
  the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
  2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be
  held 14 October 2003)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3,
  Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1

Libya
  unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members
  elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Liechtenstein
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members
  are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%,
  FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1

Lithuania
  unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are
  directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
  representation; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic
  Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union
  17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by faction
  - Social Democratic Coalition 51, New Union-Social Liberals 25,
  United Political Group-Group of Liberals 24, Liberal Democrats 13,
  Conservatives 9, Farmers and New Democracy Parties 8, Mixed Group 6,
  independent 1 (four seats unfilled as of 1 June 2003)
  note: the voting results from the 2000 elections do not correspond
  to the make up of the Seimas, which has evolved into a number of
  factions, each made up of members of several parties

Luxembourg
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%,
  LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by
  party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2
  note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
  body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
  appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Macau
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected
  by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
  executive; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
  Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
  2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  unicameral Assembly or
  Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote, 35
  members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on
  the percentage that a party gains from the overall vote; all serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33,
  Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians
  7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1,
  Socialist Party of Macedonia 1

Madagascar
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160
  seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a
  bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds
  of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies
  whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining
  one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total
  number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all
  members will serve four-year terms
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
  be held NA 2006)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
  5, others 3, independents 22

Malawi
  unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD
  15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6

Malaysia
  bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or
  Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26
  appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of
  Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by
  popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999
  (next must be held by November 2004)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - BN 56%, other 44%; seats by party - BN 148, PAS 27, DAP 10,
  Keadilan 5, PBS 3

Maldives
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected
  by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42

Mali
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
  July 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Malta
  unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
  additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
  vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
  0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Man, Isle of
  bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council
  (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord
  Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others
  named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
  held NA November 2006)
  election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
  Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
  by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
  independents 19

Marshall Islands
  unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than November 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
  matters affecting customary law and practice

Martinique
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held by March 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
  candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
  won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3
  note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
  held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
  also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
  candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
  by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Mauritania
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis
  al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two
  years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms)
  and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
  April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
  (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
  seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Mauritius
  unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by
  popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing
  political parties to give representation to various ethnic
  minorities; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by
  September 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
  36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Mayotte
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
  held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
  - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
  elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
  2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
  44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Mexico
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists
  of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the
  basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of
  Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms;
  remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's
  popular vote, also for three-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
  to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
  (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224,
  PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms; and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Moldova
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
  electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis
  Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM
  71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Monaco
  unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
  members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
  representation; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UNAM 21, UND 3

Mongolia
  unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPRP 72, other 4

Montserrat
  unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly
  elected; members serve five-year terms)
  note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
  general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
  elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPLM 7, NPP 2
  note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
  constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
  ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco
  bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber
  of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local
  councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for
  nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three
  years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats;
  members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next
  to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
  September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI
  41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD
  6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

Mozambique
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%,
  Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
  note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other
  opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary
  seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was
  expelled from the party; he continues to hold his parliamentary seat
  as an independent

Namibia
  bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26
  seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve
  six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
  determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1
  December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly
  - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent
  of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other
  1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,
  note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru
  unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party
  3, independents 15

Nepal

  bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35
  appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15
  elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected
  every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999
  (next election NA)
  note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana
  Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%;
  seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana
  Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Netherlands
  bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of
  the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly
  elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms)
  and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held NA
  May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
  held NA January 2007)
  election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
  Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
  CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
  Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
  PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
  8, D66 6, other 5

Netherlands Antilles
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1,
  WIPM 1
  note: the government of Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT is a
  coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3,
  FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4

New Caledonia
  unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial
  (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or
  Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie
  3, LKS 1
  note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections
  last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New
  Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly;
  elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 2

New Zealand
  unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
  Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in
  single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and
  51 proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve
  three-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8,
  other 2

Nicaragua
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
  (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN
  36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal
  Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1,
  PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1

Niger
  unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members elected by
  popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8,
  ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4

Nigeria
  bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats,
  three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House
  of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
  2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%,
  ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
  27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD
  31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported

Niue
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
  roll and 14 are village representatives)
  elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected

Norfolk Island
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
  elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four
  votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Northern Mariana Islands
  bicameral Legislature consists of the
  Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA
  November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
  (next to be held NA November 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1,
  independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
  Democratic Party 1, independent 1
  note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
  delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
  "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
  - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Norway
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%,
  Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party
  12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal
  Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor
  Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left
  Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal
  Party 2, Coastal Party 1
  note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
  chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
  or Lagting

Oman
  bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
  al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
  powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
  members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however,
  the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results;
  body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise
  has only advisory powers)
  elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: NA

Pakistan
  bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the
  Senate (100 seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by
  provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National
  Assembly (342 seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10
  seats represent minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
  held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
  2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
  election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
  PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
  BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
  votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
  PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
  PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Palau
  bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of
  the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
  basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA
  November 2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next
  to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 16

Panama
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (71
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRD 34, PA 18, PDC 5, PS 4, MOLIRENA 3, PLN 3, Democratic Change 2,
  PRC 1, MORENA 1
  note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
  plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
  cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
  formula

Papua New Guinea
  unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred
  to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open
  electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
  completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
  completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
  later than June 2007
  election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 15%, Pangu Pati
  14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%,
  independents 33%; seats by party - PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM
  9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note -
  association with political parties is very fluid (2002)

Paraguay
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of
  Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
  or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
  held NA May 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
  (next to be held NA May 2008)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
  PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, MPQ 10, PPS 2

Peru
  unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
  Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
  APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
  party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
  17

Philippines
  bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members
  elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (214 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional
  members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution
  prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250
  members)
  elections: Senate - last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May
  2004); House of Representatives - elections last held 14 May 2001
  (next to be held 16 May 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Lakas 13, PDP-Laban/LDP 11; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 86, NPC 51,
  LDP 21, LP 20, independents 10, other 26

Pitcairn Islands
  unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 6 elected by
  popular vote, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by
  the governor, and 1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve
  one-year terms)
  elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December
  2003)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Poland
  bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists
  of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system
  of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the
  Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote
  on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
  held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next
  to be held by September 2005)
  election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO
  12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW
  3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 25 April 2003) - SLD 193, PO
  57, Samoobrona 39, PiS 43, PSL 39, LPR 28, UP 16, SKL 8, PLD 6, PBL
  5, RKN 5, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2, independents 13; note -
  SLD and UP ran together on electoral lists in the 2001 elections,
  but constitute separate parliamentary clubs in the Sejm; several
  other deputies have left their parties and set up other
  parliamentary factions; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - SLD-UP 75, AWSP (an electoral alliance of some 36
  parties) 15, PSL 4, Samoobrona 2, LPR 2, independents 2
  note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties

Portugal
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP
  8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS
  96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3

Puerto Rico
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate
  (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members
  are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
  November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
  (next to be held 2 November 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1
  note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
  to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
  House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
  he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
  held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
  ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner

Qatar
  unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats;
  members appointed)
  note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
  were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
  terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides
  for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public
  would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would
  appoint the remaining members

Reunion
  unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
  Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next
  to be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
  UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 19, UDF 9, RPR
  8, various right-wing candidates 4, various left-wing candidates 5
  note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
  elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
  PCR 1

Romania
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or
  Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
  proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
  basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in
  the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000
  (next to be held in the fall of 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD)
  37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PSD
  65, PRM 36, PNL 13, UDMR 12, PD 9, independents 5; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 36.6%, PRM
  19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PSD 171, PRM
  69, PD 29, PNL 27, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18, independents 4

Russia
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists
  of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July
  2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative
  officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts,
  krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal
  cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year
  terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; 225
  seats elected by proportional representation from party lists
  winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member
  constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
  NA December 2007)
  election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
  clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
  the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, KPRF 12.7%, LDPR
  11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, KPRF 53,
  LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, Union of
  Rightist Forces 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election
  required 3

Rwanda
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53
  seats; members elected by direct vote)
  elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
  election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR
  40, PSD 7, PL 6

Saint Helena
  unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the
  speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3
  appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member
  constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1

Saint Lucia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;
  six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on
  the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after
  consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the
  House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
  held NA December 2006)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
  55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  unicameral General Council or Conseil
  General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
  note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
  second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected
  by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
  districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who
  cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only
  chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
  not later than March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

San Marino
  unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande
  e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
  PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
  15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Sao Tome and Principe
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
  Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
  by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
  Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Saudi Arabia
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members
  and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Senegal
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
  had 140 seats
  elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia and Montenegro
  unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian,
  35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for
  the first two years, after which the president will call for public
  elections
  elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  DOS 37, DLECG 19, DSS 17, ZP 14, SPS 12, SRS 8, SDP 5, SSJ 5, other 9

Seychelles
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
  seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional
  basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
  DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
  note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
  percentage that each party won of the total vote

Sierra Leone
  unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by
  popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate
  elections; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
  22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore
  unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
  are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate
  who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a
  "nonconstituency" member
  elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
  constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Slovakia
  unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or
  Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
  September 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
  15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
  party - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15),
  opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12
  deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)

Slovenia
  unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40
  are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis;
  note - the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected
  seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be
  held NA October 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD
  12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSi 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats
  by party - LDS 34, SDS 13, ZLSD 11, SLS 10, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4,
  DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each
  note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with
  limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review
  any National Assembly decisions; in the election of November 1997,
  40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and
  socioeconomic interests

Solomon Islands
  unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
  elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
  December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
  20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
  18

Somalia
  unicameral National Assembly
  note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National
  Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta,
  Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu

South Africa
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
  Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
  system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and
  the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by
  each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has
  special powers to protect regional interests, including the
  safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic
  minorities); note - following the implementation of the new
  constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and
  replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no
  change in membership and party affiliations, although the new
  institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new
  constitution
  elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
  last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
  66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NNP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%,
  other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NNP 28, UDM 14,
  ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NNP 17, FF 4, IFP 5,
  DP 3

Spain
  bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
  Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
  directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
  regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
  Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA
  March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to
  be held NA March 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE
  34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127,
  PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent
  of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%,
  CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8,
  PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5

Sri Lanka
  unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
  popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation
  system by district to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
  UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, TNA 3.89%, PLOTE
  0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114,
  PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, TNA 15, PLOTE 1

Sudan
  unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly
  elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as
  National Congress; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA
  December 2004)
  election results: NCP 355, others 5
  note: on 12 December 1999, BASHIR dismissed the National Assembly
  during an internal power struggle between the president and the
  speaker of the National Assembly Hassan al-TURABI

Suriname
  unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NF 33, MC 10, DNP 2000 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1
  note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
  call for elections a year early

Swaziland
  bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
  consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of
  Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year
  terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the
  monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
  held NA October 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
  nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
  council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
  candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
  narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden
  unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
  Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
  Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
  Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
  33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Switzerland
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
  German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in
  Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),
  Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)
  (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council
  or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
  Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
  vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton
  determines when the next election will be held); National Council -
  last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007)
  election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council
  - percent of vote by party - SVP 27.7%, SPS 24.2%, FDP 16%, CVP
  12.9%, Greens 7.7%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party
  - SVP 55, SPS 52, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small
  parties 16

Syria
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
  33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
  constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
  alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Taiwan
  unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by
  popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of
  islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight
  elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the
  proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political
  parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal
  populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National
  Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties
  and elected by proportional representation within three months of a
  Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the
  president, or change national borders)
  elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be
  held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a
  nonstanding body and is called into session
  election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
  39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%;
  seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and
  other parties 11

Tajikistan
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the
  Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon
  (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy
  (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
  deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
  of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for
  the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%,
  other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Tanzania
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
  elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the
  president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives;
  members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws
  that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly
  enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own
  House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the
  Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by
  universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
  2005)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
  Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Thailand
  bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the
  Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha
  Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
  22 July 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); House of
  Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held NA
  January 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54

Togo
  unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
  note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
  the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau
  unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each
  atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms);
  note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative
  power on the General Fono

Tonga
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
  reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
  selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
  vote; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats -
  pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2

Trinidad and Tobago
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31
  seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five
  years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
  to be held by October 2007)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
  55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
  note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members
  serving four-year terms

Tunisia
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party
  - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms
  enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the
  number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now

Turkey
  unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
  Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
  - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
  on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
  a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister on
  13 March 2003
  election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
  DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
  - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
  10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats

Turkmenistan
  under the 1992 constitution, there are two
  parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk
  Maslahaty (more than 100 seats, some of which are elected by popular
  vote and some of which are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a
  unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Council - NA; Assembly - last held 12 December
  1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by
  President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT

Turks and Caicos Islands
  unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats,
  of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
  seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
  2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
  has 5

Tuvalu
  unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of
  Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Uganda
  unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly
  elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special
  interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8
  ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Ukraine
  unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;
  under Ukraine's new election law, 225 of the Supreme Council's seats
  are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 4%
  or more of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members are
  elected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Our Ukraine 24%, CPU
  20%, United Ukraine 12%, United Social Democratic Party 6%, SPU 7%,
  Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%, other 24%; seats by party - Our Ukraine
  102, CPU 60, Regions of Ukraine 42, Working Ukraine-Industrialists
  and Entrepreneurs 41, United Social Democratic Party 39, Democratic
  Initiatives 22, SPU 20, People's Power 19, European Choice 18,
  Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 18, Agrarian Party 17, People's Democratic
  Party 16, People's Choice 15, others 21
  note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
  Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
  Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
  Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

United Arab Emirates
  unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis
  al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of
  the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
  elections: none
  note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom
  bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords
  (consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and
  26 clergy) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved
  earlier)
  elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
  provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
  of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
  there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
  in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 7
  June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats
  18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and
  Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 15
  February 2002: Labor 410, Conservative 164, Liberal Democrats 53,
  other 32
  note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament
  (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
  of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
  1999 and has been rescinded three times the latest occurring in
  October 2002; since October 2002 the Northern Ireland Parliament has
  been suspended); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
  Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
  one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from
  each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA
  November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2002
  (next to be held NA November 2004)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 51, Democratic Party 48, independent 1;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 226, Democratic Party 204, independent 1,
  undecided 4

Uruguay
  bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
  Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to
  be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October
  1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
  Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
  Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
  Coalition 4

Uzbekistan
  unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note -
  2002 amendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be
  established via elections in 2004
  elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be
  held NA December 2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20,
  Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16,
  local government 110, vacant 1
  note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were
  contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President
  KARIMOV

Vanuatu
  unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note -
  political party associations are fluid
  note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom
  and land

Venezuela
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
  three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
  elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
  opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Vietnam
  unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
  10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
  election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands
  unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 8, ICM NA, no party affiliation NA
  note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
  US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
  (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Donna M.
  CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
  note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
  one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
  elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
  September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats -
  RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16
  June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen
  a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001
  created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111
  seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of
  Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GPC 238, Islah 46, YSP 8, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
  Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 4

Zambia
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
  UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
  seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
  1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Zimbabwe
  unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by
  popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10
  occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied
  by provincial governors appointed by the president)
  elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC
  47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan
  total population: 46.97 years
  male: 47.67 years
  female: 46.23 years (2003 est.)

Albania
  total population: 72.37 years
  male: 69.53 years
  female: 75.42 years (2003 est.)

Algeria
  total population: 70.54 years
  male: 69.14 years
  female: 72.01 years (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  total population: 75.75 years
  male: 71.35 years
  female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)

Andorra
  total population: 83.49 years
  male: 80.58 years
  female: 86.58 years (2003 est.)

Angola
  total population: 36.96 years
  male: 36.13 years
  female: 37.83 years (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  total population: 76.7 years
  male: 73.79 years
  female: 79.7 years (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total population: 71.31 years
  male: 68.99 years
  female: 73.75 years (2003 est.)

Argentina
  total population: 75.48 years
  male: 71.72 years
  female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)

Armenia
  total population: 66.68 years
  male: 62.41 years
  female: 71.17 years (2003 est.)

Aruba
  total population: 78.83 years
  male: 75.48 years
  female: 82.34 years (2003 est.)

Australia
  total population: 80.13 years
  male: 77.27 years
  female: 83.13 years (2003 est.)

Austria
  total population: 78.17 years
  male: 75.02 years
  female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total population: 63.16 years
  male: 58.95 years
  female: 67.58 years (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total population: 65.71 years
  male: 62.3 years
  female: 69.18 years (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  total population: 73.72 years
  male: 71.28 years
  female: 76.24 years (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  total population: 61.33 years
  male: 61.46 years
  female: 61.2 years (2003 est.)

Barbados
  total population: 71.84 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 74.14 years (2003 est.)

Belarus
  total population: 68.43 years
  male: 62.54 years
  female: 74.6 years (2003 est.)

Belgium
  total population: 78.29 years
  male: 74.97 years
  female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)

Belize
  total population: 67.36 years
  male: 65.19 years
  female: 69.63 years (2003 est.)

Benin
  total population: 51.08 years
  male: 50.35 years
  female: 51.84 years (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  total population: 77.41 years
  male: 75.38 years
  female: 79.49 years (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  total population: 53.58 years
  male: 53.9 years
  female: 53.25 years (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  total population: 64.78 years
  male: 62.2 years
  female: 67.48 years (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total population: 72.29 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 75.22 years (2003 est.)

Botswana
  total population: 32.26 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 32.32 years (2003 est.)

Brazil
  total population: 71.13 years
  male: 67.16 years
  female: 75.3 years (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total population: 76.06 years
  male: 75.07 years
  female: 77.1 years (2003 est.)

Brunei
  total population: 74.3 years
  male: 71.9 years
  female: 76.82 years (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 68.26 years
  female: 75.56 years (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total population: 44.46 years
  male: 43.02 years
  female: 45.94 years (2003 est.)

Burma
  total population: 55.79 years
  male: 54.12 years
  female: 57.56 years (2003 est.)

Burundi
  total population: 43.2 years
  male: 42.54 years
  female: 43.88 years (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  total population: 57.92 years
  male: 55.49 years
  female: 60.47 years (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  total population: 48.05 years
  male: 47.15 years
  female: 48.97 years (2003 est.)

Canada
  total population: 79.83 years
  male: 76.44 years
  female: 83.38 years (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  total population: 69.83 years
  male: 66.53 years
  female: 73.23 years (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total population: 79.67 years
  male: 77.08 years
  female: 82.3 years (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  total population: 41.71 years
  male: 40.18 years
  female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)

Chad
  total population: 48.51 years
  male: 46.97 years
  female: 50.1 years (2003 est.)

Chile
  total population: 76.35 years
  male: 73.04 years
  female: 79.82 years (2003 est.)

China
  total population: 72.22 years
  male: 70.33 years
  female: 74.28 years (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Colombia
  total population: 71.14 years
  male: 67.29 years
  female: 75.12 years (2003 est.)

Comoros
  total population: 61.18 years
  male: 58.92 years
  female: 63.5 years (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total population: 48.93 years
  male: 46.83 years
  female: 51.09 years (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total population: 50.02 years
  male: 49.04 years
  female: 51.02 years (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  total population: 76.43 years
  male: 73.87 years
  female: 79.11 years (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total population: 42.65 years
  male: 40.34 years
  female: 45.04 years (2003 est.)

Croatia
  total population: 74.37 years
  male: 70.76 years
  female: 78.2 years (2003 est.)

Cuba
  total population: 76.8 years
  male: 74.38 years
  female: 79.36 years (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  total population: 77.27 years
  male: 74.94 years
  female: 79.71 years (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  total population: 75.18 years
  male: 71.69 years
  female: 78.87 years (2003 est.)

Denmark
  total population: 77.1 years
  male: 74.48 years
  female: 79.87 years (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  total population: 43.13 years
  male: 41.82 years
  female: 44.48 years (2003 est.)

Dominica
  total population: 74.12 years
  male: 71.23 years
  female: 77.15 years (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total population: 67.96 years
  male: 66.41 years
  female: 69.58 years (2003 est.)

East Timor
  total population: 65.2 years
  male: 62.97 years
  female: 67.55 years (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  total population: 71.89 years
  male: 69.06 years
  female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)

Egypt
  total population: 70.41 years
  male: 67.94 years
  female: 73 years (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  total population: 70.62 years
  male: 67.02 years
  female: 74.4 years (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total population: 54.75 years
  male: 52.63 years
  female: 56.93 years (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  total population: 53.18 years
  male: 51.48 years
  female: 54.92 years (2003 est.)

Estonia
  total population: 70.31 years
  male: 64.36 years
  female: 76.57 years (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  total population: 41.24 years
  male: 40.39 years
  female: 42.11 years (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Faroe Islands
  total population: 78.9 years
  male: 75.44 years
  female: 82.36 years (2003 est.)

Fiji
  total population: 68.88 years
  male: 66.43 years
  female: 71.44 years (2003 est.)

Finland
  total population: 77.92 years
  male: 74.28 years
  female: 81.68 years (2003 est.)

France
  total population: 79.28 years
  male: 75.63 years
  female: 83.11 years (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  total population: 76.69 years
  male: 73.36 years
  female: 80.18 years (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  total population: 75.45 years
  male: 73.08 years
  female: 77.93 years (2003 est.)

Gabon
  total population: 57.12 years
  male: 55.45 years
  female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  total population: 54.38 years
  male: 52.39 years
  female: 56.44 years (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total population: 71.4 years
  male: 70.13 years
  female: 72.73 years (2003 est.)

Georgia
  total population: 64.76 years
  male: 61.33 years
  female: 68.36 years (2003 est.)

Germany
  total population: 78.42 years
  male: 75.46 years
  female: 81.55 years (2003 est.)

Ghana
  total population: 56.53 years
  male: 55.66 years
  female: 57.43 years (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  total population: 79.38 years
  male: 76.51 years
  female: 82.4 years (2003 est.)

Greece
  total population: 78.89 years
  male: 76.32 years
  female: 81.65 years (2003 est.)

Greenland
  total population: 69 years
  male: 65.44 years
  female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)

Grenada
  total population: 64.52 years
  male: 62.74 years
  female: 66.31 years (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total population: 77.53 years
  male: 74.37 years
  female: 80.84 years (2003 est.)

Guam
  total population: 78.27 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 80.9 years (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  total population: 65.23 years
  male: 64.31 years
  female: 66.21 years (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  total population: 80.04 years
  male: 77.04 years
  female: 83.14 years (2003 est.)

Guinea
  total population: 49.54 years
  male: 48.28 years
  female: 50.83 years (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total population: 46.97 years
  male: 45.09 years
  female: 48.91 years (2003 est.)

Guyana
  total population: 63.09 years
  male: 60.51 years
  female: 65.79 years (2003 est.)

Haiti
  total population: 51.61 years
  male: 50.36 years
  female: 52.92 years (2003 est.)

Honduras
  total population: 66.65 years
  male: 65.31 years
  female: 68.06 years (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  total population: 79.93 years
  male: 77.23 years
  female: 82.83 years (2003 est.)

Hungary
  total population: 72.17 years
  male: 67.84 years
  female: 76.81 years (2003 est.)

Iceland
  total population: 79.8 years
  male: 77.54 years
  female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

India
  total population: 63.62 years
  male: 62.92 years
  female: 64.37 years (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  total population: 68.94 years
  male: 66.54 years
  female: 71.47 years (2003 est.)

Iran
  total population: 69.35 years
  male: 68.04 years
  female: 70.73 years (2003 est.)

Iraq
  total population: 67.81 years
  male: 66.7 years
  female: 68.99 years (2003 est.)

Ireland
  total population: 77.35 years
  male: 74.58 years
  female: 80.31 years (2003 est.)

Israel
  total population: 79.02 years
  male: 76.95 years
  female: 81.19 years (2003 est.)

Italy
  total population: 79.4 years
  male: 76.47 years
  female: 82.52 years (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  total population: 75.85 years
  male: 73.84 years
  female: 77.97 years (2003 est.)

Japan
  total population: 80.93 years
  male: 77.63 years
  female: 84.41 years (2003 est.)

Jersey
  total population: 78.93 years
  male: 76.48 years
  female: 81.57 years (2003 est.)

Jordan
  total population: 77.88 years
  male: 75.42 years
  female: 80.5 years (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total population: 63.48 years
  male: 58.16 years
  female: 69.06 years (2003 est.)

Kenya
  total population: 45.22 years
  male: 45.02 years
  female: 45.43 years (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  total population: 60.93 years
  male: 57.97 years
  female: 64.03 years (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  total population: 70.79 years
  male: 68.1 years
  female: 73.61 years (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  total population: 75.36 years
  male: 71.73 years
  female: 79.32 years (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  total population: 76.65 years
  male: 75.72 years
  female: 77.62 years (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total population: 63.66 years
  male: 59.49 years
  female: 68.03 years (2003 est.)

Laos
  total population: 54.3 years
  male: 52.34 years
  female: 56.33 years (2003 est.)

Latvia
  total population: 69.31 years
  male: 63.46 years
  female: 75.45 years (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  total population: 72.07 years
  male: 69.64 years
  female: 74.61 years (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  total population: 36.94 years
  male: 36.76 years
  female: 37.13 years (2003 est.)

Liberia
  total population: 48.15 years
  male: 47.03 years
  female: 49.3 years (2003 est.)

Libya
  total population: 76.07 years
  male: 73.91 years
  female: 78.34 years (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total population: 79.25 years
  male: 75.63 years
  female: 82.87 years (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  total population: 69.6 years
  male: 63.78 years
  female: 75.7 years (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  total population: 77.66 years
  male: 74.38 years
  female: 81.15 years (2003 est.)

Macau
  total population: 81.87 years
  male: 79.05 years
  female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total population: 74.49
  years
  male: 72.23 years
  female: 76.94 years (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  total population: 56.14 years
  male: 53.82 years
  female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)

Malawi
  total population: 37.98 years
  male: 37.57 years
  female: 38.39 years (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  total population: 71.67 years
  male: 69.01 years
  female: 74.51 years (2003 est.)

Maldives
  total population: 63.3 years
  male: 62.07 years
  female: 64.6 years (2003 est.)

Mali
  total population: 45.43 years
  male: 44.7 years
  female: 46.19 years (2003 est.)

Malta
  total population: 78.43 years
  male: 75.94 years
  female: 81.14 years (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total population: 77.98 years
  male: 74.62 years
  female: 81.53 years (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total population: 69.39 years
  male: 67.49 years
  female: 71.4 years (2003 est.)

Martinique
  total population: 78.72 years
  male: 79.27 years
  female: 78.16 years (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  total population: 51.93 years
  male: 49.78 years
  female: 54.13 years (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 67.82 years
  female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  total population: 60.6 years
  male: 58.49 years
  female: 62.78 years (2003 est.)

Mexico
  total population: 72.3 years
  male: 69.26 years
  female: 75.49 years (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total population: 69.13 years
  male: 67.39 years
  female: 70.95 years (2003 est.)

Moldova
  total population: 64.88 years
  male: 60.63 years
  female: 69.35 years (2003 est.)

Monaco
  total population: 79.27 years
  male: 75.37 years
  female: 83.37 years (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  total population: 63.81 years
  male: 61.63 years
  female: 66.09 years (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  total population: 78.36 years
  male: 76.24 years
  female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Morocco
  total population: 70.04 years
  male: 67.77 years
  female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  total population: 31.3 years
  male: 30.98 years
  female: 31.63 years (2003 est.)

Namibia
  total population: 42.77 years
  male: 44.27 years
  female: 41.22 years (2003 est.)

Nauru
  total population: 61.95 years
  male: 58.41 years
  female: 65.66 years (2003 est.)

Nepal
  total population: 59 years
  male: 59.36 years
  female: 58.63 years (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  total population: 78.74 years
  male: 75.85 years
  female: 81.76 years (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total population: 75.38 years
  male: 73.16 years
  female: 77.7 years (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  total population: 73.52 years
  male: 70.57 years
  female: 76.62 years (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  total population: 78.32 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  total population: 69.68 years
  male: 67.68 years
  female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)

Niger
  total population: 42.21 years
  male: 42.29 years
  female: 42.12 years (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  total population: 51.01 years
  male: 50.89 years
  female: 51.14 years (2003 est.)

Niue
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total population: 76.16 years
  male: 73.06 years
  female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)

Norway
  total population: 79.09 years
  male: 76.15 years
  female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

Oman
  total population: 72.58 years
  male: 70.4 years
  female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  total population: 62.2 years
  male: 61.3 years
  female: 63.14 years (2003 est.)

Palau
  total population: 69.5 years
  male: 66.37 years
  female: 72.82 years (2003 est.)

Panama
  total population: 72.32 years
  male: 69.97 years
  female: 74.79 years (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total population: 64.19 years
  male: 62.07 years
  female: 66.42 years (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  total population: 74.4 years
  male: 71.89 years
  female: 77.03 years (2003 est.)

Peru
  total population: 70.88 years
  male: 68.45 years
  female: 73.43 years (2003 est.)

Philippines
  total population: 69.29 years
  male: 66.44 years
  female: 72.28 years (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Poland
  total population: 73.91 years
  male: 69.77 years
  female: 78.28 years (2003 est.)

Portugal
  total population: 76.35 years
  male: 72.86 years
  female: 80.07 years (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 73.27 years
  female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)

Qatar
  total population: 73.14 years
  male: 70.65 years
  female: 75.76 years (2003 est.)

Reunion
  total population: 73.43 years
  male: 70.03 years
  female: 77 years (2003 est.)

Romania
  total population: 70.62 years
  male: 66.88 years
  female: 74.59 years (2003 est.)

Russia
  total population: 67.66 years
  male: 62.46 years
  female: 73.11 years (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  total population: 39.33 years
  male: 38.51 years
  female: 40.18 years (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  total population: 77.38 years
  male: 74.49 years
  female: 80.42 years (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total population: 71.57 years
  male: 68.76 years
  female: 74.56 years (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 69.52 years
  female: 76.9 years (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total population: 78.11 years
  male: 75.82 years
  female: 80.51 years (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 71.3 years
  female: 74.92 years (2003 est.)

Samoa
  total population: 70.11 years
  male: 67.35 years
  female: 73 years (2003 est.)

San Marino
  total population: 81.43 years
  male: 77.9 years
  female: 85.26 years (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total population: 66.28 years
  male: 64.79 years
  female: 67.82 years (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total population: 68.73 years
  male: 66.99 years
  female: 70.55 years (2003 est.)

Senegal
  total population: 56.37 years
  male: 54.83 years
  female: 57.95 years (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total population: 73.97 years
  male: 71.03 years
  female: 77.16 years (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  total population: 71.25 years
  male: 65.78 years
  female: 76.88 years (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total population: 42.84 years
  male: 40.33 years
  female: 45.42 years (2003 est.)

Singapore
  total population: 80.42 years
  male: 77.46 years
  female: 83.6 years (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  total population: 74.43 years
  male: 70.44 years
  female: 78.64 years (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  total population: 75.51 years
  male: 71.65 years
  female: 79.58 years (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total population: 72.1 years
  male: 69.64 years
  female: 74.68 years (2003 est.)

Somalia
  total population: 47.34 years
  male: 45.67 years
  female: 49.05 years (2003 est.)

South Africa
  total population: 46.56 years
  male: 46.57 years
  female: 46.54 years (2003 est.)

Spain
  total population: 79.23 years
  male: 75.87 years
  female: 82.8 years (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total population: 72.62 years
  male: 70.09 years
  female: 75.29 years (2003 est.)

Sudan
  total population: 57.73 years
  male: 56.59 years
  female: 58.93 years (2003 est.)

Suriname
  total population: 69.23 years
  male: 66.79 years
  female: 71.78 years (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  total population: 39.47 years
  male: 41.02 years
  female: 37.87 years (2003 est.)

Sweden
  total population: 79.97 years
  male: 77.31 years
  female: 82.78 years (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  total population: 79.99 years
  male: 77.11 years
  female: 83.02 years (2003 est.)

Syria
  total population: 69.39 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 70.67 years (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  total population: 76.87 years
  male: 74.12 years
  female: 79.88 years (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  total population: 64.37 years
  male: 61.39 years
  female: 67.5 years (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  total population: 44.56 years
  male: 43.33 years
  female: 45.83 years (2003 est.)

Thailand
  total population: 71.24 years
  male: 69.07 years
  female: 73.53 years (2003 est.)

Togo
  total population: 53.43 years
  male: 51.47 years
  female: 55.45 years (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  total population: NA years
  male: 68 years
  female: 70 years (2003 est.)

Tonga
  total population: 68.88 years
  male: 66.43 years
  female: 71.44 years (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total population: 69.59 years
  male: 67.07 years
  female: 72.23 years (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  total population: 74.4 years
  male: 72.77 years
  female: 76.15 years (2003 est.)

Turkey
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 69.41 years
  female: 74.3 years (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total population: 61.19 years
  male: 57.72 years
  female: 64.84 years (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total population: 74 years
  male: 71.82 years
  female: 76.3 years (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  total population: 67.32 years
  male: 65.15 years
  female: 69.59 years (2003 est.)

Uganda
  total population: 44.88 years
  male: 43.42 years
  female: 46.38 years (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  total population: 66.5 years
  male: 61.1 years
  female: 72.17 years (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total population: 74.75 years
  male: 72.28 years
  female: 77.35 years (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  total population: 78.16 years
  male: 75.74 years
  female: 80.7 years (2003 est.)

United States
  total population: 77.14 years
  male: 74.37 years
  female: 80.05 years (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  total population: 75.87 years
  male: 72.54 years
  female: 79.38 years (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total population: 64 years
  male: 60.53 years
  female: 67.64 years (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  total population: 61.71 years
  male: 60.28 years
  female: 63.21 years (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  total population: 73.81 years
  male: 70.78 years
  female: 77.07 years (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  total population: 70.05 years
  male: 67.58 years
  female: 72.7 years (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total population: 78.59 years
  male: 74.73 years
  female: 82.68 years (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

West Bank
  total population: 72.68 years
  male: 70.95 years
  female: 74.51 years (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2003 est.)

World
  total population: 63.95 years
  male: 62 years
  female: 70.23 years (2003 est.)

Yemen
  total population: 60.97 years
  male: 59.16 years
  female: 62.87 years (2003 est.)

Zambia
  total population: 35.25 years
  male: 35.25 years
  female: 35.25 years (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total population: 39.01 years
  male: 40.09 years
  female: 37.89 years (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 36%
  male: 51%
  female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania
  definition: age 9 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70%
  male: 78.8%
  female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 98%
  female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Angola
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42%
  male: 56%
  female: 28% (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  definition: age 12 and over can read and write
  total population: 95%
  male: 95%
  female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five
  or more years of schooling
  total population: 89%
  male: 90%
  female: 88% (1960 est.)

Argentina
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.1%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba
  definition:
  total population: 97%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Australia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1980 est.)

Austria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Azerbaijan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 99%
  female: 96% (1989 est.)

Bahamas, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.6%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.1%
  male: 91.9%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 43.1%
  male: 53.9%
  female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97.4%
  male: 98%
  female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Belarus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Belize
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 94.1%
  female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.9%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 26.5% (2000)

Bermuda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 99% (1970 est.)

Bhutan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.2%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Bolivia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.2%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Botswana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.8%
  male: 76.9%
  female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 86.1%
  female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Brunei
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.8%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 88.5% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 26.6%
  male: 36.9%
  female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.1%
  male: 88.7%
  female: 77.7% (1995 est.)
  note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional
  literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)

Burundi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.6%
  male: 58.5%
  female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 80.5%
  female: 60.3% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97% (1986 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Cape Verde
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.6%
  male: 85.8%
  female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 51%
  male: 63.3%
  female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 47.5%
  male: 56%
  female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.2%
  male: 96.4%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86%
  male: 92.9%
  female: 78.8% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Colombia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can
  read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
  total population: 65.5%
  male: 76.2%
  female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.8%
  male: 89.6%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Costa Rica
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.9%
  male: 57.9%
  female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.6%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Denmark
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Djibouti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 78%
  female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 94%
  female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.7%
  male: 84.6%
  female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

East Timor
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48% (2001)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Ecuador
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 94%
  female: 91% (2003 est.)

Egypt
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.7%
  male: 68.3%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 80.2%
  male: 82.8%
  female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.7%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  definition: NA
  total population: 58.6%
  male: 69.9%
  female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.7%
  male: 50.3%
  female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Fiji
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

France
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1980 est.)

French Guiana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83%
  male: 84%
  female: 82% (1982 est.)

French Polynesia
  definition: age 14 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 63.2%
  male: 73.7%
  female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.1%
  male: 47.8%
  female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Georgia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 100%
  female: 98% (1999 est.)

Germany
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1977 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Ghana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.8%
  male: 82.7%
  female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  definition: NA
  total population: above 80%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Greece
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.5%
  male: 98.6%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Greenland definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Grenada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Guadeloupe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90%
  male: 90%
  female: 90% (1982 est.)

Guam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.6%
  male: 78%
  female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 35.9%
  male: 49.9%
  female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.4%
  male: 58.1%
  female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.9%
  male: 54.8%
  female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Honduras
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.2%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Hungary
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

India
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 59.5%
  male: 70.2%
  female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.5%
  male: 92.9%
  female: 84.1% (2003 est.)

Iran
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.4%
  male: 85.6%
  female: 73% (2003 est.)

Iraq
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.4%
  male: 55.9%
  female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Ireland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98% (1981 est.)
  male: NA
  female: NA

Israel
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.4%
  male: 97.3%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Italy
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99%
  female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1995 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Jersey
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Jordan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.3%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Kenya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.1%
  male: 90.6%
  female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Korea, North
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99%

Korea, South
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.1%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 97% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.5%
  male: 85.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 99%
  female: 96% (1989 est.)

Laos
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.8%
  male: 67.5%
  female: 38.1% (2003 est.)

Latvia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.8%
  male: 74.5%
  female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.5%
  male: 73.3%
  female: 41.6%
  note: (2003 est.)

Libya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.6%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1981 est.)

Lithuania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.5%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 92% (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Madagascar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.9%
  male: 75.5%
  female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 62.7%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 85.4% (2003 est.)

Maldives
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Mali
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 46.4%
  male: 53.5%
  female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.8%
  male: 92%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Marshall Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

Martinique
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.7%
  male: 97.4%
  female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 41.7%
  male: 51.8%
  female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.6%
  male: 88.6%
  female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Mexico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.2%
  male: 94%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  definition: age 15 and over can read
  and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 91%
  female: 88% (1980 est.)

Moldova
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Monaco
  definition: NA
  total population: 99%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Mongolia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1970 est.)

Morocco
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.7%
  male: 64.1%
  female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.8%
  male: 63.5%
  female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84%
  male: 84.4%
  female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Nauru
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Nepal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.2%
  male: 62.7%
  female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Netherlands Antilles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92%
  female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Zealand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Nicaragua
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.5%
  male: 67.2%
  female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Niger
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 17.6%
  male: 25.8%
  female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68%
  male: 75.7%
  female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Niue
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 96% (1980 est.)

Norway
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Oman
  definition: NA
  total population: 75.8%
  male: 83.1%
  female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.7%
  male: 59.8%
  female: 30.6% (2003 est.)

Palau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92%
  male: 93%
  female: 90% (1980 est.)

Panama
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 93.2%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66%
  male: 72.3%
  female: 59.3% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 93% (2003 est.)

Peru
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.9%
  male: 95.2%
  female: 86.8% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.9%
  male: 96%
  female: 95.8% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.8%
  male: 93.7%
  female: 94% (2001)

Qatar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.5%
  male: 81.4%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Reunion
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 87%
  female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Romania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Russia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.4%
  male: 76.3%
  female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  definition: age 20 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
  school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1980 est.)

Saint Lucia
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 67%
  male: 65%
  female: 69% (1980 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  definition: age 15 and over has
  ever attended school
  total population: 96%
  male: 96%
  female: 96% (1970 est.)

Samoa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

San Marino
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97%
  female: 95% (1976 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.3%
  male: 85%
  female: 62% (1991 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.8%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Senegal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.2%
  male: 50%
  female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 88.9% (1991)

Seychelles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58%
  male: 56%
  female: 60% (1971 est.)

Sierra Leone
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English,
  Mende, Temne, or Arabic
  total population: 31.4%
  male: 45.4%
  female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Singapore
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.2%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 89.7% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Slovenia
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Somalia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 37.8%
  male: 49.7%
  female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

South Africa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 87%
  female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Spain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.3%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 90% (2003 est.)

Sudan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61.1%
  male: 71.8%
  female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Suriname
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93%
  male: 95%
  female: 91% (1995 est.)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.6%
  male: 82.6%
  female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1979 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Switzerland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male:
  female:

Syria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.9%
  male: 89.7%
  female: 64% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86%
  male: 93%
  female: 79% (1980)
  note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to
  94% (1998)

Tajikistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili
  (Swahili), English, or Arabic
  total population: 78.2%
  male: 85.9%
  female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Thailand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97.5%
  female: 94.6% (2003 est.)

Togo
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 60.9%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.2%
  male: 84%
  female: 64.4% (2003 est.)

Turkey
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 94.3%
  female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 97% (1989 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever
  attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Tuvalu
  definition: NA%
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Uganda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 79.5%
  female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77.9%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five or
  more years of schooling
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

United States
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1979 est.)

Uruguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 97.6%
  female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.3%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 53%
  male: 57%
  female: 48% (1979 est.)

Venezuela
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.4%
  male: 93.8%
  female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 95.8%
  female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50%
  male: 50%
  female: 50% (1969 est.)

West Bank
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Western Sahara
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

World
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77%
  male: 83%
  female: 71% (1995 est.)

Yemen
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.2%
  male: 70.5%
  female: 30% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 80.6%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 94.2%
  female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2105 Military manpower - availability

Afghanistan
  males age 15-49: 7,160,603 (2003 est.)

Albania
  males age 15-49: 906,168 (2003 est.)

Algeria
  males age 15-49: 9,243,884 (2003 est.)

Angola
  males age 15-49: 2,568,082 (2003 est.)

Argentina
  males age 15-49: 9,780,063 (2003 est.)

Armenia
  males age 15-49: 919,582 (2003 est.)

Australia
  males age 15-49: 5,037,538 (2003 est.)

Austria
  males age 15-49: 2,093,821 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 15-49: 2,159,450 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 15-49: 222,242 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 15-49: 38,436,912 (2003 est.)

Barbados
  males age 15-49: 77,862 (2003 est.)

Belarus
  males age 15-49: 2,756,572 (2003 est.)

Belgium
  males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.)

Belize
  males age 15-49: 66,332 (2003 est.)

Benin
  note: both sexes are liable for military service
  males age 15-49: 1,597,562
  females age 15-49: 1,536,036 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 15-49: 530,860 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 15-49: 2,118,908 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 15-49: 1,132,476 (2003 est.)

Botswana
  males age 15-49: 381,056 (2003 est.)

Brazil
  males age 15-49: 51,381,048 (2003 est.)

Brunei
  males age 15-49: 110,888 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 15-49: 1,854,049 (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 15-49: 2,957,710 (2003 est.)

Burma
  males age 15-49: 12,349,921
  females age 15-49: 12,358,507
  note: both sexes liable for military service (2003 est.)

Burundi
  males age 15-49: 1,375,900 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 15-49: 3,275,533 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 15-49: 3,799,841 (2003 est.)

Canada
  males age 15-49: 8,391,120 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 15-49: 95,450 (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 15-49: 858,671 (2003 est.)

Chad
  males age 15-49: 1,940,328 (2003 est.)

Chile
  males age 15-49: 4,154,636 (2003 est.)

China
  males age 15-49: 375,520,255 (2003 est.)

Colombia
  males age 15-49: 11,101,719 (2003 est.)

Comoros
  males age 15-49: 150,079 (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 15-49: 12,292,933 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 15-49: 754,814 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 15-49: 1,080,254 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 15-49: 4,035,462 (2003 est.)

Croatia
  males age 15-49: 1,081,135 (2003 est.)

Cuba
  males age 15-49: 3,120,702
  females age 15-49: 3,049,927
  note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  males age 15-49: 201,606 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 15-49: 2,622,192 (2003 est.)

Denmark
  males age 15-49: 1,282,315 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 15-49: 107,050 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 15-49: 2,319,419 (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  males age 15-49: 3,555,068 (2003 est.)

Egypt
  males age 15-49: 19,895,370 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 15-49: 1,536,230 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 15-49: 116,496 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  males age 15-49: 360,440 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  males age 15-49: 15,388,318 (2003 est.)

Fiji
  males age 15-49: 235,546 (2003 est.)

Finland
  males age 15-49: 1,230,934 (2003 est.)

France
  males age 15-49: 14,523,208 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)

Gabon
  males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 15-49: 338,800 (2003 est.)

Georgia
  males age 15-49: 1,302,815 (2003 est.)

Germany
  males age 15-49: 20,509,838 (2003 est.)

Ghana
  males age 15-49: 5,240,557 (2003 est.)

Greece
  males age 15-49: 2,662,208 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 15-49: 3,320,077 (2003 est.)

Guinea
  males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 15-49: 318,711 (2003 est.)

Guyana
  males age 15-49: 207,890 (2003 est.)

Haiti
  males age 15-49: 1,735,845 (2003 est.)

Honduras
  males age 15-49: 1,594,266 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 15-49: 2,033,716 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  males age 15-49: 2,541,426 (2003 est.)

Iceland
  males age 15-49: 71,157 (2003 est.)

India
  males age 15-49: 288,251,975 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 15-49: 65,665,721 (2003 est.)

Iran
  males age 15-49: 20,343,063 (2003 est.)

Iraq
  males age 15-49: 6,339,458 (2003 est.)

Ireland
  males age 15-49: 1,020,182 (2003 est.)

Israel
  males age 15-49: 1,562,716
  females age 15-49: 1,516,505
  note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.)

Italy
  males age 15-49: 14,450,147 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 15-49: 755,698 (2003 est.)

Japan
  males age 15-49: 29,392,559 (2003 est.)

Jordan
  males age 15-49: 1,577,136 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 15-49: 4,580,754 (2003 est.)

Kenya
  males age 15-49: 8,096,142 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 15-49: 6,103,615 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 15-49: 845,026 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 15-49: 1,265,019 (2003 est.)

Laos
  males age 15-49: 1,411,042 (2003 est.)

Latvia
  males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 15-49: 1,025,984 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)

Liberia
  males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.)

Libya
  males age 15-49: 1,546,432 (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 15-49: 937,055 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 15-49: 114,326 (2003 est.)

Macau
  males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of males age 15-49: 553,988 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)

Malawi
  males age 15-49: 2,625,495 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 15-49: 6,067,155 (2003 est.)

Maldives
  males age 15-49: 78,025 (2003 est.)

Mali
  males age 15-49: 2,441,769 (2003 est.)

Malta
  males age 15-49: 99,312 (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  males age 15-49: 665,112 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)

Mexico
  males age 15-49: 27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Moldova
  males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 15-49: 796,449 (2003 est.)

Morocco
  males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 15-49: 4,142,449 (2003 est.)

Namibia
  males age 15-49: 459,474 (2003 est.)

Nauru
  males age 15-49: 3,190 (2003 est.)

Nepal
  males age 15-49: 6,674,014 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 15-49: 4,071,891 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 15-49: 55,155 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 15-49: 1,021,770 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 15-49: 1,347,033 (2003 est.)

Niger
  males age 15-49: 2,379,485 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 15-49: 31,790,482 (2003 est.)

Norway
  males age 15-49: 1,099,314 (2003 est.)

Oman
  males age 15-49: 788,429 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 15-49: 38,133,733 (2003 est.)

Panama
  males age 15-49: 797,456 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 15-49: 1,370,419 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 15-49: 1,465,781 (2003 est.)

Peru
  males age 15-49: 7,510,882 (2003 est.)

Philippines
  males age 15-49: 21,923,324 (2003 est.)

Poland
  males age 15-49: 10,354,978 (2003 est.)

Portugal
  males age 15-49: 2,520,852 (2003 est.)

Qatar
  males age 15-49: 320,835
  note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)

Reunion
  males age 15-49: 198,341 (2003 est.)

Romania
  males age 15-49: 5,912,284 (2003 est.)

Russia
  males age 15-49: 36 million (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 15-49: 1,932,637 (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 15-49: 36,905 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 15-49: 6,123,784 (2003 est.)

Senegal
  males age 15-49: 2,404,838 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males age 15-49: 2,579,620 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 15-49: 23,444 (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 15-49: 1,228,664 (2003 est.)

Singapore
  males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 15-49: 1,484,950 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 15-49: 520,037 (2003 est.)

Somalia
  males age 15-49: 1,942,244 (2003 est.)

South Africa
  males age 15-49: 11,865,280 (2003 est.)

Spain
  males age 15-49: 10,524,715 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 15-49: 5,383,661 (2003 est.)

Sudan
  males age 15-49: 9,032,834 (2003 est.)

Suriname
  males age 15-49: 123,159 (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 15-49: 284,530 (2003 est.)

Sweden
  males age 15-49: 2,060,044 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 15-49: 1,834,638 (2003 est.)

Syria
  males age 15-49: 4,715,386 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 15-49: 6,583,604 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 15-49: 8,477,193 (2003 est.)

Thailand
  males age 15-49: 17,904,298 (2003 est.)

Togo
  males age 15-49: 1,270,146 (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 15-49: 327,823 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 15-49: 2,866,984 (2003 est.)

Turkey
  males age 15-49: 19,534,455 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 15-49: 1,239,737 (2003 est.)

Uganda
  males age 15-49: 5,476,612 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 15-49: 12,236,811 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  males age 15-49: 14,877,666 (2003 est.)

United States
  males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  males age 15-49: 831,297 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 15-49: 6,940,031 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 15-49: 6,767,862 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 15-49: 22,888,109 (2003 est.)

Yemen
  males age 15-49: 4,443,312 (2003 est.)

Zambia
  males age 15-49: 2,418,776 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 15-49: 3,236,042 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2106 Maritime claims

Afghanistan
  none (landlocked)

Albania
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Algeria
  exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

American Samoa
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Andorra
  none (landlocked)

Angola
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Anguilla
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Antarctica
  none; 20 of 27 Antarctic consultative nations have made
  no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have
  reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the
  other nations; also see the Disputes - international entry

Antigua and Barbuda
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Argentina
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Armenia
  none (landlocked)

Aruba
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  contiguous zone: 12 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Australia
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Austria
  none (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  none (landlocked)

Bahamas, The
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Bahrain
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Baker Island
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Bangladesh
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Barbados
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Bassas da India
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Belarus
  none (landlocked)

Belgium
  continental shelf: median line with neighbors
  exclusive economic zone: median line with neighbors (extends about
  68 km from coast)
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Belize
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM in the north, 3 NM in the south; note - from
  the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
  territorial sea is 3 NM; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
  1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
  the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
  with Guatemala

Benin
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Bermuda
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Bhutan
  none (landlocked)

Bolivia
  none (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  none (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Brazil
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

British Indian Ocean Territory
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

British Virgin Islands
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Brunei
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Bulgaria
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Burkina Faso
  none (landlocked)

Burma
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Burundi
  none (landlocked)

Cambodia
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cameroon
  territorial sea: 50 NM

Canada
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cape Verde
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cayman Islands exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Central African Republic
  none (landlocked)

Chad
  none (landlocked)

Chile
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200/350 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

China
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Christmas Island contiguous zone: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Clipperton Island
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Colombia
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Comoros
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Congo, Democratic Republic of the exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 NM

Congo, Republic of the
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Cook Islands
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
  continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Coral Sea Islands
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Costa Rica
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cote d'Ivoire
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Croatia
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cuba
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Cyprus
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Czech Republic
  none (landlocked)

Denmark
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Djibouti
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Dominica
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Dominican Republic contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 6 NM

East Timor
  contiguous zone: NA NM
  exclusive fishing zone: NA NM
  continental shelf: NA NM
  exclusive economic zone: NA NM
  territorial sea: NA NM
  extended fishing zone: NA NM

Ecuador
  continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland
  and Galapagos Islands
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Egypt
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

El Salvador
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Equatorial Guinea exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Eritrea
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Estonia
  exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
  neighboring states
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Ethiopia
  none (landlocked)

Europa Island exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Faroe Islands
  continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or
  median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Fiji
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  rectilinear shelf claim added
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Finland
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary
  with Sweden
  territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)

France
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
  territorial sea: 12 NM

French Guiana
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

French Polynesia
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  from Iles Kerguelen only
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Gabon
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Gambia, The
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  continental shelf: not specified
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Gaza Strip
  Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
  Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
  determined through further negotiation

Georgia
  NA

Germany
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Ghana
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Gibraltar
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Glorioso Islands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Greece
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 6 NM

Greenland
  continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median
  line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Grenada
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guadeloupe
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guam
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guatemala
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guernsey
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Guinea
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guinea-Bissau
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Guyana
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the
  continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Haiti
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Heard Island and McDonald Islands exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (landlocked)

Honduras
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Hong Kong
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Howland Island exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Hungary
  none (landlocked)

Iceland
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
  margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

India
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Indonesia
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Iran
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: natural prolongation
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
  Persian Gulf
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Iraq
  continental shelf: not specified
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Ireland
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Israel
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Italy
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Jamaica
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Jan Mayen
  contiguous zone: 10 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Japan
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the international
  straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
  Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Jarvis Island
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Jersey
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Johnston Atoll
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Jordan
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Juan de Nova Island continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Kazakhstan
  none (landlocked)

Kenya
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Kingman Reef
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Kiribati
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Korea, North
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the
  exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
  vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Korea, South
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: not specified
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait

Kuwait
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Kyrgyzstan
  none (landlocked)

Laos
  none (landlocked)

Latvia
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Lebanon
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Lesotho
  none (landlocked)

Liberia
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Libya
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Liechtenstein
  none (landlocked)

Lithuania
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Luxembourg
  none (landlocked)

Macau
  not specified

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  none (landlocked)

Madagascar
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Malawi
  none (landlocked)

Malaysia
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Maldives
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mali
  none (landlocked)

Malta
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Man, Isle of exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Marshall Islands contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Martinique
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mauritania
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mauritius
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
  continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mayotte
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mexico
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Micronesia, Federated States of
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Midway Islands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Moldova
  none (landlocked)

Monaco
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mongolia
  none (landlocked)

Montserrat
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Morocco
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Mozambique
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Namibia
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Nauru
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Navassa Island exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Nepal none (landlocked)

Netherlands
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Netherlands Antilles
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

New Caledonia
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

New Zealand
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
  continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Nicaragua
  continental shelf: natural prolongation
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Niger
  none (landlocked)

Nigeria
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Niue
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Norfolk Island
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Northern Mariana Islands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Norway
  contiguous zone: 10 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Oman
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Pakistan
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Palau
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
  extended fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Palmyra Atoll
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Panama
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Papua New Guinea
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  none (landlocked)

Peru
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 200 NM

Philippines
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from
  coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
  claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in
  breadth

Pitcairn Islands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Poland
  exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Portugal
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Puerto Rico
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Qatar
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
  the median line
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Reunion
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Romania
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Russia
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Rwanda
  none (landlocked)

Saint Helena exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  territorial sea: 12 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Saint Lucia
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Saint Pierre and Miquelon exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Samoa
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

San Marino
  none (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Saudi Arabia
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  continental shelf: not specified
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Senegal
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA

Seychelles
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Sierra Leone
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Singapore
  exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea,
  as defined in treaties and practice
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Slovakia
  none (landlocked)

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  continental shelf: 200 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Somalia
  territorial sea: 200 NM

South Africa
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  exclusive fishing zone:
  200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Spain
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Sudan
  contiguous zone: 18 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Suriname
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Svalbard
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed by
  Norway but not recognized by Russia
  territorial sea: 4 NM

Swaziland
  none (landlocked)

Sweden
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
  territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of
  straits to high seas)

Switzerland
  none (landlocked)

Syria
  contiguous zone: 41 NM
  territorial sea: 35 NM

Taiwan
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Tajikistan
  none (landlocked)

Tanzania
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Thailand
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Togo
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 30 NM

Tokelau
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Tonga
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Trinidad and Tobago
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Tromelin Island
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
  exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Tunisia
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Turkey
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime
  boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
  territorial sea: 6 NM in the Aegean Sea; 12 NM in Black Sea and in
  Mediterranean Sea

Turkmenistan
  none (landlocked)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Tuvalu
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Uganda
  none (landlocked)

Ukraine
  continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

United Arab Emirates
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

United Kingdom
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf
  orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

United States
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: not specified
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Uruguay
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Uzbekistan
  none (doubly landlocked)

Vanuatu
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Venezuela
  contiguous zone: 15 NM
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Vietnam
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Virgin Islands
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Wake Island
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Wallis and Futuna
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

West Bank
  none (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World
  a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries
  make the following claims: contiguous zone - 24 NM; continental
  shelf - 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation, or 200 NM or to
  the edge of the continental margin; exclusive fishing zone - 200 NM;
  exclusive economic zone - 200 NM; territorial sea - 12 NM; boundary
  situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from
  extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 NM; 43
  nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan,
  Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia,
  Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,
  Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
  Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San
  Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former
  Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,
  West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and
  Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Yemen
  contiguous zone: 24 NM
  continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Zambia
  none (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  none (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2107 International organization participation

Afghanistan
  AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Albania
  ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Algeria
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19,
  G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
  OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

American Samoa
  ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Andorra
  CE, ECE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE,
  UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Angola
  ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OAU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Anguilla
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS
  (associate), ECLAC (associate)

Antigua and Barbuda
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Argentina
  AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-15,
  G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, MTCR, NSG, OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Armenia
  BSEC, CE, CIS, COE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Aruba
  Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO
  (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Australia
  ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
  OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE,
  UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Austria
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
  CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
  UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Azerbaijan
  AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO,
  GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS
  (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Bahamas, The
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Bahrain
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Bangladesh
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Barbados
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Belarus
  CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, NAM
  (observer), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Belgium
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional),
  WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Belize
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Benin
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Bermuda
  Caricom (observer), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCO

Bhutan
  AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer)

Bolivia
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Botswana
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
  ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Brazil
  AfDB, BIS, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  Mercosur, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNU,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

British Virgin Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate),
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)

Brunei
  APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,
  IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Bulgaria
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate
  partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Burkina Faso
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
  OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Burma
  ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
  OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Burundi
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Cambodia
  ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Cameroon
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ,
  G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Canada
  ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer),
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
  UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Cape Verde
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Cayman Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,
  UNESCO (associate)

Central African Republic
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA,
  FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Chad
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Chile
  APEC, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP,
  UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

China
  APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  BIS, CDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN,
  UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, IFC, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  AfDB, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-3,
  G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Comoros
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
  (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO,
  WTrO (applicant)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL,
  ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Congo, Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA,
  FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Cook Islands
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD,
  IFRCS (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Costa Rica
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer),
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Cote d'Ivoire
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
  OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Croatia
  BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP,
  UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Cuba
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
  (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Cyprus
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
  (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Czech Republic
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Denmark
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOP,
  UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTrO, ZC

Djibouti
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Dominica
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Dominican Republic
  ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber),
  ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW
  (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

East Timor
  AsDB, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IMF, Interpol, UN, WHO

Ecuador
  CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Egypt
  ABEDA, ACC, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU,
  EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC,
  OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

El Salvador
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Equatorial Guinea
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO,
  FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Eritrea
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Estonia
  BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UPU,
  WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Ethiopia
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  ICFTU

Faroe Islands
  IMO (associate), NC, NIB

Fiji
  ACP, AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Finland
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

France
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
  (observer), CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA
  (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7,
  G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional),
  WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

French Guiana
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

French Polynesia
  ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Gabon
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Gambia, The
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Georgia
  BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Germany
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer),
  CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5,
  G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,
  UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO, ZC

Ghana
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Gibraltar
  Interpol (subbureau)

Greece
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB,
  EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO, ZC

Greenland
  NC, NIB

Grenada
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Guadeloupe
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

Guam
  ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Guatemala
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Guinea-Bissau
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Guyana
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Haiti
  ACCT, ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Holy See (Vatican City)
  CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer),
  ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
  UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Honduras
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Hong Kong
  APEC, AsDB, BIS, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO
  (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL,
  WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Hungary
  ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Iceland
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC,
  NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UNU, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

India
  AfDB, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIPONUH,
  MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNU,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Indonesia
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
  OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH,
  UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Iran
  CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO

Iraq
  ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Ireland
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA,
  EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
  MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
  UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Israel
  BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE,
  FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Italy
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE,
  CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-
  8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Jamaica
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Japan
  ABEDA, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN
  (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Jordan
  ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Kazakhstan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer),
  OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Kenya
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Kiribati
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO,
  UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Korea, North
  ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM,
  IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Korea, South
  AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IEA (observer),
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET,
  UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Kuwait
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77,
  GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Kyrgyzstan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC,
  OPCW (signatory), OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Laos
  ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Latvia
  BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate
  partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Lebanon
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Lesotho
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
  SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Liberia
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Libya
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Liechtenstein
  CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO

Lithuania
  ACCT (observer), BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
  (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTrO

Luxembourg
  ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB,
  EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Macau
  ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol
  (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO,
  WToO (associate), WTrO

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO (observer)

Madagascar
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Malawi
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Malaysia
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Maldives
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Mali
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Malta
  C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca,
  SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Martinique
  FZ, WCL, WFTU

Mauritania
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA,
  FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
  (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU,
  NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Mauritius
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Mayotte
  FZ

Mexico
  APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer),
  EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
  UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Micronesia, Federated States of
  ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
  SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Moldova
  ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Monaco
  ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
  IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Mongolia
  ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP
  (provisional), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Montserrat
  Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol
  (subbureau), OECS

Morocco
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Mozambique
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC,
  NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Namibia
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Nauru
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
  OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Nepal
  AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Netherlands
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Netherlands Antilles
  Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate),
  Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

New Caledonia
  ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

New Zealand
  ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on
  11 August 1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG,
  OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Nicaragua
  BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Niger
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Nigeria
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC,
  NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC,
  UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Niue
  ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO,
  WMO

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Norway
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate),
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Oman
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Pakistan
  AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C (suspended), CP, ECO,
  ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA,
  SAARC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNOMIG,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Palau
  ACP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF,
  IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Panama
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Papua New Guinea
  ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
  (associate member), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Paraguay
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM (observer),
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Peru
  ABEDA, APEC, CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  LAES, LAIA, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Philippines
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM,
  OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET,
  UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Pitcairn Islands
  SPC

Poland
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
  CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Portugal
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Puerto Rico
  Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate),
  ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO
  (associate)

Qatar
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
  (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Reunion
  FZ, InOC, WFTU

Romania
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO, ZC

Russia
  APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
  BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, G- 8,
  GEF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNDP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET,
  UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer), ZC

Rwanda
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Saint Helena
  ICFTU

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Saint Lucia
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  FZ, WFTU

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO,
  G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Samoa
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

San Marino
  CE, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Sao Tome and Principe
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Saudi Arabia
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, ESCWA, FAO, G-19,
  G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer),
  OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Senegal
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
  OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOVIC, UPU,
  WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Serbia and Montenegro
  ABEDA, BIS, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, FAO, G- 9,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Seychelles
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Sierra Leone
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTrO

Singapore
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
  UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Slovakia
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO, ZC

Slovenia
  ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
  (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
  NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Solomon Islands
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
  Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Somalia
  ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

South Africa
  ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA,
  SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Spain
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
  ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC,
  NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO,
  ZC

Sri Lanka
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA,
  SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Sudan
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
  OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Suriname
  ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
  LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Svalbard
  none

Swaziland
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Sweden
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Switzerland
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
  UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Syria
  AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Taiwan
  APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO

Tajikistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Tanzania
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Thailand
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMISET, UNU, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Togo
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Tokelau
  SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)

Tonga
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC,
  SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Trinidad and Tobago
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77,
  IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Tunisia
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer),
  ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Turkey
  AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC,
  EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Turkmenistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
  (observer)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
  (subbureau)

Tuvalu
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), ITU, Sparteca, SPC,
  SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Uganda
  ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Ukraine
  BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

United Arab Emirates
  ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77,
  GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
  OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTrO

United Kingdom
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO,
  G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH,
  UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTrO, ZC

United States
  AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN
  (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR,
  UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,
  UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Uruguay
  ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
  UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTrO

Uzbekistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Vanuatu
  ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
  (observer)

Venezuela
  CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19,
  G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTrO

Vietnam
  ACCT, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Virgin Islands
  ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Wallis and Futuna
  FZ, SPC

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Zambia
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Zimbabwe
  ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2108 Merchant marine

Albania
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 21,954 GRT/34,412 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 11, roll on/roll off 1, includes some
  foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
  Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)

Algeria
  total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 884,032 GRT/1,010,777 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas
  10, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 4,
  specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered
  here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  none (2002 est.)

Angola
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,311 GRT/48,924 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 7, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Anguilla
  none (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 816 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,135,866
  GRT/6,648,143 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 474, chemical tanker 8, combination
  bulk 3, container 255, liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large-load
  carrier 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll
  off 35
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3, Colombia 1, Cuba
  1, Estonia 1, Germany 747, Greece 1, Iceland 8, Latvia 1, Lebanon 2,
  Lithuania 1, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 6,
  South Africa 1, Sweden 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 7 (2002
  est.)

Argentina
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 141,851 GRT/208,821 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 8, railcar carrier 1,
  refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1,
  specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered
  here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 1, Uruguay 1
  (2002 est.)

Aruba
  total: 3
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
  note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)

Australia
  total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,415,810
  GRT/1,806,554 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk
  1, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7,
  roll on/roll off 6
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 2, UK 2, US 14 (2002 est.)

Austria
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 27,551 GRT/34,225 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 4, container 1 (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 251,004 GRT/313,193
  DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2
  (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778
  GRT/46,202,085 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination
  bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26,
  livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8,
  passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated
  cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized
  tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda
  1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark
  27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece
  173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy
  9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67,
  Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3,
  Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8,
  Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab
  Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002
  est.)

Bahrain
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 234,599 GRT/336,528 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1,
  includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 314,437 GRT/436,465
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 23, container 11, passenger 1,
  petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Barbados
  total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 284,222 GRT/439,810 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 22, combination bulk 1, container 1,
  petroleum tanker 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, The Bahamas 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece
  2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, UK 18 (2002 est.)

Belgium
  total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,215 GRT/55,725 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, petroleum tanker 4,
  includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)

Belize
  total: 292 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,030,141 GRT/1,499,777
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 200, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 12, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 18,
  roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 2, Belgium 3, British Virgin Islands 6,
  Cambodia 1, China 38, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 1, Equatorial
  Guinea 1, Eritrea 1, Estonia 7, Germany 3, Greece 4, Grenada 1,
  Honduras 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 6, Italy 2, Japan 4, Jordan 1,
  Lebanon 1, Liberia 5, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall
  Islands 13, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 12,
  Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Romania 1, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, South Korea 10,
  Spain 4, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, Thailand 6, Tunisia 1, Turkey 1,
  Ukraine 3, United Arab Emirates 9, United Kingdom 2, United States
  4, Virgin Islands (UK) 6, Yemen 1 (2002 est.)

Benin
  none (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,993,227 GRT/7,089,760
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, container 14,
  liquefied gas 9, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
  cargo 13, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9,
  Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States
  13 (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 347,535 GRT/591,113 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 25, chemical tanker 4, container 4,
  livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 1,
  short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  Belize 2, China 2, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Honduras 1, Latvia 2,
  Liberia 2, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi
  Arabia 1, Singapore 1, South Korea 3, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 1, UAE
  5, US 1 (2002 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  none (2002 est.)

Brazil
  total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,257,186 GRT/5,101,578
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 23, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 7, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 53, roll
  on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1 (2002 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203
  GRT/28,864 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Brunei
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
  ships by type: liquefied gas 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: UK 7 (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 829,421 GRT/1,252,496
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 10, chemical tanker 4, container 2,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (2002
  est.)

Burma
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 352,765 GRT/536,396 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3,
  petroleum tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 527 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,328,371
  GRT/3,294,028 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 49, cargo 412, chemical tanker 2, combination
  bulk 4, container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
  passenger 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Aruba 1, Belize 11, Bulgaria 3, Cambodia 194, Canada 4,
  China 25, Cyprus 14, Egypt 10, Estonia 2, France 1, Georgia 1,
  Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Iceland
  1, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 2, Japan 2, Jordan 1, North
  Korea, 1, South Korea, 25, Latvia 3, Lebanon 6, Liberia 7, Malaysia
  1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Panama 10,
  Romania 2, Russia 75, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 5, Singapore 17, Syria 20, Turkey 18, Ukraine 16, United
  Arab Emirates 3, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vietnam 3 (2002
  est.)

Canada
  total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,840,272 GRT/2,740,864
  DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 64, cargo 11, chemical tanker
  6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger
  2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 3, Monaco 16, United Kingdom 1, United States 1
  (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,402,058
  GRT/3,792,094 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 5, chemical tanker 31, container 2,
  liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 35, roll
  on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3,
  Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United
  States 35 (2002 est.)

Chile
  total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 696,202 GRT/900,317 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 4,
  liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off
  6, vehicle carrier 4
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)

China
  total: 1,817 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,047,962
  GRT/27,035,740 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 348, cargo 824, chemical tanker
  28, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 150,
  liquefied gas 28, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, passenger
  6, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 26,
  roll on/roll off 21, short-sea passenger 42, specialized tanker 8,
  vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Germany 1, Hong Kong 16, Japan 2, Panama 2,
  South Korea 1, Spain 1, Taiwan 9, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  none (2002 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Colombia
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 51,445 GRT/55,930 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 6, container 1, petroleum tanker 3
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Comoros
  total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 432,132 GRT/796,734 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker
  5, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  none (2002 est.)

Costa Rica
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
  ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Croatia
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 765,830 GRT/1,188,948 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 16, chemical tanker 4, combination
  bulk 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1,
  petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 6,
  short-sea passenger 3
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 1 (2002 est.)

Cuba
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 59,257 GRT/90,295 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1,
  petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 1,180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,106,229
  GRT/37,032,163 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 421, cargo 325, chemical tanker 25, combination
  bulk 24, combination ore/oil 2, container 151, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger 8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 124, refrigerated
  cargo 45, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 9, specialized
  tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Austria 12, Belgium 2, Bulgaria 2, Canada 3, Chile 2,
  China 16, Croatia 2, Cuba 11, Finland 1, Germany 229, Greece 607,
  Guam 1, Hong Kong 6, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 1,
  Japan 26, Latvia 14, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10,
  Netherlands 30, Norway 23, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 19,
  Portugal 2, Russia 57, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, South Korea 4, Spain
  7, Sudan 2, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United
  Arab Emirates 13, United Kingdom 6, United States 4, Vietnam 1 (2002
  est.)

Denmark
  total: 282 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,714,557 GRT/8,715,716
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 85, chemical tanker 29, container 77,
  liquefied gas 19, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 28, railcar
  carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea
  passenger 6, specialized tanker 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Greenland 1, Indonesia 1, Netherlands 1,
  Norway 9, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Dominica
  none (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

East Timor total: NA ships by type: NA

Ecuador
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 239,276 GRT/392,048 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Egypt
  total: 170 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,284,197 GRT/1,907,734
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 50, container 5, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 63, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea
  passenger 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 3, Monaco 1,
  Ukraine 1 (2002 est.)

El Salvador
  none (2002 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,571 GRT/9,670
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Estonia
  total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 200,807 GRT/169,899 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2,
  roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 5
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
  on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 100,951 GRT/139,396
  DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1,
  roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Fiji
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT
  ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Singapore 4 (2002 est.)

Finland
  total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 24, chemical tanker 5, container 1,
  passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea
  passenger 9
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

France
  total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4,
  passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea
  passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden
  9 (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  none (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679
  GRT/13,915 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1,
  roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or
  over) 3,596,194 GRT/5,924,475 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 4, chemical tanker 14, container 15,
  liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off
  11, vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 2, France 62, Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5,
  Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  none (2002 est.)

Georgia
  total: 116 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 483,028 GRT/713,461 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 72, chemical tanker 1, container 11,
  petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2,
  specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4,
  Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1,
  Panama 9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 5, Turkey 2,
  Ukraine 7, UAE 11, UK 1, US 1 (2002 est.)

Germany
  total: 337 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,036,397 GRT/7,334,067
  DWT
  ships by type: cargo 94, chemical tanker 15, container 203,
  liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 5, railcar carrier 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 7
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Chile 1, Finland 5, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3,
  Switzerland 1 (2002 est.)

Ghana
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,559 GRT/27,531 DWT
  ships by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1
  (2002 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140
  GRT/1,435,595 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
  13, roll on/roll off 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6,
  Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.)

Greece
  total: 813 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,173,608
  GRT/51,184,723 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 289, cargo 59, chemical tanker 32, combination
  bulk 6, combination ore/oil 4, container 47, liquefied gas 7,
  passenger 14, petroleum tanker 281, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 49, specialized tanker 4,
  vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2,
  Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Greenland
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Grenada
  none (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
  ships by type: passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)

Guam
  none (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  none (2002 est.)

Guernsey
  none (2002 est.)

Guinea
  none (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  none (2002 est.)

Guyana
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,929 GRT/4,507 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Haiti
  none (2002 est.)

Honduras
  total: 250 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 680,784 GRT/765,815 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 18, cargo 140, chemical tanker 4, container 7,
  livestock carrier 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
  tanker 55, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea
  passenger 4, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, Belize 1, British Virgin
  Islands 1, Bulgaria 1, China 8, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 6, El
  Salvador 1, Germany 1, Greece 18, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Italy 1,
  Japan 7, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4, Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 1,
  Mexico 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Panama 14, Philippines 1, Romania 2,
  Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1, Singapore 24, South Korea 12, Spain 1, Syria 1, Taiwan 4,
  Tanzania 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos
  Islands 1, United Arab Emirates 6, UK 1, US 5, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1,
  Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,176,728
  GRT/27,119,764 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 315, cargo 66, chemical tanker
  15, combination bulk 2, container 86, liquefied gas 16,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 40,
  refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1,
  vehicle carrier 2, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
  as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin
  Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8,
  Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5,
  Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, UK 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1
  note: (2002 est.)

Hungary
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 3,784 GRT/5,500 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1

Iceland
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,500 GRT/5,000 DWT
  ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)

India
  total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,753,279 GRT/9,621,911
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 100, cargo 82, chemical tanker 15, combination
  bulk 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10,
  passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll off 1,
  short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: China 1, UAE 10, UK 1 (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 710 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,045,673
  GRT/4,106,508 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 400, chemical tanker 15, container 56,
  liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, passenger 9, passenger/cargo
  13, petroleum tanker 127, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 16,
  short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 6
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, India 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 1,
  Monaco 3, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 1,
  Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 1 (2002 est.)

Iran
  total: 139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10,
  liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum
  tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea
  passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Iraq
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 119,433 GRT/170,221 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Ireland
  total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 110,913 GRT/128,017 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)

Israel
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 705,897 GRT/823,605 DWT
  ships by type: container 17, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Italy
  total: 462 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,518,900 GRT/9,963,040
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 39, chemical tanker 98, combination
  ore/oil 5, container 28, liquefied gas 39, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, petroleum tanker 67,
  refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 60, short-sea passenger 32,
  specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 22
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of
  1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland
  1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, UK 6, US 12 (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,536 GRT/62,868 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
  short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Latvia 2, US 2 (2002 est.)

Japan
  total: 594 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,467,142 GRT/13,335,833
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 120, cargo 45, chemical tanker 18, combination
  bulk 28, combination ore/oil 1, container 18, liquefied gas 52,
  passenger 8, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 179, refrigerated
  cargo 9, roll on/roll off 59, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier
  49
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Jersey
  none (2002 est.)

Jordan
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 63,522 GRT/79,776 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
  ships by type: roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Kenya
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,893 GRT/6,320 DWT
  ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
  ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 881,276
  GRT/1,309,547 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 120, combination bulk 2, container 1,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo
  1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 4, short-sea passenger 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 2, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 541 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,490,521
  GRT/10,602,751 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 174, chemical tanker 63, combination
  bulk 9, container 52, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, petroleum
  tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea
  passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1,
  Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
  UK 1 (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,273,628 GRT/3,638,645
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6,
  livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.)

Laos
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Latvia
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3,
  roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 230,142 GRT/306,442 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
  1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 9, roll on/roll
  off 4, vehicle carrier 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)

Liberia
  total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851
  GRT/75,408,994 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker
  163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357,
  liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger
  6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19,
  short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil
  5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11,
  Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong
  69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20,
  Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway
  103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore
  20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,
  Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US
  113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Libya
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 130,081 GRT/115,480 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll
  on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 303,910 GRT/328,380 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 23, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,507,258
  GRT/2,118,597 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 12, container 8, liquefied
  gas 18, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 21, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10, Monaco 1,
  Netherlands 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 9, United States 3 (2002
  est.)

Macau
  none (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002
  est.)

Malaysia
  total: 366 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,111,476
  GRT/7,242,323 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 103, chemical tanker 37, container 69,
  liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
  55, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 15,
  Indonesia 3, Japan 4, Monaco 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 78, South
  Korea 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Maldives
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,689 GRT/56,132 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1
  (2002 est.)

Malta
  total: 1,234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,885,128
  GRT/42,467,864 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 459, cargo 280, chemical tanker 45, combination
  bulk 10, combination ore/oil 10, container 80, liquefied gas 3,
  livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1,
  passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 236, refrigerated
  cargo 37, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 7, vehicle
  carrier 15
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3,
  Bulgaria 19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7,
  Denmark 3, Estonia 5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece 627, Hong Kong
  12, Iceland 3, India 10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36, Japan 2,
  Latvia 24, Lebanon 6, Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria 2, Norway
  43, Poland 29, Portugal 2, Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia 1,
  Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain 1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey
  84, Ukraine 25, UAE 3, UK 4, US 10 (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total: 211 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,297,301
  GRT/8,703,079 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 32, chemical tanker 20, combination
  bulk 2, container 22, liquefied gas 38, petroleum tanker 49, roll
  on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 45, France 1, Germany 48, Greece 6, Hong Kong
  10, Iceland 1, Italy 8, Monaco 7, Netherlands 3, Norway 5, Sweden 4,
  Switzerland 2, UK 70, US 1 (2002 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 342 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,471,690
  GRT/23,802,896 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 86, cargo 18, chemical tanker 31, combination
  bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 69, liquefied gas 8,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
  106, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4
  note: the ship's register of the Marshall Islands is a flag of
  convenience register since essentially none of the vessels on it is
  owned domestically; includes the following foreign-owned ships
  registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark
  9, Germany 70, Greece 54, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Monaco 8,
  Netherlands 8, UK 3, US 87, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)

Martinique
  none (2002 est.)

Mauritania
  none (2002)

Mauritius
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
  refrigerated cargo 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  none (2002 est.)

Mexico
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination
  ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8,
  short-sea passenger 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  none
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Monaco
  none (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  none (2002 est.)

Morocco
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum
  tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
  passenger 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002
  est.)

Mozambique
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Namibia
  none (2002 est.)

Nauru
  none (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,711
  GRT/5,226,912 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 51, container 70,
  liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load
  carrier 15, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo
  34, roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55,
  Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, UK 33, US 12 (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,122,189
  GRT/1,398,649 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 56, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
  1, combination ore/oil 3, container 27, liquefied gas 5,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 1, refrigerated
  cargo 27, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands
  52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 3, UK 5 (2002
  est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 69,685 GRT/106,627 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1 (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  none (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,689 GRT/607,560 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker
  29, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bulgaria 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, US
  1 (2002 est.)

Niue
  none (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island
  none (2002 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Norway
  total: 714 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,247,207
  GRT/30,860,236 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 68, cargo 136, chemical tanker 125, combination
  bulk 5, combination ore/oil 32, container 19, liquefied gas 86,
  multi-function large load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
  127, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 44, short-sea passenger
  20, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 34
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Denmark 14, Germany 11, Greece 10, Hong
  Kong 7, Iceland 2, Japan 11, Lithuania 1, Monaco 42, Poland 1, Saudi
  Arabia 3, Singapore 10, Sweden 42, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 5 (2002
  est.)

Oman
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT
  ships by type: container 1, passenger 2
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,675 GRT/375,435 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 14, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Palau
  none (2002 est.)

Panama
  total: 4,860 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,543,755
  GRT/184,910,607 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 5, bulk 1,443, cargo 846, chemical
  tanker 376, combination bulk 72, combination ore/oil 17, container
  588, liquefied gas 207, livestock carrier 6, multi-functional
  large-load carrier 12, passenger 38, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
  tanker 537, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 287, roll on/roll
  off 107, short-sea passenger 41, specialized tanker 33, vehicle
  carrier 240
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 1, Argentina
  11, Australia 13, Austria 2, The Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Belize 6,
  Brazil 6, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 1, Canada 9, Chile 12,
  China 259, Colombia 14, Croatia 2, Cuba 20, Cyprus 3, Denmark 3,
  Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 3, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1,
  France 9, Germany 72, Greece 523, Haiti 1, Honduras 3, Hong Kong
  299, Iceland 1, India 18, Indonesia 48, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy
  9, Japan 1,642, Kenya 1, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1,
  Malaysia 18, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 8, Monaco 112,
  Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 98,
  Paraguay 1, Peru 15, Philippines 49, Poland 5, Portugal 7, Puerto
  Rico 2, Romania 7, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 5, Saudi Arabia 4, Seychelles 1, Singapore 112,
  South Africa 3, South Korea 342, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1,
  Sweden 2, Switzerland 81, Taiwan 334, Thailand 14, Trinidad and
  Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 4, Ukraine 1, UAE 54, UK 73, US 115,
  Venezuela 6 (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 45,203
  GRT/63,238 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 1, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Singapore 2, UK 7 (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,475 GRT/36,101 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
  on/roll off 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.)

Peru
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,470 GRT/45,451 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Philippines
  total: 393 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,718
  GRT/6,699,666 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 111, cargo 105, chemical tanker 4, combination
  bulk 8, container 8, liquefied gas 8, livestock carrier 9, passenger
  5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 21,
  roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 27, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 18
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 3, Greece 8, Hong Kong
  13, Japan 47, Malaysia 19, Netherlands 14, Norway 8, Panama 3,
  Singapore 12, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, UK 7 (2002 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Poland
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 199,186 GRT/275,476 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off
  1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Portugal
  total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 993,325 GRT/1,533,255
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 62, chemical tanker 18, container 7,
  liquefied gas 8, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 4,
  petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5,
  short-sea passenger 3, vehicle carrier 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark
  6, Germany 20, Greece 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1,
  Monaco 2, Norway 5, Panama 5, Spain 22, Switzerland 8, UK 1, Virgin
  Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/20,904 DWT
  ships by type: container 1 (2002 est.)

Qatar
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 638,815 GRT/995,096 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2,
  container 7, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Kuwait 1, UAE 3 (2002 est.)

Romania
  total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 494,670 GRT/650,863 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 39, container 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll
  on/roll off 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.)

Russia
  total: 933 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,495,122 GRT/5,490,103
  DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 22, cargo 553, chemical tanker
  12, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 36, container 30,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 38, passenger/cargo
  3, petroleum tanker 167, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 20,
  short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 4,
  Greece 3, Honduras 1, Latvia 4, Lithuania 3, Moldova 3, Netherlands
  1, South Korea 1, Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 10, UK 5, US 1
  (2002 est.)

Saint Helena
  none (2002 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  none (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  none (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (2002 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines total: 769 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,365,887 GRT/9,665,937 DWT ships by type: bulk 133, cargo 376, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 7, container 58, liquefied gas 8, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 43, refrigerated cargo 46, roll on/roll off 45, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Anguilla 1, Argentina 1, Australia 2, The Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 2, Belgium 4, Bulgaria 14, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 135, Colombia 1, Croatia 12, Cyprus 6, Denmark 16, Egypt 7, Estonia 6, France 27, Germany 12, Greece 156, Guyana 7, Hong Kong 23, Iceland 1, India 11, Indonesia 3, Israel 2, Italy 19, Japan 1, Kenya 4, Latvia 5, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Monaco 6, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 33, Pakistan 5, Panama 2, Poland 2, Portugal 2, Puerto Rico 2, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 4, Slovenia 7, South Korea 4, Spain 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 10, Syria 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 8, UAE 45, UK 16, US 25, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Samoa
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,595
  GRT/99,873 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, livestock
  carrier 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll
  off 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 1, Kenya 1, Portugal 1, Syria 1, Turkey
  1 (2002 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,461,964
  GRT/2,301,258 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock
  carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4,
  roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 8
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, UAE 1,
  UK 3 (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 37,281 GRT/55,702 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2

Singapore
  total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021
  GRT/32,765,063 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combination
  bulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38,
  livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2,
  petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4,
  short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany
  17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4,
  Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46,
  Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,574 GRT/16,330 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Somalia
  none (2002 est.)

South Africa
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,235 GRT/35,904 DWT
  ships by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)

Spain
  total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 13,
  liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
  22, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger
  6, vehicle carrier 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1,
  Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 62,157 GRT/84,898 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 13, container 1, petroleum tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

Sudan
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,854 GRT/39,084 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1, roll on/roll off 2
  (2002 est.)

Suriname
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, container 1 (2002 est.)

Svalbard
  none (2002 est.)

Sweden
  total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,329,925 GRT/1,609,986
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 35, chemical tanker 31, combination
  ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 35, short-sea
  passenger 8, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 21
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2,
  Norway 7 (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 597,049
  GRT/1,051,380 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 2,
  passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: UK 6, US 1 (2002 est.)

Syria
  total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 450,135 GRT/645,296 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 109, container 2, livestock carrier 3,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,973,958 GRT/6,306,361
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, combination
  bulk 3, container 45, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9,
  roll on/roll off 2
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,781 GRT/33,805 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll
  on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 2 (2002 est.)

Thailand
  total: 317 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,744,103
  GRT/2,657,666 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 33, cargo 136, chemical tanker 5, combination
  bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 21,
  multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
  74, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger
  2, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Norway 24,
  Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Togo
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Tokelau
  none (2002 est.)

Tonga
  total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1,
  liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1,
  vehicle carrier 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1,
  Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall
  Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao
  Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1,
  Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,032
  GRT/5,106 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
  convenience: US 1 (2002 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 139,990 GRT/148,394 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1,
  petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
  (2002 est.)

Turkey
  total: 525 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,306,506 GRT/8,424,837
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 229, chemical tanker 44, combination
  bulk 3, combination ore/oil 3, container 34, liquefied gas 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
  on/roll off 26, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Belize 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1,
  Thailand 1, UK 11 (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
  ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,199 GRT/56,187 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Germany 5 (2002 est.)

Uganda
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT
  ships by type: roll on/roll off 3
  note: these ships are in cargo and passenger (ferry) service on
  Uganda's inland waterways (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 633,932 GRT/640,743 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 89, container 5, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger 14, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 10, railcar
  carrier 2, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Panama 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 1 (2002 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 815,428
  GRT/1,207,346 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, container 7, liquefied
  gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6,
  short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,752,179
  GRT/6,963,112 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 43, chemical tanker 19, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 95, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 1,
  passenger 18, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 50, refrigerated
  cargo 3, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 8, specialized
  tanker 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Bermuda 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 21, Germany 6, Greece 3,
  Hong Kong 4, Italy 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Russia 1,
  South Africa 2, Sweden 11, Taiwan 2, US 5 (2002 est.)

United States
  total: 348 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,414,676
  GRT/12,207,346 DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 71, cargo 26, chemical tanker
  13, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 79,
  freighter 15, heavy lift carrier 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
  tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 46, short-sea
  passenger 2, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 9
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 1, Canada 4, Denmark 15, France 1, Germany 1,
  Netherlands 3, Norway 7, Puerto Rico 4, Singapore 11, Sweden 1,
  United Kingdom 3; also, the US owns 549 additional ships (1,000 GRT
  or over) totaling 29,616,347 DWT that operate under the registries
  of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda,
  Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Finland, Gibraltar, Hong
  Kong (China), Indonesia, Isle of Man, Italy, Liberia, Malta,
  Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Norway (NIS), Panama, Peru,
  Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Tonga, UK,
  Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/9,775 DWT
  ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,463 GRT/1,552,813
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, combination bulk 3, container 3,
  liquefied gas 2, multi-function large-load carrier 1, refrigerated
  cargo 7, vehicle carrier 5
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4,
  Netherlands 1, NZ 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 2,
  Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 714,073 GRT/1,256,667
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, roll
  on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, UK 1, US 2 (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,054,423 GRT/1,588,732
  DWT
  ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 128, chemical tanker 1, combination
  bulk 1, container 9, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 21,
  refrigerated cargo 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Cambodia 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, UK 2 (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  none (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 85,572
  GRT/9,004 DWT
  ships by type: passenger 4
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: France 3, US 1 (2002 est.)

Yemen
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,623 GRT/23,752 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
  convenience: Hong Kong 2 (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2109 National holiday

Afghanistan
  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Albania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Algeria
  Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

American Samoa
  Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Andorra
  Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Angola
  Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Anguilla
  Anguilla Day, 30 May

Antigua and Barbuda
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 November
  (1981)

Argentina
  Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Armenia
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Aruba
  Flag Day, 18 March

Australia
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Austria
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the
  State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of
  occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Azerbaijan
  Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28
  May (1918)

Bahamas, The
  Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Bahrain
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is
  the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date
  of independence from British protection

Bangladesh
  Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971
  is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is
  Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of
  Bangladesh

Barbados
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Belarus
  Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the
  date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the
  date of independence from the Soviet Union

Belgium
  21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Belize
  Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Benin
  National Day, 1 August (1960)

Bermuda
  Bermuda Day, 24 May

Bhutan
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king),
  17 December (1907)

Bolivia
  Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  National Day, 25 November (1943)

Botswana
  Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Brazil
  Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

British Virgin Islands
  Territory Day, 1 July

Brunei
  National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was
  the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date
  of independence from British protection

Bulgaria
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Burkina Faso
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Burma
  Independence Day, 4 January (1948)

Burundi
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Cambodia
  Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Cameroon
  Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Canada
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Cape Verde
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Cayman Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Central African Republic
  Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Chad
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Chile
  Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

China
  Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China,
  1 October (1949)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Comoros
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Congo, Republic of the
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Cook Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Costa Rica
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Croatia
  Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Cuba
  Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898
  is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
  independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Cyprus
  Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot
  area celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Czech Republic
  Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Denmark
  none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally
  viewed as the National Day

Djibouti
  Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Dominica
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Dominican Republic
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

East Timor
  Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Ecuador
  Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Egypt
  Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

El Salvador
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Equatorial Guinea
  Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Eritrea
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Estonia
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February
  1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991
  was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union

Ethiopia
  National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Faroe Islands
  Olaifest, 29 July

Fiji
  Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Finland
  Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

France
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Guiana
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Polynesia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Gabon
  Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March
  (1968)

Gambia, The
  Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Georgia
  Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the
  date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
  independence from the Soviet Union

Germany
  Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Ghana
  Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Gibraltar
  National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the
  national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go
  with Spain

Greece
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Greenland
  June 21 (longest day)

Grenada
  Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Guadeloupe
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Guam
  Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Guatemala
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Guernsey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Guinea
  Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Guinea-Bissau
  Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Guyana
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Haiti
  Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22
  October (1978)

Honduras
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Hong Kong
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is
  celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment
  Day

Hungary
  Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Iceland
  Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

India
  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Indonesia
  Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Iran
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
  note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
  Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
  March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Iraq
  Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)

Ireland
  Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Israel
  Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
  independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
  the holiday may occur in April or May

Italy
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Jamaica
  Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Japan
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Jersey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jordan
  Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Kazakhstan
  Republic Day, 25 October (1990)

Kenya
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Kiribati
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Korea, North
  Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  (DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Korea, South
  Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Kuwait
  National Day, 25 February (1950)

Kyrgyzstan
  Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Laos
  Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Latvia
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918
  is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is
  the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Lebanon
  Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Lesotho
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Liberia
  Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Libya
  Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Liechtenstein
  Assumption Day, 15 August

Lithuania
  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February
  1918 is the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian,
  and Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence
  from the Soviet Union

Luxembourg
  National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Macau
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is
  celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Uprising Day, 2 August
  (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden

Madagascar
  Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Malawi
  Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Malaysia
  Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Maldives
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Mali
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Malta
  Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Man, Isle of
  Tynwald Day, 5 July

Marshall Islands
  Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Martinique
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mauritania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Mauritius
  Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Mayotte
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mexico
  Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Moldova
  Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Monaco
  National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Mongolia
  Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Montserrat
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Morocco
  Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30
  July (1999)

Mozambique
  Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Namibia
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Nauru
  Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Nepal
  Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Netherlands
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909
  and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980),
  30 April

Netherlands Antilles
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA
  in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX
  in 1980), 30 April

New Caledonia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

New Zealand
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Nicaragua
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Niger
  Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Nigeria
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Niue
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Norfolk Island
  Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Norway
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814); note - on 14 January 1814
  Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden; resisting Swedish domination,
  Norwegians adopted a new constitution four months later; on 14
  August 1814 Norway was proclaimed independent but in union with
  Sweden; on 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden
  dissolved

Oman
  Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Pakistan
  Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Palau
  Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Panama
  Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Papua New Guinea
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Paraguay
  Independence Day, 14 May (1811)

Peru
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Philippines
  Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12
  June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the
  date of independence from the US

Pitcairn Islands
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in
  June (1926)

Poland
  Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Portugal
  Portugal Day, 10 June (1580)

Puerto Rico
  US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico
  Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Qatar
  Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Reunion
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Romania
  Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December
  (1918)

Russia
  Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Rwanda
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Saint Helena
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Saint Lucia
  Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Samoa
  Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January
  1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered
  UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is
  celebrated

San Marino
  Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Saudi Arabia
  Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Senegal
  Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Serbia and Montenegro
  National Day, 27 April

Seychelles
  Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Sierra Leone
  Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Singapore
  Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Slovakia
  Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Slovenia
  Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Solomon Islands
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Somalia
  Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26
  June (1960) in Somaliland

South Africa
  Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Liberation Day, 14 June
  (1982)

Spain
  Hispanic Day, 12 October

Sri Lanka
  Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Sudan
  Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Suriname
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Sweden
  Flag Day, 6 June

Switzerland
  Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Syria
  Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Taiwan
  Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10
  October (1911)

Tajikistan
  Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Tanzania
  Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Thailand
  Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Togo
  Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Tokelau
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Tonga
  Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Tunisia
  Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Turkey
  Independence Day, 29 October (1923)

Turkmenistan
  Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Tuvalu
  Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Uganda
  Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Ukraine
  Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January
  (1918), the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
  Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

United Arab Emirates
  Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

United Kingdom
  Official Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, celebrated
  on the second Saturday in June (1926)

United States
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Uruguay
  Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Uzbekistan
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Vanuatu
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Venezuela
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Vietnam
  Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Virgin Islands
  Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Wallis and Futuna
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Yemen
  Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Zambia
  Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Zimbabwe
  Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2110 Nationality

Afghanistan
  noun: Afghan(s)
  adjective: Afghan

Albania
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian

Algeria
  noun: Algerian(s)
  adjective: Algerian

American Samoa
  noun: American Samoan(s)
  adjective: American Samoan

Andorra
  noun: Andorran(s)
  adjective: Andorran

Angola
  noun: Angolan(s)
  adjective: Angolan

Anguilla
  noun: Anguillan(s)
  adjective: Anguillan

Antigua and Barbuda
  noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
  adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Argentina
  noun: Argentine(s)
  adjective: Argentine

Armenia
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

Aruba
  noun: Aruban(s)
  adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Australia
  noun: Australian(s)
  adjective: Australian

Austria
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Azerbaijan
  noun: Azerbaijani(s)
  adjective: Azerbaijani

Bahamas, The
  noun: Bahamian(s)
  adjective: Bahamian

Bahrain
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

Bangladesh
  noun: Bangladeshi(s)
  adjective: Bangladeshi

Barbados
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Belarus
  noun: Belarusian(s)
  adjective: Belarusian

Belgium
  noun: Belgian(s)
  adjective: Belgian

Belize
  noun: Belizean(s)
  adjective: Belizean

Benin
  noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Beninese

Bermuda
  noun: Bermudian(s)
  adjective: Bermudian

Bhutan
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Bolivia
  noun: Bolivian(s)
  adjective: Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  noun: Bosnian(s)
  adjective: Bosnian

Botswana
  noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Brazil
  noun: Brazilian(s)
  adjective: Brazilian

British Virgin Islands
  noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: British Virgin Islander

Brunei
  noun: Bruneian(s)
  adjective: Bruneian

Bulgaria
  noun: Bulgarian(s)
  adjective: Bulgarian

Burkina Faso
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Burma
  noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burmese

Burundi
  noun: Burundian(s)
  adjective: Burundian

Cambodia
  noun: Cambodian(s)
  adjective: Cambodian

Cameroon
  noun: Cameroonian(s)
  adjective: Cameroonian

Canada
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

Cape Verde
  noun: Cape Verdean(s)
  adjective: Cape Verdean

Cayman Islands
  noun: Caymanian(s)
  adjective: Caymanian

Central African Republic
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

Chad
  noun: Chadian(s)
  adjective: Chadian

Chile
  noun: Chilean(s)
  adjective: Chilean

China
  noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese

Christmas Island
  noun: Christmas Islander(s)
  adjective: Christmas Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  noun: Cocos Islander(s)
  adjective: Cocos Islander

Colombia
  noun: Colombian(s)
  adjective: Colombian

Comoros
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and
  plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Congo, Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Cook Islands
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

Costa Rica
  noun: Costa Rican(s)
  adjective: Costa Rican

Cote d'Ivoire
  noun: Ivorian(s)
  adjective: Ivorian

Croatia
  noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
  adjective: Croatian

Cuba
  noun: Cuban(s)
  adjective: Cuban

Cyprus
  noun: Cypriot(s)
  adjective: Cypriot

Czech Republic
  noun: Czech(s)
  adjective: Czech

Denmark
  noun: Dane(s)
  adjective: Danish

Djibouti
  noun: Djiboutian(s)
  adjective: Djiboutian

Dominica
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

Dominican Republic
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

East Timor
  noun: Timorese
  adjective: Timorese

Ecuador
  noun: Ecuadorian(s)
  adjective: Ecuadorian

Egypt
  noun: Egyptian(s)
  adjective: Egyptian

El Salvador
  noun: Salvadoran(s)
  adjective: Salvadoran

Equatorial Guinea
  noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
  adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Eritrea
  noun: Eritrean(s)
  adjective: Eritrean

Estonia
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethiopia
  noun: Ethiopian(s)
  adjective: Ethiopian

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Faroe Islands
  noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Faroese

Fiji
  noun: Fijian(s)
  adjective: Fijian

Finland
  noun: Finn(s)
  adjective: Finnish

France
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

French Guiana
  noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
  adjective: French Guianese

French Polynesia
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian

Gabon
  noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Gabonese

Gambia, The
  noun: Gambian(s)
  adjective: Gambian

Gaza Strip
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Georgia
  noun: Georgian(s)
  adjective: Georgian

Germany
  noun: German(s)
  adjective: German

Ghana
  noun: Ghanaian(s)
  adjective: Ghanaian

Gibraltar
  noun: Gibraltarian(s)
  adjective: Gibraltar

Greece
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek

Greenland
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

Grenada
  noun: Grenadian(s)
  adjective: Grenadian

Guadeloupe
  noun: Guadeloupian(s)
  adjective: Guadeloupe

Guam
  noun: Guamanian(s)
  adjective: Guamanian

Guatemala
  noun: Guatemalan(s)
  adjective: Guatemalan

Guernsey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Guinea
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guinea-Bissau
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guyana
  noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Guyanese

Haiti
  noun: Haitian(s)
  adjective: Haitian

Holy See (Vatican City)
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Honduras
  noun: Honduran(s)
  adjective: Honduran

Hong Kong
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Hungary
  noun: Hungarian(s)
  adjective: Hungarian

Iceland
  noun: Icelander(s)
  adjective: Icelandic

India
  noun: Indian(s)
  adjective: Indian

Indonesia
  noun: Indonesian(s)
  adjective: Indonesian

Iran
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian

Iraq
  noun: Iraqi(s)
  adjective: Iraqi

Ireland
  noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective
  plural)
  adjective: Irish

Israel
  noun: Israeli(s)
  adjective: Israeli

Italy
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian

Jamaica
  noun: Jamaican(s)
  adjective: Jamaican

Japan
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese

Jersey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Jordan
  noun: Jordanian(s)
  adjective: Jordanian

Kazakhstan
  noun: Kazakhstani(s)
  adjective: Kazakhstani

Kenya
  noun: Kenyan(s)
  adjective: Kenyan

Kiribati
  noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
  adjective: I-Kiribati

Korea, North
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Korea, South
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Kuwait
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

Kyrgyzstan
  noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
  adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Laos
  noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
  adjective: Lao or Laotian

Latvia
  noun: Latvian(s)
  adjective: Latvian

Lebanon
  noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Lebanese

Lesotho
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho

Liberia
  noun: Liberian(s)
  adjective: Liberian

Libya
  noun: Libyan(s)
  adjective: Libyan

Liechtenstein
  noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
  adjective: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  noun: Lithuanian(s)
  adjective: Lithuanian

Luxembourg
  noun: Luxembourger(s)
  adjective: Luxembourg

Macau
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian

Madagascar
  noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
  adjective: Malagasy

Malawi
  noun: Malawian(s)
  adjective: Malawian

Malaysia
  noun: Malaysian(s)
  adjective: Malaysian

Maldives
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Mali
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian

Malta
  noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Maltese

Man, Isle of
  noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
  adjective: Manx

Marshall Islands
  noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Marshallese

Martinique
  noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Martiniquais

Mauritania
  noun: Mauritanian(s)
  adjective: Mauritanian

Mauritius
  noun: Mauritian(s)
  adjective: Mauritian

Mayotte
  noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Mahoran

Mexico
  noun: Mexican(s)
  adjective: Mexican

Micronesia, Federated States of
  noun: Micronesian(s)
  adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Moldova
  noun: Moldovan(s)
  adjective: Moldovan

Monaco
  noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
  adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Mongolia
  noun: Mongolian(s)
  adjective: Mongolian

Montserrat
  noun: Montserratian(s)
  adjective: Montserratian

Morocco
  noun: Moroccan(s)
  adjective: Moroccan

Mozambique
  noun: Mozambican(s)
  adjective: Mozambican

Namibia
  noun: Namibian(s)
  adjective: Namibian

Nauru
  noun: Nauruan(s)
  adjective: Nauruan

Nepal
  noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Nepalese

Netherlands
  noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
  adjective: Dutch

Netherlands Antilles
  noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
  adjective: Dutch Antillean

New Caledonia
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian

New Zealand
  noun: New Zealander(s)
  adjective: New Zealand

Nicaragua
  noun: Nicaraguan(s)
  adjective: Nicaraguan

Niger
  noun: Nigerien(s)
  adjective: Nigerien

Nigeria
  noun: Nigerian(s)
  adjective: Nigerian

Niue
  noun: Niuean(s)
  adjective: Niuean

Norfolk Island
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Northern Mariana Islands
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Norway
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Oman
  noun: Omani(s)
  adjective: Omani

Pakistan
  noun: Pakistani(s)
  adjective: Pakistani

Palau
  noun: Palauan(s)
  adjective: Palauan

Panama
  noun: Panamanian(s)
  adjective: Panamanian

Papua New Guinea
  noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
  adjective: Papua New Guinean

Paraguay
  noun: Paraguayan(s)
  adjective: Paraguayan

Peru
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

Philippines
  noun: Filipino(s)
  adjective: Philippine

Pitcairn Islands
  noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
  adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Poland
  noun: Pole(s)
  adjective: Polish

Portugal
  noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Portuguese

Puerto Rico
  noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Puerto Rican

Qatar
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

Reunion
  noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Reunionese

Romania
  noun: Romanian(s)
  adjective: Romanian

Russia
  noun: Russian(s)
  adjective: Russian

Rwanda
  noun: Rwandan(s)
  adjective: Rwandan

Saint Helena
  noun: Saint Helenian(s)
  adjective: Saint Helenian

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
  adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Saint Lucia
  noun: Saint Lucian(s)
  adjective: Saint Lucian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or
  Vincentian(s)
  adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Samoa
  noun: Samoan(s)
  adjective: Samoan

San Marino
  noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sammarinese

Sao Tome and Principe
  noun: Sao Tomean(s)
  adjective: Sao Tomean

Saudi Arabia
  noun: Saudi(s)
  adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Senegal
  noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Senegalese

Serbia and Montenegro
  noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
  adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Seychelles
  noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
  adjective: Seychellois

Sierra Leone
  noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
  adjective: Sierra Leonean

Singapore
  noun: Singaporean(s)
  adjective: Singapore

Slovakia
  noun: Slovak(s)
  adjective: Slovak

Slovenia
  noun: Slovene(s)
  adjective: Slovenian

Solomon Islands
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander

Somalia
  noun: Somali(s)
  adjective: Somali

South Africa
  noun: South African(s)
  adjective: South African

Spain
  noun: Spaniard(s)
  adjective: Spanish

Sri Lanka
  noun: Sri Lankan(s)
  adjective: Sri Lankan

Sudan
  noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sudanese

Suriname
  noun: Surinamer(s)
  adjective: Surinamese

Swaziland
  noun: Swazi(s)
  adjective: Swazi

Sweden
  noun: Swede(s)
  adjective: Swedish

Switzerland
  noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
  adjective: Swiss

Syria
  noun: Syrian(s)
  adjective: Syrian

Taiwan
  noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese

Tajikistan
  noun: Tajikistani(s)
  adjective: Tajikistani

Tanzania
  noun: Tanzanian(s)
  adjective: Tanzanian

Thailand
  noun: Thai (singular and plural)
  adjective: Thai

Togo
  noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Togolese

Tokelau
  noun: Tokelauan(s)
  adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga
  noun: Tongan(s)
  adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago
  noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
  adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia
  noun: Tunisian(s)
  adjective: Tunisian

Turkey
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan
  noun: Turkmen(s)
  adjective: Turkmen

Turks and Caicos Islands
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Tuvalu
  noun: Tuvaluan(s)
  adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda
  noun: Ugandan(s)
  adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine
  noun: Ukrainian(s)
  adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates
  noun: Emirati(s)
  adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British

United States
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Uruguay
  noun: Uruguayan(s)
  adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan
  noun: Uzbek(s)
  adjective: Uzbek

Vanuatu
  noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
  adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela
  noun: Venezuelan(s)
  adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam
  noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands
  noun: Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Western Sahara
  noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
  adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen
  noun: Yemeni(s)
  adjective: Yemeni

Zambia
  noun: Zambian(s)
  adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe
  noun: Zimbabwean(s)
  adjective: Zimbabwean

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2111 Natural resources

Afghanistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
  barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
  semiprecious stones

Albania
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber,
  nickel, hydropower

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead,
  zinc

American Samoa
  pumice, pumicite

Andorra
  hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola
  petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar,
  gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla
  salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica
  iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and
  other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
  uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
  and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda
  NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean
  sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
  polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals
  (seals and whales)

Argentina
  fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper,
  iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia
  small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Aruba
  NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  fish

Atlantic Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
  whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic
  nodules, precious stones

Australia
  bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,
  uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
  natural gas, petroleum

Austria
  iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite,
  copper, hydropower

Azerbaijan
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,
  alumina

Bahamas, The
  salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain
  oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Baker Island
  guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and
  aquatic wildlife

Bangladesh
  natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados
  petroleum, fish, natural gas

Bassas da India
  none

Belarus
  forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural
  gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium
  coal, natural gas

Belize
  arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin
  small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda
  limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Bolivia
  tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony,
  silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests,
  copper, chromium, lead, zinc, hydropower

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,
  iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates,
  platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory
  coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands
  NEGL

Brunei
  petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria
  bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso
  manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold,
  antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Burma
  petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten,
  lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
  hydropower

Burundi
  nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper,
  platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower

Cambodia
  timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates,
  hydropower potential

Cameroon
  petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada
  iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
  potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,
  natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde
  salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Cayman Islands
  fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil,
  hydropower

Chad
  petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium,
  natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Chile
  copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,
  molybdenum, hydropower

China
  coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin,
  tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite,
  aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island
  phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island
  fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fish

Colombia
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,
  copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros
  NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands
  NEGL

Coral Sea Islands
  NEGL

Costa Rica
  hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire
  petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,
  cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Croatia
  oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium,
  natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba
  cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber,
  silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus
  copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay
  earth pigment

Czech Republic
  hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark
  petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel
  and sand

Djibouti
  geothermal areas

Dominica
  timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic
  nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

East Timor
  gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Ecuador
  petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,
  limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador
  hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea
  oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits
  of gold, manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore

Eritrea
  gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural
  gas, fish

Estonia
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,
  dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia
  small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural
  gas, hydropower

Europa Island
  NEGL

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands
  fish, whales, hydropower

Fiji
  timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland
  timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

France
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish

French Guiana
  bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar,
  kaolin, fish

French Polynesia
  timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  fish, crayfish

Gabon
  petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore,
  hydropower

Gambia, The
  fish

Gaza Strip
  arable land, natural gas

Georgia
  forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper,
  minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for
  important tea and citrus growth

Germany
  iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper,
  natural gas, salt, nickel, arable land

Ghana
  gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
  rubber, hydropower

Gibraltar
  NEGL

Glorioso Islands
  guano, coconuts

Greece
  bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower
  potential

Greenland
  zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum,
  uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada
  timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guadeloupe
  cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Guam
  fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Guatemala
  petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey
  cropland

Guinea
  bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Guinea-Bissau
  fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited
  deposits of petroleum

Guyana
  bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti
  bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  fish

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
  antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong
  outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Howland Island
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
  and aquatic wildlife

Hungary
  bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland
  fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India
  coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,
  manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,
  diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
  aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia
  petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,
  copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
  manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq
  petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland
  zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,
  dolomite, peat, silver

Israel
  timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,
  magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy
  mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil
  reserves, fish, coal, arable land

Jamaica
  bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  negligible mineral resources, fish

Jarvis Island
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
  and aquatic wildlife

Jersey
  arable land

Johnston Atoll
  guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890,
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Jordan
  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Juan de Nova Island
  guano deposits and other fertilizers

Kazakhstan
  major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
  manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya
  gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,
  wildlife, hydropower

Kingman Reef
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Kiribati
  phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North
  coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron
  ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South
  coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
  potential

Kuwait
  petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan
  abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and
  rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
  other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia
  peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable
  land

Lebanon
  limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
  water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho
  water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and
  other minerals

Liberia
  iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya
  petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein
  hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania
  peat, arable land

Luxembourg
  iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau
  NEGL

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  chromium, lead, zinc,
  manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur,
  timber, arable land

Madagascar
  graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
  sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi
  limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
  uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia
  tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas,
  bauxite

Maldives
  fish

Mali
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
  known but not exploited

Malta
  limestone, salt, arable land

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Martinique
  coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Mauritania
  iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil,
  fish

Mauritius
  arable land, fish

Mayotte
  NEGL

Mexico
  petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas,
  timber

Micronesia, Federated States of
  forests, marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals

Midway Islands
  wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Moldova
  lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin,
  nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Montserrat
  NEGL

Morocco
  phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique
  coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,
  graphite

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium,
  cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
  note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Nauru
  phosphates, fish

Navassa Island
  guano

Nepal
  quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small
  deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands
  natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Netherlands Antilles
  phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia
  nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold,
  lead, copper

New Zealand
  natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,
  gold, limestone

Nicaragua
  gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger
  uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Nigeria
  natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal,
  limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue
  fish, arable land

Norfolk Island
  fish

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land, fish

Norway
  petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore,
  zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman
  petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
  gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean
  oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
  gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan
  land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,
  poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau
  forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals

Palmyra Atoll
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Panama
  copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea
  gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
  fisheries

Paracel Islands
  none

Paraguay
  hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru
  copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
  phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines
  timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,
  copper

Pitcairn Islands
  miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
  note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
  discovered offshore

Poland
  coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
  arable land

Portugal
  fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore,
  marble, arable land, hydropower

Puerto Rico
  some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
  offshore oil

Qatar
  petroleum, natural gas, fish

Reunion
  fish, arable land, hydropower

Romania
  petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,
  iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia
  wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,
  natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
  note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
  exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda
  gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),
  methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Helena
  fish

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land

Saint Lucia
  forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral
  springs, geothermal potential

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hydropower, cropland

Samoa
  hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino
  building stone

Sao Tome and Principe
  fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal
  fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia and Montenegro oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, gold, pyrite, chrome, hydropower, arable land

Seychelles
  fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
  chromite

Singapore
  fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia
  brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper
  and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia
  lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver,
  hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands
  fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
  zinc, nickel

Somalia
  uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
  gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa
  gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
  nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
  vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  fish

Southern Ocean
  probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
  on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer
  deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,
  and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Spain
  coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar,
  gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower,
  arable land

Spratly Islands
  fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
  potential

Sri Lanka
  limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,
  clay, hydropower

Sudan
  petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
  zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname
  timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,
  and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard
  coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Swaziland
  asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
  small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden
  zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium,
  hydropower

Switzerland
  hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,
  iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan
  small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and
  asbestos

Tajikistan
  hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,
  lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania
  hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
  gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand
  tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
  fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Togo
  phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau
  NEGL

Tonga
  fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tromelin Island
  fish

Tunisia
  petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey
  antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur,
  iron ore, arable land, hydropower

Turkmenistan
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands
  spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu
  fish

Uganda
  copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine
  iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
  graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
  arable land

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron
  ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land

United States
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,
  bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,
  zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Uruguay
  arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,
  copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu
  manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
  minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam
  phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil
  and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands
  sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island
  none

Wallis and Futuna
  NEGL

West Bank
  arable land

Western Sahara
  phosphates, iron ore

World
  the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
  depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
  plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
  (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
  serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
  beginning to address

Yemen
  petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal,
  gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Zambia
  copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,
  uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe
  coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron
  ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Albania
  -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Algeria
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Andorra
  6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Angola
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  -6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Argentina
  0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Armenia
  -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Aruba
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Australia
  4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Austria
  2.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  -5.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  -2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Barbados
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belarus
  2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belgium
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Belize
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Benin
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  -1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Botswana
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brazil
  -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  10.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Brunei
  3.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burma
  -1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Burundi
  -0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Canada
  6.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  -12.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  19.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2003
  est.)

Central African Republic
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chad
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Chile
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

China
  -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Colombia
  -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Comoros
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the -1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Croatia
  1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cuba
  -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Denmark
  2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominica
  -16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  -3.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

East Timor
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Egypt
  -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  -3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  -13.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
  Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
  between the two countries in 2000 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
  war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
  years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
  the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
  their homes (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Faroe Islands
  1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Fiji
  -3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Finland
  0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

France
  0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gabon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Georgia
  -2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Germany
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ghana
  -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greece
  1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Greenland
  -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Grenada
  -14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guam
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  -1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guinea
  -3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
  host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
  (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  -1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Guyana
  -4.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Haiti
  -4.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Honduras
  -2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Hungary
  0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iceland
  -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

India
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iran
  -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Iraq
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ireland
  3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Israel
  1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Italy
  2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  -5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Japan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jersey
  2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Jordan
  6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  -5.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kenya
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
  220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
  145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  14.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  -2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Laos
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Latvia
  -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liberia
  -10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries though
  slowly returning (2003 est.)

Libya
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  9.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macau
  8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malawi
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
  immigrants from other countries in the region (2003 est.)

Maldives
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mali
  -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Malta
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  5.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  -6.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Martinique
  -0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  7.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mexico
  -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Moldova
  -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Monaco
  7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Morocco
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Namibia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nauru
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nepal
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niger
  -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands 16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Norway
  2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oman
  0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Palau
  3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Panama
  -0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Peru
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Philippines
  -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Poland
  -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Portugal
  0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Qatar
  17.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Reunion
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Romania
  -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Russia
  0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -8.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  -4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -7.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  (2003 est.)

Samoa
  -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

San Marino
  11.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  -2.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Senegal
  0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  -5.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
  returning (2003 est.)

Singapore
  25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Somalia
  5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

South Africa
  -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Spain
  0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sudan
  0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Suriname
  -8.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sweden
  1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Syria
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  -3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Thailand
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Togo
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tonga
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -10.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkey
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uganda
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to
  178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including:
  Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo
  7,459 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

United States
  3.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  -0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2003 est.)

West Bank
  3.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Yemen
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zambia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan
  landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
  to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
  country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
  Corridor)

Albania
  strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
  Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria
  second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa
  Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
  harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
  seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
  strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra
  landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in
  the Pyrenees

Angola
  the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the
  rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser
  Antilles

Antarctica
  the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest
  continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
  at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
  period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with
  many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western
  harbor

Arctic Ocean
  major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
  access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic
  location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link
  between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
  research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
  in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
  snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina
  second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic
  and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
  Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain,
  while the Valdes Peninsula is the lowest point on the continent

Armenia
  landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich
  (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba
  a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
  its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the
  Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27
  degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
  established in August 1983

Atlantic Ocean
  major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
  Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
  include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
  Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
  Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia
  world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
  population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
  regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor"
  occurs along the west coast in the summer

Austria
  landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central
  Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major
  river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
  because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan
  both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
  exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The
  strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
  island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain
  close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
  location in Persian Gulf, which much of Western world's petroleum
  must transit to reach open ocean

Baker Island
  treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
  of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a
  nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

Bangladesh
  most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers
  flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main
  channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually
  empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados
  easternmost Caribbean island

Bassas da India
  the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits
  atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Belarus
  landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
  Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
  geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
  dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

Belgium
  crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European
  capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European
  Union and NATO

Belize
  only country in Central America without a coastline on the
  North Pacific Ocean

Benin
  sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
  harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda
  consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample
  rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by
  US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia
  landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
  navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
  borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led
  Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region
  called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and
  Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an
  ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the
  east

Botswana
  landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the
  country

Bouvet Island
  covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
  largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
  with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands
  strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
  Puerto Rico

Brunei
  close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
  Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by
  Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

Bulgaria
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
  routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
  the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi
  landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
  Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
  headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia
  a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
  and Tonle Sap

Cameroon
  sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout
  the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
  current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
  mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic
  location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately
  85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US border

Cape Verde
  strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near
  major north-south sea routes; important communications station;
  important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands
  important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic
  landlocked; almost the precise center of
  Africa

Chad
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
  Sahel

Chile
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
  Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China
  world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
  Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak;

Christmas Island
  located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island
  reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  islands are thickly covered with coconut
  palms and other vegetation

Colombia
  only South American country with coastlines on both North
  Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros
  important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the
  about 70% of the population lives in
  Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands
  the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
  populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight
  elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

Coral Sea Islands
  important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica
  four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital
  of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,
  Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire
  most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
  region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is
  sparsely populated

Croatia
  controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea
  and Turkish Straits

Cuba
  largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
  Greater Antilles

Cyprus
  the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after
  Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic
  landlocked; strategically located astride some of
  oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
  a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
  the Danube in central Europe

Denmark
  controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
  Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in
  greater Copenhagen

Djibouti
  strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and
  close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
  mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in
  Africa

Dominica
  known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
  spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
  by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
  Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
  include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
  the world

Dominican Republic
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
  two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

East Timor
  Timor comes from the Malay word for "Orient;" the island
  of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
  easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Ecuador
  Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt
  controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
  remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
  between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
  to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
  dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
  prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador
  smallest Central American country and only one without a
  coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea
  insular and continental regions rather widely
  separated

Eritrea
  strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest
  shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia
  along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
  1993

Estonia
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
  offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia
  landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost
  with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue
  Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in
  T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are
  believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and
  castor bean

Europa Island
  wildlife sanctuary

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  deeply indented coast provides
  good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands
  archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
  uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
  located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
  precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji
  includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland
  long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
  capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
  southwestern coastal plain

France
  largest West European nation

French Guiana
  mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only
  non-independent portion of the South American continent

French Polynesia
  includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);
  Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock
  islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island)
  in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  islands component is widely
  scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Gabon
  a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped
  Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
  circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
  pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The
  almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
  continent of Africa

Gaza Strip
  there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
  sites in the Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

Georgia
  strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
  controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany
  strategic location on North European Plain and along the
  entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana
  Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar
  strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the
  North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Glorioso Islands
  the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
  extensive reef system

Greece
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
  approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an
  archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
  Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast,
  but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital,
  Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guadeloupe
  a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe
  proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the
  smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

Guam
  largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
  archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala
  no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea
  the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their
  sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau
  this small country is swampy along its western coast
  and low-lying further inland

Guyana
  the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname
  and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern
  territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti
  shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
  one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy;
  world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in
  Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy
  extraterritorial rights

Honduras
  has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
  shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong
  more than 200 islands

Howland Island
  almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines,
  and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily
  a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

Hungary
  landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
  between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
  Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna
  (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland
  strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
  European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
  the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
  Europe

India
  dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian
  Ocean trade routes

Indian Ocean
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
  Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
  the Lombok Strait

Indonesia
  archipelago of more than 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
  straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea
  lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,
  which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq
  strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
  the Persian Gulf

Ireland
  strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
  America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
  within 97 km of Dublin

Israel
  there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
  in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in
  the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea
  of Galilee is an important freshwater source

Italy
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
  southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica
  strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
  Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen
  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan
  strategic location in northeast Asia

Jarvis Island
  sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing
  shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
  seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Jersey
  largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
  population concentrated in Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
  Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
  expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
  (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the
  egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a
  former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical
  Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation

Jordan
  strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as
  the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the
  occupied West Bank

Juan de Nova Island
  wildlife sanctuary

Kazakhstan
  landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of
  territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome

Kenya
  the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
  agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
  Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
  supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
  value

Kingman Reef
  barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to
  the public

Kiribati
  21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)
  in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North
  strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and
  Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South
  strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait
  strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
  landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien
  Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos
  landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
  forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with
  Thailand

Latvia
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
  with some hills in the east

Lebanon
  Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
  international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
  protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
  clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;
  mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea
  level

Liberia
  facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
  lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
  grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya
  more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein
  along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic
  variations based on elevation

Lithuania
  fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that
  are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg
  landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau
  essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the
  two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  landlocked; major
  transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean
  Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
  Mozambique Channel

Malawi
  landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
  most prominent physical feature

Malaysia
  strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
  South China Sea

Maldives
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
  islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
  strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
  cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
  northern, arid Saharan

Malta
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
  largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
  being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Man, Isle of
  one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the
  southwest, and is a bird sanctuary

Marshall Islands
  two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and
  1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
  Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
  missile test range

Martinique
  the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May
  1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre,
  killing 30,000 inhabitants

Mauritania
  most of the population concentrated in the cities of
  Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
  southern part of the country

Mauritius
  the main island, from which the country derives its name,
  is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
  reefs

Mayotte
  part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Mexico
  strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),
  one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated
  in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four major island groups totaling
  607 islands

Midway Islands
  a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
  and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form
  of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling,
  and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for
  reorganization at present (2003)

Moldova
  landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
  minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco
  second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy
  See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia
  landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montserrat
  the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains
  seven active volcanoes

Morocco
  strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique
  the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
  fertile part of the country

Namibia
  first country in the world to incorporate the protection of
  the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
  protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru
  Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
  Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island
  strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
  at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland
  to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered
  cactus

Nepal
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest
  - the world's tallest - on the border with China

Netherlands
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,
  Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles
  are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group
  (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands
  (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

New Caledonia
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of
  the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
  and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand
  about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
  is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua
  largest country in Central America; contains the largest
  freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger
  landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world:
  northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,
  suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria
  the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows
  southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in
  the Gulf of Guinea

Niue
  one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island
  most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost
  inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one
  small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is
  situated

Northern Mariana Islands
  strategic location in the North Pacific
  Ocean

Norway
  about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
  indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
  routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
  in world

Oman
  strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
  Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean
  the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
  Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
  the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
  Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
  the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan
  controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
  routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau
  westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
  island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
  battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Palmyra Atoll
  about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut
  trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama
  strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
  bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
  that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
  Ocean

Papua New Guinea
  shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
  world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands
  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs
  divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
  Group

Paraguay
  landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
  population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru
  shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
  lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,
  is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines
  favorably located in relation to many of Southeast
  Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu
  Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands
  Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger
  island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural
  harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger
  ships stationed offshore

Poland
  historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and
  the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal
  Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along
  western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico
  important location along the Mona Passage - a key
  shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
  and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
  high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
  relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar
  strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
  petroleum deposits

Reunion
  this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano,
  Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at
  Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the
  Indian Ocean

Romania
  controls most easily traversable land route between the
  Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia
  largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
  located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
  size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
  too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount Elbrus is Europe's
  tallest peak

Rwanda
  landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
  population predominantly rural

Saint Helena
  harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere
  else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles
  and sooty terns

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat
  and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide
  channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball
  bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in
  the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape
  complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia
  the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking
  cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
  highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa
  occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino
  landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after
  the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe
  the smallest country in Africa; the two main
  islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are
  fairly mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea
  provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through
  Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal
  westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is
  almost an enclave of Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro
  controls one of the major land routes from
  Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along
  the Adriatic coast

Seychelles
  40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Sierra Leone
  rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)
  a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western
  Africa

Singapore
  focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia
  landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
  the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic
  lakes and valleys

Slovenia
  despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
  controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands
  strategic location on sea routes between the South
  Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

Somalia
  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
  approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa
  South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
  completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the north coast of
  South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;
  reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean
  the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
  South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic
  Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent
  of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the
  Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar
  surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the
  Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching
  south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south
  in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum
  westerly winds

Spain
  strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands
  strategically located near several primary shipping
  lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small
  islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan
  largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its
  tributaries

Suriname
  smallest independent country on South American continent;
  mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna
  that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new
  development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard
  northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of
  nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total
  area

Swaziland
  landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and
  North Seas

Switzerland
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
  along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern
  Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria
  there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
  in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

Taiwan
  strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the
  Luzon Strait

Tajikistan
  landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the
  Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
  highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was
  the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania
  Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three
  of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
  second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
  world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand
  controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Togo
  the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
  geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau
  consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a
  number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over
  three meters above sea level

Tonga
  archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is
  the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tromelin Island
  climatologically important location for forecasting
  cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Tunisia
  strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Turkey
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,
  Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
  Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
  eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan
  landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate
  portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,
  which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands
  about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu
  one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six
  of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti,
  and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
  have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda
  landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
  rivers

Ukraine
  strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and
  Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates
  strategic location along southern approaches to
  Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km
  from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
  because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125
  km from tidal waters

United States
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia
  and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley
  is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point
  on the continent

Uruguay
  second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);
  most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
  grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu
  a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
  islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South
  America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
  waterfall

Vietnam
  extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km
  across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands
  important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
  shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
  natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency
  landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna
  both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank
  landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's
  coastal aquifers; there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian
  land use sites in the West Bank and 29 in East Jerusalem (February
  2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  the waters off the coast are particularly rich
  fishing areas

World
  the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,
  just about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the
  universe

Yemen
  strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the
  Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping
  lanes

Zambia
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria
  Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2115 Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan
  NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional
  Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential
  Afghans, diaspora members, and former political leaders

Albania
  Omonia [Vangjel DULES]

Algeria
  NA

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
  [N'zita Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE]
  note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed
  struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William
  ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina
  Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);
  Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine
  Rural Society (large landowners' association); business
  organizations; General Confederation of Labor or CGT
  (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Peronist-dominated
  labor movement; Roman Catholic Church; students

Armenia
  Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian
  Republican Movement [leader NA]

Austria
  Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or
  OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian
  Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief
  lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and
  farmers

Azerbaijan
  Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian
  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of
  Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97,
  demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
  unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
  fundamentalist groups are active

Bangladesh
  NA

Barbados
  Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor
  Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric
  SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

Belarus
  NA

Belgium
  Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian
  Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers,
  manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical
  professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests
  of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi
  and groups representing immigrants

Belize
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
  [Adele CATZIM]

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial
  Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association
  or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan
  Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading
  militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United
  Front for Democracy (exiled)

Bolivia
  Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions;
  Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Felipe
  QUISPE]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  left wing of the Catholic Church; Landless Worker's Movement;
  labor unions allied to leftist Worker's Party

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  agrarian movement; Confederation of Independent Trade
  Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous
  regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

Burkina Faso
  Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB;
  Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February;
  National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National
  Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action
  groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Burma
  All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin
  Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National
  Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN]
  consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's
  Assembly but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled
  to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form
  a parallel government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army
  or UWSA

Burundi
  loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated
  with Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
  security forces

Cambodia
  NA

Cameroon
  Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong
  ALOBWEDE]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

Canada
  NA

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  revitalized university student federations at all major
  universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT
  includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor
  confederations

China
  no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
  government has identified the Falungong sect and the China Democracy
  Party as potential rivals

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia -
  Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National
  Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is
  United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
  General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
  Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
  Socialist Youth or UJSC

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD
  (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated
  Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
  Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
  affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
  Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
  of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
  Brown]

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA

Croatia
  NA

Cuba
  NA

Cyprus
  Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West);
  Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of
  Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor
  Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

Czech Republic
  Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions [Richard
  FALBR]

Denmark
  NA

Djibouti
  Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes
  RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD
  (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini
  AHMED]

Dominica
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Dominican Republic
  Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or
  CONAIE [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or
  CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
  Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
  Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
  CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

Egypt
  despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties,
  the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's
  potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated
  limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two
  terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its
  influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in
  practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are
  officially sanctioned

El Salvador
  labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El
  Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar
  Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National
  Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of
  Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or
  SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or
  USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of
  Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National
  Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly
  Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or
  ASI

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including
  Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel
  Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also
  known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front
  or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a
  coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions)
  [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

Estonia
  NA

Ethiopia
  Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader
  NA]; Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in
  Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's
  Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  NA

France
  historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
  Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
  left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
  Travail) or CFDT, approximately 865,000 members (claimed, of which
  810,000 are actively employed); independent labor union
  (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000
  members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation
  Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers'
  union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000
  companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  NA

Georgia
  Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in
  exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South
  Ossetia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

Germany
  employers' organizations; expellee, refugee, trade unions,
  and veterans groups

Ghana
  NA

Gibraltar
  Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives
  Organization; Women's Association

Greece
  NA

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
  KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
  Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent
  Guadeloupe or MPGI

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity
  or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee
  of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations
  or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  NA

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of
  Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
  note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
  organized

Haiti
  Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian
  Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National
  Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular
  Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by
  church officers)

Honduras
  Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or
  CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating
  Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers
  Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or
  COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;
  National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United
  Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH

Hong Kong
  Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
  Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
  Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
  general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
  of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong
  Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China
  [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council
  (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong
  Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal
  Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]

Hungary
  NA

Iceland
  NA

India
  numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
  including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
  Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
  communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
  Hurriyat Conference

Indonesia
  NA

Iran
  active pro-reform student groups include the "Organization for
  Strengthening Unity"; groups that generally support the Islamic
  Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the
  Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat),
  Islamic Coalition Association, and Islamic Engineers Society;
  opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National
  Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various Monarchist organizations; armed
  political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the
  government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's
  Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  NA

Israel
  Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes
  settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem
  monitors human rights abuses

Italy
  Italian manufacturers and merchants associations
  (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups
  (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three
  major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana
  del Lavoro or CGIL [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing,
  Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino
  PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del
  Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)

Jamaica
  New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
  religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Japan
  NA

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
  chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
  Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
  Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
  Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY];
  AZAMAT "Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym
  ABILSEITOV, cochairmen]; Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan
  ZHAKIYANOV, Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, cochairmen]; Labor and Worker's
  Movement [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Kazakhstan International Bureau
  on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Orleu
  "Development" Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Pensioners Movement
  or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of
  Kazakhstan of NKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's
  Cooperative Party of Kazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican
  People's Party of Kazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN];
  Socialist Party [Petr SVOIK]

Kenya
  human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations;
  National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition
  of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha
  KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK
  [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
  Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur
  al-BUSAIDY]

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean
  Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National
  Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans'
  Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic
  Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;
  National Federation of Student Associations

Kuwait
  several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
  merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
  nationalists

Kyrgyzstan
  Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human
  Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement;
  Union of Entrepreneurs

Laos
  noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition
  leaders fled the country in 1975

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  NA

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
  memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
  Islamic elements

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector
  trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural
  producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union
  representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of
  Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL
  (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union);
  OGBL (center-left trade union)

Macau
  Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of
  Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director];
  Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  NA

Madagascar
  Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian
  Churches or FFKM

Malawi
  National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA]

Malaysia
  NA

Maldives
  none

Mali
  Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement
  and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union
  for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
  League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Mauritania
  Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of
  Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary
  general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM
  [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM
  [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

Mauritius
  various labor unions

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or
  COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
  Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National
  Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade
  Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing
  Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation
  Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
  National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican
  Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants
  or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

Moldova
  NA

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  NA

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];
  General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];
  Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National
  Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan
  Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Mozambique
  Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e
  Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO
  Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para
  Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga
  Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president];
  Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or
  DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL also
  known as Prahanda, chairman; and chief negotiator, Dr. Baburam
  BHATTARAI, from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist]; numerous small,
  left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical
  Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Netherlands
  Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement
  (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant
  trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
  Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
  firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  NA

Nicaragua
  National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella
  group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or
  ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
  Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
  Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
  Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
  Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
  Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
  umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
  Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
  Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
  Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
  Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
  business groups

Niger
  NA

Nigeria
  Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  NA

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  military remains most important political force; ulema
  (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also
  influential

Palau
  NA

Panama
  Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council
  of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Union of Construction and
  Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council of Private Enterprise
  or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
  Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
  the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or
  CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church;
  Unitary Workers Central or CUT

Peru
  leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
  Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
  Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
  Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

Philippines
  NA

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej
  MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity
  Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Portugal
  NA

Puerto Rico
  Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed
  Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as
  the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  various human rights and professional associations

Russia
  NA

Rwanda
  IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

Serbia and Montenegro
  Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK
  [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim
  RUGOVA]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Group of
  17 Independent Economists or G-17 [leader NA]; National Movement for
  the Liberation of Kosovo or LKCK [Sabit GASHI]; Otpor Student
  Resistance Movement [leader NA]; Political Council for Presevo,
  Meveda and Bujanovac or PCPMB [leader NA]; The People's Movement for
  Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Sierra Leone
  Trade Unions and Student Unions

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns
  and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
  Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for
  power

South Africa
  Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU
  [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party
  or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National
  Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national
  president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the
  ANC

Spain
  business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
  unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
  Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
  USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais
  (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker
  Prestige oil spill)

Sri Lanka
  Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil
  Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for
  a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
  National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

Sudan
  Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI];
  National Congress Party [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR]; National Democratic
  Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's
  Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

Suriname
  General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
  BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement [Leendert ADAMS];
  Tucayana Amazonica [Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for
  Liberation and Democracy [Kofi AFONGPONG]

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  NA

Switzerland
  NA

Syria
  conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates
  in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little
  effective political influence

Taiwan
  Taiwan independence movement, various business and
  environmental groups
  note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
  mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
  and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
  legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
  identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
  currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
  outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
  people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
  independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
  with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
  include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
  UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
  World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
  Taiwan Nation Building

Tajikistan
  there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000
  or more members: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party
  [Hikmatuko SAIDOV]

Tanzania
  NA

Thailand
  NA

Togo
  NA

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi
  POHIVA, president]

Trinidad and Tobago
  Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

Tunisia
  the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
  outlawed

Turkey
  Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
  Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
  CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
  or MUSIAD [Erol YARAR]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
  USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
  TUSIAD [Muharrem KAYHAN]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions
  or TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
  [Bayram MERAL]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
  TESK [Dervis GUNDAY; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
  Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of
  British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

United States
  NA

Uruguay
  NA

Uzbekistan
  Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk
  (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9
  December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV,
  chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan
  [Abduhoshim GHAFUROV, chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia INOYATOVA]

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS
  groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor
  organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

Vietnam
  none

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  NA

Zimbabwe
  National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU];
  Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of
  Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2116 Economy - overview

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country,
  highly dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising
  (sheep and goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic
  considerations have played second fiddle to political and military
  upheavals during more than two decades of war, including the nearly
  10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989).
  During that conflict, one-third of the population fled the country,
  with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of 4 to 6 million
  refugees. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the
  past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the
  disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the
  nation's difficulties in 1998-2002. The majority of the population
  continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and
  medical care, and a dearth of jobs, problems exacerbated by
  political uncertainties and the general level of lawlessness.
  International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the
  Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002,
  when $4.5 billion was pledged, $1.7 billion for 2002. Of that
  approximately $900 million was directed to humanitarian aid - food,
  clothing, and shelter - and another $90 million for the Afghan
  Transitional Authority. Further World Bank and other aid came in
  2003. Priority areas for reconstruction include upgrading education,
  health, and sanitation facilities; providing income generating
  opportunities; enhancing administrative and security arrangements,
  especially in regional areas; developing the agricultural sector;
  rebuilding transportation, energy, and telecommunication
  infrastructure; and reabsorbing 2 million returning refugees. The
  replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of
  GDP - and the search for oil and gas resources in the northern
  region are two major long-term issues.

Albania
  Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making
  the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
  government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
  economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
  from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
  Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
  which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
  drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
  plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out
  of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors,
  and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports
  to relieve the shortages. In addition, the government is moving to
  improve the poor national road network, a long-standing barrier to
  sustained economic growth.

Algeria
  The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
  accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over
  95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of
  natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it
  ranks 14th in oil reserves. Algeria's financial and economic
  indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy
  reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris
  Club. Algeria's finances in 2000-03 benefited from substantial trade
  surpluses, record foreign exchange reserves, and reductions in
  foreign debt. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and
  increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to
  diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment
  outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in
  reducing high unemployment and improving living standards.

American Samoa
  This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which
  more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is
  strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most
  of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are
  the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary
  export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to
  American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to
  develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's
  remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating
  hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the
  recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.

Andorra
  Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
  accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists
  visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its
  summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has
  recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
  have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
  lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also
  contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is
  limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be
  imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising.
  Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and
  furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
  treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
  and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Angola
  Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter
  century of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace
  was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on
  February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue
  including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence
  agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population.
  Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the
  economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of
  exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully
  take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds,
  extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits -
  Angola will need to continue reforming government policies. While
  Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from 325%
  in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make
  sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as
  increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater
  transparency in government spending. Increased oil production should
  bring about 6% GDP growth in 2003.

Anguilla
  Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends
  heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
  remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
  industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,
  has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
  substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
  which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
  economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
  revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
  favorable weather conditions.

Antarctica
  Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad,
  account for the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in
  2000-01 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons.
  Unregulated fishing, particularly of tooth fish, is a serious
  problem. Allegedly illegal fishing in antarctic waters in 1998
  resulted in the seizure (by France and Australia) of at least eight
  fishing ships. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic
  Marine Living Resources determines the recommended catch limits for
  marine species. A total of 12,248 tourists visited in the 2000-01
  antarctic summer, down from the 14,762 who visited the previous
  year. Nearly all of them were passengers on 21 commercial
  (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that made trips during
  the summer. Most tourist trips lasted approximately two weeks.

Antigua and Barbuda
  Tourism continues to dominate the economy,
  accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers
  since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the
  government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's
  agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and
  constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming
  from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction.
  Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major
  products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
  Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to
  depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in
  the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist
  arrivals.

Arctic Ocean
  Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of
  natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Argentina
  Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly
  literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
  diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
  country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation,
  external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000
  was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained
  skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the
  peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic
  situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine
  bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in
  consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a
  "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore
  economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting
  economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in
  January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange
  rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the
  economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. Strong demand for
  the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange
  markets to curb its appreciation in early 2003. Led by record
  exports, the economy began to recover with output up 5.5% in 2003,
  unemployment falling, and inflation sliced to 4.2% at year-end.

Armenia
  Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had
  developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools,
  textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in
  exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the
  USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale
  agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the
  Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more
  investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has
  been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
  current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral
  deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict
  with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of
  Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic
  system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic
  decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian
  Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program
  that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2003. Armenia
  also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency
  (the dram), and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises.
  The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and
  mid-1990s have been offset by the energy supplied by one of its
  nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy
  exporter, although it does not have sufficient generating capacity
  to replace Metsamor, which is under international pressure to close.
  The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002.
  Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by
  international aid, domestic restructuring of the economy, and
  foreign direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close,
  especially in the energy sector.

Aruba
  Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy,
  with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important.
  The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has
  resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.
  Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985
  level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in
  1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings,
  has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low
  unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job
  vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
  Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September
  2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with
  a budget deficit and a negative trade balance.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  no economic activity

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most
  heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and
  Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the
  exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of
  aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and
  natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Australia
  Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist
  economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West
  European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been
  offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence
  remains robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms is another key
  factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic
  conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst
  drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003.

Austria
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high
  standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,
  especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of
  foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single
  European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing
  growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to
  only 1.2% growth in 2001, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. To meet
  increased competition from both EU and Central European countries,
  Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the
  economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its
  tax burden. A key issue is the encouragement of much greater
  participation in the labor market by its ageing population.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil
  production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase
  every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements
  (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion
  to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed
  to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the
  first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating
  Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the
  formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the
  transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable
  energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only
  recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic
  ties and structures are slowly being replaced. One obstacle to
  economic progress is the need for stepped up foreign investment in
  the non-energy sector. A second obstacle is the continuing conflict
  with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and
  the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while
  trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term
  prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new
  pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil
  wealth.

Bahamas, The
  The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an
  economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism
  alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly
  employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in
  tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts,
  and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the
  slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held
  back growth in these sectors in 2002. Manufacturing and agriculture
  together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little
  growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.
  Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the
  fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,
  the source of most of the visitors.

Bahrain
  In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for
  about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of
  GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport
  facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with
  business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil
  granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum
  products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on
  several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among
  the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources
  are major long-term economic problems.

Baker Island
  no economic activity

Bangladesh
  Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to
  improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a
  poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP
  is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
  Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
  the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
  include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
  enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
  force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
  energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
  slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
  in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
  levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
  from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
  interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
  ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
  but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
  areas.

Barbados
  Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on
  sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in
  recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism.
  Offshore finance and information services are important foreign
  exchange earners, and there is also a light-manufacturing sector.
  The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to
  encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining
  state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002 mainly due
  to a 3% decline in tourism. Growth should be positive in 2003, the
  precise level largely dependent on economic conditions in the US and
  Europe.

Bassas da India
  no economic activity

Belarus
  Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when
  President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market
  socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed
  administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and
  expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private
  enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by high inflation and
  persistent trade deficits, businesses have been subject to pressure
  on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary
  changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive
  application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive"
  businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive
  policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. Close
  relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the
  pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus
  remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.

Belgium
  This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on
  its central geographic location, highly developed transport network,
  and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
  concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With
  few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of
  raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
  economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
  three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
  is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing
  its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began
  circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
  2001-03 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown.
  Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and
  the US.

Belize
  In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the
  tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed
  by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The
  government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
  September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000,
  4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the
  sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective
  remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international
  donors.

Benin
  The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
  subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six
  years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase.
  Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
  raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
  investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
  development of new food processing systems and agricultural
  products, and encourage new information and communication
  technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
  telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
  initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
  creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
  speeded-up structural reforms.

Bermuda
  Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the
  world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial
  services for international business and luxury facilities for
  tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive
  and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a
  number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island,
  contributing to the expansion of an already robust international
  business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's tourism industry -
  which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been
  severely hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Tourism
  rebounded somewhat in 2002, but remains below the pre-11 September
  level. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's
  industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be
  important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable.

Bhutan
  The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed,
  is based on agriculture and forestry, providing the main livelihood
  for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of
  subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate
  the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure
  difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's
  through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's
  financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically
  backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most
  development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian
  migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for
  tourists are key resources. The government has made some progress in
  expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare.
  Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with
  support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic
  program takes into account the government's desire to protect the
  country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and
  uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
  and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Bolivia
  Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin
  American countries, made considerable progress in the 1990s toward
  the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under
  President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free
  trade agreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of the
  Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization
  of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power
  company, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to
  tight government budget policies, which limited needed
  appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the
  Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances held down
  growth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to the
  global slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth picked up
  slightly in 2002, but the first quarter of 2003 saw extensive civil
  riots and looting and loss of confidence in the government. Bolivia
  will remain highly dependent on foreign aid unless and until it can
  develop its substantial natural resources.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The
  Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the
  old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in
  private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic
  traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry has been greatly
  overstaffed, one reflection of the socialist economic structure of
  Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military industries
  in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted a number of
  Yugoslavia's defense plants. The bitter interethnic warfare in
  Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1990 to 1995,
  unemployment to soar, and human misery to multiply. With an uneasy
  peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates
  from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. GDP remains
  far below the 1990 level. Economic data are of limited use because,
  although both entities issue figures, national-level statistics are
  limited. Moreover, official data do not capture the large share of
  black market activity. The marka - the national currency introduced
  in 1998 - is now pegged to the euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia
  and Herzegovina has dramatically increased its reserve holdings.
  Implementation of privatization, however, has been slow, and local
  entities only reluctantly support national-level institutions.
  Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments
  bureaus were shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of
  reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the
  international community but will have to prepare for an era of
  declining assistance.

Botswana
  Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth
  rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
  sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the
  poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per
  capita GDP of $9,500 in 2002. Two major investment services rank
  Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has
  fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than
  one-third of GDP and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism,
  subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On
  the downside, the government must deal with high rates of
  unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but
  unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection
  rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's
  impressive economic gains. Long-term prospects are overshadowed by
  the prospects of a leveling off in diamond mining production.

Bouvet Island
  no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
  Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
  manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
  of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
  in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits
  via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became
  more risk averse to emerging markets as a consequence of the Asian
  financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August
  1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging
  progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion
  IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January
  1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no
  longer be pegged to the US dollar. The consequent devaluation helped
  moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999, and the country
  posted moderate GDP growth in 2000. Economic growth slowed
  considerably in 2001-03 - to less than 2% - because of a slowdown in
  major markets and the hiking of interest rates by the Central Bank
  to combat inflationary pressures. New president DA SILVA, who took
  office 1 January 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex
  tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and
  continuing the fight against inflation.

British Indian Ocean Territory All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

British Virgin Islands
  The economy, one of the most stable and
  prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism,
  generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated
  350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998.
  Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In
  the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration
  to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and
  incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly
  400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The
  adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which
  provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory
  gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make
  the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international
  business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural
  activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic
  food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US
  Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as
  its currency since 1959.

Brunei
  This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign
  and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare
  measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas
  production account for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far
  above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from
  overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The
  government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and
  housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased
  integration in the world economy will undermine internal social
  cohesion, although it became a more prominent player by serving as
  chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation)
  forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force,
  reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist
  sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond
  oil and gas.

Bulgaria
  Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the
  European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong
  growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of
  the then socialist government. As a result, the government became
  committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300
  million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of
  2001 has supported government efforts to overcome high rates of
  poverty and unemployment.

Burkina Faso
  One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked
  Burkina Faso has few natural resources, a fragile soil, and a highly
  unequal distribution of income. About 90% of the population is
  engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is vulnerable to
  variations in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable
  government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc
  currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its
  development program in conjunction with international agencies, and
  exports and economic growth have increased. Maintenance of
  macroeconomic progress depends on continued low inflation, reduction
  in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private
  investment. The internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire
  continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the
  need for international assistance.

Burma
  Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject
  rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to
  liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese
  Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has
  been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an
  economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances -
  including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that
  overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate.
  In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the
  junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently
  ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and
  official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published
  estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because
  of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated
  to be one to two times the official economy.

Burundi
  Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
  underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
  agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
  subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
  exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
  ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
  conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
  minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
  coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
  population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
  the death of over 200,000 persons, sent 800,000 refugees into
  Tanzania, and displaced 525,000 others internally. Doubts about the
  prospects for sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only
  one in two children go to school, and approximately one in ten
  adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short
  supply.

Cambodia
  Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to
  the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political
  infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the
  first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic
  reforms and growth resumed at 5.0%. Despite severe flooding, GDP
  grew at 5.0% in 2000, 6.3% in 2001, and 5.2% in 2002. Tourism was
  Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000
  and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11, 2001 terrorist
  attacks in the US. Even given these stout growth estimates, the
  long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a
  daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive
  skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which
  suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of
  renewed political instability and corruption within the government
  discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. The government
  is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and
  multilateral donors.

Cameroon
  Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural
  conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity
  economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious
  problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy
  civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business
  enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF
  and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment,
  increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize
  the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
  IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
  the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
  transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
  International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
  economy.

Canada
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today
  closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system,
  pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War
  II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service
  sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into
  one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
  Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
  (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in
  trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close
  cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United
  States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.
  Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
  2001, with moderate recovery in 2002. Unemployment is up, with
  contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors.
  Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor
  force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
  prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing
  constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas,
  which has been raising the specter of a split in the federation.
  Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of
  professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense
  high-tech infrastructure. A key strength in the economy is the
  substantial trade surplus.

Cape Verde
  This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource
  base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of
  long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce,
  transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP.
  Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the
  share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing
  accounts for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing
  potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape
  Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid
  and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more
  than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private
  sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.
  Prospects for 2003 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows,
  tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's
  development program.

Cayman Islands
  With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving
  offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were
  registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600
  banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A
  stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay,
  accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency
  earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and
  caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals
  exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of
  the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The
  Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of
  the highest standards of living in the world.

Central African Republic
  Subsistence agriculture, together with
  forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African
  Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in
  outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP.
  Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the
  diamond industry for 54%. Important constraints to economic
  development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor
  transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy
  of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between
  the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic
  revitalization, with GDP growth likely to be no more than 1.3% in
  2003. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from
  France and the international community can only partially meet
  humanitarian needs.

Chad
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be
  boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000.
  Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and
  stock raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic
  provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to
  export oil in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its
  landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of
  instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital
  for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium
  led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop
  oil reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil
  production is scheduled to come on stream in late 2003.

Chile
  Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high
  level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation
  as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the
  democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the
  military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the
  military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97,
  but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary
  policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check
  and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the
  global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession
  in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls
  and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
  growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
  of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
  financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
  strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
  1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
  rebounded to 4.4% in 2000. Growth fell back to 2.8% in 2001 and 1.8%
  in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
  of the Argentine peso. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, putting
  pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One bright
  spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which
  will take effect on 1 January 2004.

China In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2003, with its 1.3 billion people but a GDP of just $5,000 per capita, China stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agriculture and industry have posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and growing income disparities). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing says it will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water control and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform aimed at eliminating arbitrary local levies on farmers. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen China's ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer internet use. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth.

Christmas Island
  Phosphate mining had been the only significant
  economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government
  closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of
  the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino
  closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support
  the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island,
  slated to begin operation in 2003.

Clipperton Island
  Although 115 species of fish have been identified
  in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic
  activity is tuna fishing.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are
  the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to
  the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must
  be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

Colombia
  Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign
  demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed
  conflict. Other economic problems facing the new president URIBE
  range from reforming the pension system to reducing high
  unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee,
  face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset
  declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are
  depressed. Colombian business leaders are calling for greater
  progress in solving the conflict with insurgent groups. On the
  positive side, several international financial institutions have
  praised the economic reforms introduced by President URIBE and have
  pledged enough funding to cover Colombia's debt servicing costs in
  2003.

Comoros
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
  three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
  rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
  educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
  level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
  dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
  including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
  employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
  The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
  main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
  which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
  upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial
  and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify
  exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population
  growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of
  4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans
  abroad help supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  The economy of the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth
  - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began
  in August 1998, has dramatically reduced national output and
  government revenue, has increased external debt, and has resulted in
  the deaths from war, famine, and disease of perhaps 3.5 million
  people. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to
  uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of
  infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. The war has
  intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal
  framework, corruption, inflation, and lack of openness in government
  economic policy and financial operations. Conditions improved in
  late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading
  foreign troops. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met
  with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan, and
  President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic
  activity lies outside the GDP data.

Congo, Republic of the
  The economy is a mixture of village
  agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on
  oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget
  problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the
  mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government
  revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil
  revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development
  projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest
  rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion
  of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12
  January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in
  inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic
  reform efforts continued with the support of international
  organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform
  program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October
  1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic
  reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
  international financial institutions. However, economic progress was
  badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed
  conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget
  deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal
  peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery
  and reducing poverty.

Cook Islands
  Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
  Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
  country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets,
  lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural
  disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the
  economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit.
  Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing,
  and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from
  emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In
  the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining
  a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt.
  Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the
  strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism,
  and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and
  growth.

Coral Sea Islands
  no economic activity

Costa Rica
  Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
  agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
  reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
  been put into place. At the same time, distribution of income
  remains severely unequal. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
  country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
  continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export
  sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance
  of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government
  continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal
  debt, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and
  telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down
  inflation.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers
  and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently,
  the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international
  prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite
  government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still largely
  dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage
  roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging
  performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to
  the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa
  and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as
  pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization,
  offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing
  and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover,
  government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in
  growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-02
  because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international
  donors, continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war
  fighting.

Croatia
  Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of
  Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized
  area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
  average. The economy emerged from its mild recession in 2000 with
  tourism the main factor, but massive structural unemployment remains
  a key negative element. The government's failure to press the
  economic reforms needed to spur growth is largely the result of
  coalition politics and public resistance, particularly from the
  trade unions. Opponents fear reforms would cut jobs, wages, and
  social benefits. The government has a heavy backload of civil cases,
  many involving tenure land. The country is likely to experience only
  moderate growth without disciplined fiscal and structural reform.

Cuba
  The government continues to balance the need for economic
  loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has
  undertaken limited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise
  efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods,
  and services but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major
  feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient
  export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average
  Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the
  severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by
  the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil import
  prices, recessions in key export markets, damage from Hurricanes
  Isidore and Lili, and the tourist slump after 11 September 2001
  hampered growth in 2002.

Cyprus
  The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly
  susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past
  decade reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist
  arrivals, caused by political instability in the region and
  fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic
  policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU.
  As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a
  few desalination plants are now online. The Turkish Cypriot economy
  has roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south. Because it
  is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging
  foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily dependent on
  agriculture and government service, which together employ about half
  of the work force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey
  provides grants and loans to support economic development. Ankara
  provided $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the
  2003-05 period. Future events throughout the island will be highly
  influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored
  agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas and by the
  arrangements under which the island joins the EU.

Czech Republic
  One of the most stable and prosperous of the
  post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from
  recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-03 was supported by exports
  to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign
  direct investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important
  role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the
  availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. High current
  account deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the last several
  years - could be a persistent problem. Inflation is under control.
  The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in
  preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and
  direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking,
  telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage
  additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among
  large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector
  should strengthen output growth. But revival in the European
  economies remains essential to stepped-up growth.

Denmark
  This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
  agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
  extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
  a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
  a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
  of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
  bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
  government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
  economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
  (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join the 12 other EU
  members in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the
  euro. Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in
  2003 was a mere 1.1%.

Djibouti
  The economy is based on service activities connected with
  the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
  northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
  city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
  limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
  be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
  the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
  It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is,
  therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support
  its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An
  unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation
  is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to
  the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over
  the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
  population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
  with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
  in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
  meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. Another factor limiting
  growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has
  more trade route options.

Dominica
  The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily
  bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
  international economic developments. Hurricane Luis devastated the
  country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a
  quarter of the 1994 crop. The economy subsequently has been fueled
  by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals.
  Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however,
  because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of
  an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and
  unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting
  to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the
  island's production base.

Dominican Republic
  The Dominican Republic's economy experienced
  dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was
  hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long
  been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco,
  in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the
  economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade
  zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the
  poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP,
  while the richest 10% enjoy nearly 40% of national income. Growth
  probably will slow in 2003 with reduced tourism and expected low
  growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues.

East Timor
  In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of
  East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
  militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
  years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
  peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
  substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By
  mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The
  country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of
  infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil
  administration. One promising long-term project is the planned
  development of oil resources in nearby waters.

Ecuador
  Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural
  areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil,
  bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a
  substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade
  Organization (WTrO) in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of
  its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed
  oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in
  1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which
  helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later
  that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation
  of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government
  to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the
  currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government.
  Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has
  managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with
  international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first
  standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10
  December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of
  a $300 million standby credit agreement. In February 2003, newly
  installed president Lucio GUTIERREZ faced a budget gap and massive
  foreign debt. He has pledged to use oil revenues to pay off debt and
  is seeking additional IMF support.

Egypt
  Egypt improved its macroeconomic performance throughout most
  of the last decade by following IMF advice on fiscal, monetary, and
  structural reform policies. As a result, Egypt managed to tame
  inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign
  investment. In the past four years, however, the pace of reform has
  slackened, and excessive spending on national infrastructure
  projects has widened budget deficits again. Lower foreign exchange
  earnings since 1998 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and
  periodic dollar shortages. Monetary pressures have increased since
  11 September 2001 because of declines in tourism and Suez Canal
  tolls, and Egypt has devalued the pound several times in the past
  year. The development of a gas export market is a major bright spot
  for future growth prospects. In the short term, regional tensions
  will continue to affect tourism and hold back prospects for economic
  expansion.

El Salvador
  In recent years, this Central American economy has been
  suffering from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the
  aftermaths of Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and the devastating
  earthquakes of early 2001, and weak world coffee prices. On the
  bright side, inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total
  exports have grown substantially. The trade deficit has been offset
  by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living
  abroad and by external aid. The US dollar is now the legal tender.
  Because competitor countries have fluctuating exchange rates, El
  Salvador must face the challenge of raising productivity and
  lowering costs.

Equatorial Guinea
  The discovery and exploitation of large oil
  reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent
  years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of
  GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence
  Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency
  earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes
  has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government
  has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into
  agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank
  and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and
  mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because
  of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying
  to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank
  and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government
  officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources
  include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold.
  Growth will remain strong in 2003, led by oil.

Eritrea
  Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has
  faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country.
  Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely
  based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population
  involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in
  1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero
  in 1999 and to -1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into
  northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and
  loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000
  homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most
  productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even
  during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure,
  asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged
  roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has
  maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the
  military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's
  development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization
  of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well
  below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future
  depends upon its ability to master social problems such as
  illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to
  private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster
  economic growth.

Estonia
  Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is
  steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties
  to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The
  economy benefits from strong electronics and telecoms sectors. A
  major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The economy is
  greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany,
  three major trading partners. The high current account deficit
  remains a concern.

Ethiopia
  Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on
  agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80%
  of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent
  drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the
  Ethiopian economy with exports of some $270 million in 2000/01, but
  historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to
  supplement their income. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000 and
  recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee
  production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from
  the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under
  Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and
  provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to
  hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable
  to use land as collateral for loans. Strong growth in 2002 resulted
  from good rainfall early in the year, the cessation of hostilities,
  and renewed foreign aid and debt relief. But drought struck again
  late in 2002, and the World Food Program (WFP) estimates 14 million
  Ethiopians need food immediately to survive into 2003. The
  government estimates than annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce
  poverty, yet the maintenance of 5% in 2003 will be quite difficult
  (one estimate is for 1.5% growth).

Europa Island
  no economic activity

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

Faroe Islands
  The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since
  1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and
  stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of
  labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic
  development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce
  increasing budget surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large
  public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total
  dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely
  vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what
  is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close
  to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese
  area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified
  economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance.
  Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the
  Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
  Scandinavians.

Fiji
  Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one
  of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
  with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
  industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
  sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
  industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment,
  uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to
  manage its budget.

Finland
  Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market
  economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France,
  Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing -
  principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and
  electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling
  almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals,
  Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some
  components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate,
  agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency
  in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a
  secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing
  integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11
  countries joining the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on
  1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next
  several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown
  but will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no
  further blows.

France
  France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do
  modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
  intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
  Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many
  large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains controlling
  stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France
  Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors,
  particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The
  telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition.
  France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they
  maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social
  spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets
  on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered
  income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. At the end
  of 2002 the government was focusing on the problems of the high cost
  of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour
  workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government was also
  pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative
  procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The
  current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed
  the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment
  remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, high
  debt, and the steep cost of capital.

French Guiana
  The economy is tied closely to the larger French
  economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space
  center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and
  forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and
  woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical
  hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill
  industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is
  limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely
  concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is
  heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a
  serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

French Polynesia
  Since 1962, when France stationed military
  personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
  subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion
  of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the
  tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996,
  the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism
  accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard
  currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and
  deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector
  primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits
  substantially from development agreements with France aimed
  principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social
  services.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Economic activity is limited to
  servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and
  French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles
  Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Gabon
  Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most
  nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in
  extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large
  proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber
  and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.
  The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face
  fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.
  Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management
  hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50%
  on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%;
  the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby
  arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility
  (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by
  credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate
  progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided
  additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF
  targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized
  the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing
  from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for
  privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices
  in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon
  from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed
  a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt.
  A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in
  December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world
  economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural
  resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the
  population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
  Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of
  peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a
  major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed
  preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi
  (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The
  Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm
  Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
  following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices
  and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth.
  Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Shortrun
  economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral
  and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management
  as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and on expected
  growth in the construction sector.

Gaza Strip
  Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the
  responsibility of the Palestinian Authority since the Cairo
  Agreement of May 1994 - declined by about one-third between 1992 and
  1996. The downturn was largely the result of Israeli closure
  policies - the imposition of generalized border closures in response
  to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted previously
  established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel
  and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza Strip). The most serious negative
  social effect of this downturn was the emergence of high
  unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was
  generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use
  of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few years and,
  in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of
  closures and other security procedures on the movement of
  Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost
  three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
  real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in
  the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggering
  tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe
  disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more
  severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority
  areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and
  administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp
  drop in GDP. Another major loss has been the decline in income
  earned by Palestinian workers in Israel. International aid of $2
  billion in 2001-02 to the Gaza Strip and West Bank have prevented
  the complete collapse of the economy.

Georgia
  Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation
  of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
  grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
  industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
  metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
  its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
  sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
  damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
  the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
  gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
  inflation. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited
  resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia
  also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
  distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making
  the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for
  long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and
  trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil
  pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring
  much-needed investment and job opportunities.

Germany
  Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy has
  turned in a weak performance throughout much of the 1990s and early
  2000s. The modernization and integration of the eastern German
  economy continues to be a costly long-term problem, with annual
  transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion.
  Germany's ageing population, combined with high unemployment, has
  pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions
  from workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including
  strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on
  a national basis - have made unemployment a chronic problem. Growth
  in 2002 and 2003 fell short of 1%. Corporate restructuring and
  growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow
  Germany to meet the long-term challenges of European economic
  integration and globalization, particularly if labor market
  rigidities are further addressed. In the short run, however, the
  fall in government revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised
  the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit.

Ghana
  Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice
  the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even
  so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
  technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
  sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
  revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of
  GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
  Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
  (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary
  and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
  social services.

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade,
  offshore banking, and its position as an international conference
  center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and
  now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in
  1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in
  1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also
  generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and
  tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts
  for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major
  structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but
  changes in government spending still have a major impact on the
  level of employment.

Glorioso Islands
  no economic activity

Greece
  Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
  accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
  leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
  make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
  Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP.
  The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4%
  since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point.
  Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public debt,
  inflation, and unemployment; and further restructuring of the
  economy, including privatizing several state enterprises,
  undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic
  inefficiencies. The Olympic Games will be held in Athens in mid-2004.

Greenland
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of
  fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which
  supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector,
  including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays
  the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting
  hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
  several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
  sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited
  due to a short season and high costs.

Grenada
  Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign
  exchange, especially since the construction of an international
  airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and
  manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore
  financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national
  output.

Guadeloupe
  The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism,
  light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
  subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
  from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
  islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
  other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
  earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
  are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
  dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
  features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
  are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
  Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

Guam
  The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
  export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
  procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
  years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
  construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
  More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has
  recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
  slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
  Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
  of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
  military downsizing.

Guatemala
  The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of
  GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee,
  sugar, and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU
  (1996-2000) worked to implement a program of economic liberalization
  and political modernization. President PORTILLO has continued the
  liberalization program but with more sporadic results. The 1996
  signing of the peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
  removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but numerous
  corruption scandals associated with the PORTILLO administration have
  dampened investor confidence. The distribution of income remains
  highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty
  line. Ongoing challenges include increasing the government revenues,
  negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading
  both government and private financial operations, and narrowing the
  trade deficit. A free trade agreement between the US and Central
  American countries promises greater access to US and neighboring
  markets.

Guernsey
  Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance,
  etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel
  Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly
  tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death
  duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic
  integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game
  under which Guernsey operates.

Guinea
  Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
  resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
  possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
  second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
  about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
  fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
  the country is to move out of poverty. The government made
  encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform
  progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment.
  However, fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has
  caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense
  costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor
  confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,
  while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local
  markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation permitted
  moderate 3.7% growth in 2002. Growth should strengthen in 2003
  because of a slowly improving security situation and increased
  investor confidence.

Guinea-Bissau
  One of the 10 poorest countries in the world,
  Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops
  have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks
  sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood
  along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice
  is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting
  between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta
  destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread
  damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in
  GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war,
  trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part
  of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF
  sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development
  of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy.
  Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and
  other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However,
  unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue
  in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the
  most extreme in the world. The government and international donors
  continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a
  lamentably low base. Government drift and indecision, however, have
  resulted in low growth in 2002 and dim prospects for 2003.

Guyana
  The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth
  in 2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining
  sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a
  more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the
  continued support of international organizations. Chronic problems
  include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.
  The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the
  urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining
  sector should benefit in the near term by restructuring and partial
  privatization.

Haiti
  About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly
  70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists
  mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about
  two-thirds of the economically active work force. Following
  legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities,
  international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost
  all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and
  an estimated 0.9% in 2002. The contraction will likely intensify in
  2003 unless a political agreement with donors is reached on economic
  policy. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
  million at the start of 2003.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  No indigenous economic activity,
  but the Australian Government allows limited fishing around the
  islands.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  This unique, noncommercial economy is
  supported financially by an annual tax on Roman Catholic dioceses
  throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as
  Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and
  tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of
  publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a
  sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay
  workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city
  of Rome.

Honduras
  Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western
  Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income,
  is banking on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean
  Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its
  macroeconomic targets, it failed to meet the IMF's goals to
  liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains
  dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading
  partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction
  of the high crime rate.

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
  international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
  materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
  reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
  reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
  trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
  integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
  to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
  Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
  China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
  level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
  averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
  recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
  in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
  Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak has also battered Hong Kong's
  economy but the resumption of strong growth began in 2003.

Howland Island
  no economic activity

Hungary
  Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to
  a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
  Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
  economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union
  in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP.
  Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are
  widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more
  than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded
  in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European
  transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14%
  in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6%
  level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner.
  Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit
  to 3% in 2004 and avoiding unjustified increases in wages.

Iceland
  Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically
  capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including
  generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even
  distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources
  (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy
  depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of
  export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy
  remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to
  fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish
  products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Government policies include
  reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign
  borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing
  policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned
  industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership,
  primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over
  their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying
  into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and
  new developments in software production, biotechnology, and
  financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also
  expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching.
  Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could
  not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession.
  Growth resumed in 2003, and inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%.

India
  India's economy encompasses traditional village farming,
  modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries,
  and a multitude of support services. Overpopulation severely
  handicaps the economy and about a quarter of the population is too
  poor to be able to afford an adequate diet. Government controls have
  been reduced on imports and foreign investment, and privatization of
  domestic output has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an
  excellent average growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by
  about 10 percentage points. India has large numbers of well-educated
  people skilled in the English language; India is a major exporter of
  software services and software workers; the information technology
  sector leads the strong growth pattern. The World Bank and others
  worry about the continuing public-sector budget deficit, running at
  approximately 10% of GDP in 1997-2002. In 2003 the state-owned
  Indian Bank substantially reduced non-performing loans, attracted
  new customers, and turned a profit. Deep-rooted problems remain,
  notably conflicts among political and cultural groups.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting
  the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas.
  It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum
  products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its
  fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries
  for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia,
  Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly
  for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped
  in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
  Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
  comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
  offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
  countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
  and Thailand.

Indonesia
  Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic
  development problems stemming from secessionist movements and the
  low level of security in the regions; the lack of reliable legal
  recourse in contract disputes; corruption; weaknesses in the banking
  system; and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence
  will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these
  circumstances. In November 2001, Indonesia agreed with the IMF on a
  series of economic reforms in 2002, thus enabling further IMF
  disbursements. Negotiations with the IMF and bilateral donors
  continued in 2002. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, the
  build-up of the confidence of international donors and investors,
  and a strong comeback in the global economy.

Iran
  Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state
  ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture,
  and small-scale private trading and service ventures. President
  KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former
  President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue
  diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made
  little progress toward that goal. Relatively high oil prices in
  recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $15 billion in foreign
  exchange reserves, but have not solved Iran's structural economic
  problems, including high unemployment and inflation.

Iraq
  Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has
  traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In
  the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the
  eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran
  led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily,
  and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic
  losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities
  ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction
  of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's
  seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic
  sanctions, and damage from military action by an international
  coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic
  activity. Although government policies supporting large military and
  internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters
  of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's
  oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped improve
  conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export
  limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some
  infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Council
  authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required
  to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports have recently been more than
  three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues
  under the program have been deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund
  and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was
  largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil
  prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while
  medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per
  capita output and living standards were still well below the prewar
  level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The military
  victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the
  shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure
  and the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant.

Ireland
  Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with
  growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown,
  especially in the information technology sector, pressed growth down
  to 2.7% in 2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now
  dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP
  and about 80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force.
  Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the
  economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending,
  construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above
  that of the four big European economies. Over the past decade, the
  Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic
  programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending,
  increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland
  joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along
  with 10 other EU nations.

Israel
  Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
  substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
  oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
  natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
  and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
  significant quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in
  other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
  equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
  leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
  deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
  and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
  is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
  military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR
  during the period 1989-99, coupled with the opening of new markets
  at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew
  rapidly in the early 1990s; growth began moderating in 1996 when the
  government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the
  immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 7.2% in 2000, but
  the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, difficulties in the
  high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors, and fiscal
  austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small declines in
  GDP in 2001 and 2002.

Italy
  Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the
  same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This
  capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial
  north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed,
  welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most
  raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy
  requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a
  tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the
  Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest
  and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous
  short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term
  growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed
  structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and
  overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension
  system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from
  labor unions.

Jamaica
  The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite,
  has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the
  economy inched ahead, by 0.8% in 2000, 1.7% in 2001, and 0.8% in
  2002; the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United
  States after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, has stunted
  the economic recovery. Serious problems include: high interest
  rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes
  sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a
  growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to various
  ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector.
  Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest,
  including serious violent crime. Jamaica's medium-term prospects
  will depend upon encouraging investment and tourism, maintaining a
  competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and
  implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

Jan Mayen
  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
  resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
  employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on
  the island.

Japan
  Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery
  of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1%
  of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank
  of second-most-technologically-powerful economy in the world after
  the US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable
  characteristic of the economy is the working together of
  manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
  called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
  lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
  force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
  sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
  materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly
  subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
  world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
  of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
  one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
  15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
  growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
  average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
  markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
  aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
  contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
  excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts
  to revive economic growth have met with little success and were
  further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European,
  and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which is
  approaching 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two
  major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term
  economic strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's
  720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to
  reform the ailing banking system continues.

Jarvis Island
  no economic activity

Jersey
  The economy is based largely on international financial
  services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,
  and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to
  the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
  represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
  the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
  for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of
  the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the
  government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with
  the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the
  traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy
  requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food
  needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax
  haven.

Johnston Atoll
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
  US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
  food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Jordan
  Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of
  water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
  unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since
  assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic
  reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in
  the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
  careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with
  privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
  sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a
  free trade accord with US (2000), and an association agreement with
  the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and
  have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in
  Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent
  on Iraq for discounted oil. It remains unclear how Jordan will
  finance energy imports in the absence of such a deal. Other ongoing
  challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit
  and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.

Juan de Nova Island
  Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Kazakhstan
  Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
  territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
  as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
  is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer.
  Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
  processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
  machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
  tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
  breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
  Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
  short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
  decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
  program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
  a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
  enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
  thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
  reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the
  Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's
  Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export
  capacity. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy
  designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the
  oil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policy
  aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign
  personnel; the government has engaged in several disputes with
  foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, and
  tensions continue.

Kenya
  Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa,
  is hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods
  whose prices remain low. Following strong economic growth in 1995
  and 1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to
  keep up with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF
  suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
  government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
  severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
  causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
  As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which had
  resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
  halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
  several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
  in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
  investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%. Growth fell below
  1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager
  donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the
  key December 27, 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign
  ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
  economic problems facing the nation. Substantial donor support and
  rooting out corruption are essential to making Kenya realize its
  substantial economic potential.

Kingman Reef
  no economic activity

Kiribati
  A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has
  few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
  exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
  fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
  has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
  constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
  and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
  than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
  development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
  Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
  China is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in
  recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than
  $5 million each year.

Korea, North
  North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned
  and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions.
  Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of
  years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and
  power output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its
  tenth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land;
  collective farming; weather-related problems, including major
  drought in 2000; and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel.
  Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to
  escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains the
  victim of prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living
  conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed
  for investment and civilian consumption. Recently, the regime has
  placed emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information
  technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid,
  but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over
  key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented
  reforms. In 2003, heightened political tensions with key donor
  countries and general donor fatigue have held down the flow of
  desperately needed food aid and have threatened fuel aid as well.

Korea, South
  As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has
  achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the
  high-tech modern world economy. Three decades ago GDP per capita was
  comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia.
  Today its GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the
  lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the
  late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business
  ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
  specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
  promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
  of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
  consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed
  longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
  including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
  undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in
  1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000.
  Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global
  economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed
  corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer
  spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite
  anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In
  2003 the six-day work week was reduced to five days.

Kuwait
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved
  crude oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world
  reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export
  revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits
  agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish,
  it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water
  must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with
  foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the
  country. Oil production declined by an estimated 8% in 2002 but is
  expected to return to the 2001 level in 2003.

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a
  predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat
  are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton
  are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,
  mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has
  been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an
  improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first
  CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With
  fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in
  2001, 2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock
  in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe
  after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by
  mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase.
  Growth was held down to 2.1% in 1998 largely because of the
  spillover from Russia's economic difficulties, but moved ahead to
  3.6% in 1999, 5% in 2000, and 5% again in 2001. The drop in output
  at the Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and
  again in 2003. On the positive side, the government and the
  international financial institutions have been engaged in a
  comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth
  strategy. Further restructuring of domestic industry and success in
  attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

Laos
  The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
  Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
  private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
  low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except
  during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
  beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
  country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
  rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
  telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban
  areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
  80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
  aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
  foreign investment in food processing and mining.

Latvia
  Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget
  stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU
  countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The
  majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized,
  although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large
  enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization
  in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top
  foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government
  deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to
  increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget
  deficit.

Lebanon
  The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
  infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
  Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub.
  Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut,
  begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government
  facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound
  banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.
  Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports,
  and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange.
  Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of
  "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program.
  Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but
  slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001,
  and 1.5% in 2002. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost
  0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn
  physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless
  faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded
  reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In
  order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed
  HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in
  government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize
  state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international
  donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral
  assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of
  interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not
  occurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfully avoided
  a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.

Lesotho
  Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on
  remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties
  from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of
  government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax
  system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
  hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
  South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
  of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
  small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
  support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
  rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still
  primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,
  although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme
  inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.
  Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
  with the IMF.

Liberia
  Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's
  economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many
  businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with
  them. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water,
  mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,
  Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -
  primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign
  owned, had been small in scope. The restoration of the
  infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
  depend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation of
  sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the
  encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor
  countries.

Libya
  The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues
  from the oil sector, which contribute practically all export
  earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a
  small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in
  Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of
  society. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations
  have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The
  nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for
  about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural
  products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel,
  and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit
  agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher
  oil prices in the last three years led to an increase in export
  revenues, which has improved macroeconomic balances but has done
  little to stimulate broad-based economic growth. Libya is making
  slow progress toward economic liberalization and the upgrading of
  economic infrastructure, but truly market-based reforms will be slow
  in coming.

Liechtenstein
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
  Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly
  industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial
  service sector and living standards on a par with its large European
  neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a
  large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum
  tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many
  holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal
  offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The
  country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses
  the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90%
  of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the
  European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between
  the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May
  1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies
  with those of an integrated Europe.

Lithuania
  Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most
  trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis. Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003,
  but is improving. Growing domestic consumption and increased
  investment have furthered recovery. Trade has been increasingly
  oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the
  World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the
  EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly
  in the energy sector, is nearing completion. Overall, more than 80%
  of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign government and business
  support have helped in the transition from the old command economy
  to a market economy.

Luxembourg
  This stable, high-income economy features solid growth,
  low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector,
  initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to
  include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the
  financial sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more
  than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are
  foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is
  based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign
  and trans-border workers for more than 30% of its labor force.
  Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the
  global economic slump, the country has maintained a fairly strong
  growth rate and enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living.

Macau
  Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains
  one of the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of
  goods and services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel
  exports as the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the
  1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its
  economy grew an estimated 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the number
  of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on
  travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in
  2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes
  on gambling profits, which generated about 63% of government
  revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may
  contribute to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling
  licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP -
  in the territory. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the
  mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory
  may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to
  generate growth. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early
  government forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns
  over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  At independence in
  November 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav
  republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods
  and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments
  from the center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de
  facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on
  Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo
  over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag
  hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year
  through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic
  reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the
  ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because
  of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit
  spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely
  recovered in 2002 to 0.3%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment
  at one-third of the workforce remains the most critical economic
  problem. But even this issue is overshadowed by the fragile
  political situation.

Madagascar
  Having discarded past socialist economic policies,
  Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led
  policy of privatization and liberalization, which has placed the
  country on a slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including
  fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for
  one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population.
  Export earnings primarily are earned in the small industrial sector,
  which features textile manufacturing and agriculture processing.
  Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
  primary source of fuel are serious concerns. The separatist
  political crisis of 2002 undermined macroeconomic stability, with
  the estimated drop in output being subject to a wide margin of
  error. Poverty reduction will be the centerpiece of economic policy
  for the next few years.

Malawi
  Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
  countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
  of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
  nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
  depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
  the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
  was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
  million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
  relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
  develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
  up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
  problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
  discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
  is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
  exports.

Malaysia
  Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from
  1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
  emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
  by exports - particularly of electronics - and, as a result Malaysia
  was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
  Information Technology (IT) sector in 2001. GDP in 2001 grew only
  0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
  substantial fiscal stimulus package mitigated the worst of the
  recession and the economy rebounded in 2002. Healthy foreign
  exchange reserves and relatively small external debt make it
  unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar to the one
  in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more protracted
  slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and key
  sources of foreign investment.

Maldives
  Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP
  and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over
  90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
  tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands
  in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian
  Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by
  lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private
  sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more
  foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a
  lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability
  of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple
  foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment
  production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18%
  of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and
  possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area
  is one meter or less above sea level.

Mali
  Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of
  its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
  distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
  riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
  nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
  fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
  commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
  to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
  with gold. The government has continued its successful
  implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
  that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
  investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
  devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
  economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker
  remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
  continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

Malta
  Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic
  location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about
  20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no
  domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade,
  manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism.
  Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets
  in order to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island
  remains divided politically, however, over the question of joining
  the EU. Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back
  exports, tourism, and overall growth.

Man, Isle of
  Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key
  sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering
  incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions
  to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment
  opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture
  and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in
  their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man
  enjoys free access to EU markets.

Marshall Islands
  US Government assistance is the mainstay of this
  tiny island economy. Agricultural production is primarily
  subsistence and is concentrated on small farms; the most important
  commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry
  is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist
  industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than
  10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added
  income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far
  exceed exports. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association,
  the US has provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986.
  Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government
  downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism
  and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and
  less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held
  GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Martinique
  The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and
  light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the
  small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with
  most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana
  exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat,
  vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to
  a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid
  from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has
  become more important than agricultural exports as a source of
  foreign exchange.

Mauritania
  Half the population still depends on agriculture and
  livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and
  subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent
  droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits
  of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The
  decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks
  in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest
  fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners
  threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater
  port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and
  economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In
  February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the
  Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December
  2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a
  triennial Consultative Group review. In 2001, exploratory oil wells
  in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current
  world oil prices. A new investment code approved in December 2001
  improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing
  negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and
  fiscal discipline. Substantial oil production and exports probably
  will not begin until 2005.

Mauritius
  Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
  low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
  diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
  sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
  of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
  equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
  infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
  grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
  of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
  foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore
  entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and
  investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion.
  Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal
  management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa
  Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging
  foreign investment in the information technology field.

Mayotte
  Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural
  sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
  self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
  requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
  of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
  an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
  obstacle to the development of tourism.

Mexico
  Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
  outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
  private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
  seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas
  distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly
  unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
  implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real
  GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with
  the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade
  agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European
  Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free
  trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in
  2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's
  second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Economic activity consists primarily
  of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral
  deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The
  potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a
  lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder
  development. In November 2002, the country experienced a further
  reduction in future revenues from the Compact of Free Association -
  the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion
  in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until
  2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due
  not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow
  growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly
  developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term
  growth.

Midway Islands
  The economy is based on providing support services
  for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands.
  All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Moldova
  Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress
  from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good
  farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy
  depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine,
  and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal,
  and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed
  to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union
  in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
  convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential
  credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
  removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
  entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
  growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
  of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003.
  Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
  backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
  higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
  foreign investors.

Monaco
  Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a
  popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant
  climate. In 2001, a major new construction project will extend the
  pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has
  successfully sought to diversify into services and small,
  high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income
  tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for
  individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies
  that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains
  monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone
  network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly
  comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco
  does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are
  extremely rough.

Mongolia
  Economic activity traditionally has been based on
  agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive
  mineral deposits; copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold
  account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet
  assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost
  overnight in 1990-1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR.
  Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian
  People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake
  serious economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government
  embraced free-market economics, eased price controls, liberalized
  domestic and international trade, and attempted to restructure the
  banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization
  programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign
  investment through international tender of the oil distribution
  company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back
  by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability
  brought about through four successive governments under the DC.
  Economic growth picked up in 1997-1999 after stalling in 1996 due to
  a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper
  and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered
  from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and
  Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the
  World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor
  community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative
  Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
  government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the
  investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of
  external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
  exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects
  of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP
  growth in 2000-2001. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose
  4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first
  applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a
  number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia
  owes it $11 billion from the old Soviet period; any settlement could
  substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

Montserrat
  Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has
  put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in
  June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic
  and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled
  the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing
  limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected
  by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of
  crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in
  relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity.
  The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
  reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
  uninhabitable for another decade.

Morocco
  Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
  restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
  activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
  growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the
  IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully
  convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the
  financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity
  in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
  in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large
  foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license
  and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications
  company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good
  harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002.
  Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external
  debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for
  freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and
  attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job
  prospects for Morocco's youth.

Mozambique
  At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the
  world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal
  civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the
  government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to
  stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance
  and with political stability since the multi-party elections in
  1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth
  rate. Inflation was brought to single digits during the late 1990s
  although it returned to double digits in 2000-02. Fiscal reforms,
  including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the
  customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection
  abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent
  upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the
  majority of the population remains below the poverty line.
  Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the
  country's workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists although
  the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest
  foreign investment project to date has increased export earnings.
  Additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing
  and garment manufacturing should further close the import/export
  gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced
  through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is
  now at a manageable level.

Namibia
  The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and
  processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP.
  Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
  gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
  nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
  uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
  silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
  population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
  agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
  of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
  major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
  region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
  one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1400 in
  constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
  economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
  pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
  enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
  investment.

Nauru
  Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of
  phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few
  years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has
  fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting
  the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally
  competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest
  per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist
  with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from
  Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of
  income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In
  anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits,
  substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust
  funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's
  economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the
  trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has
  called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public
  service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies,
  and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has
  encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens
  of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts.
  Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with
  estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

Navassa Island
  no economic activity

Nepal
  Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in
  the world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line.
  Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
  for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
  Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
  produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and
  carpet production, accounting for about 80% of foreign exchange
  earnings in recent years, contracted in 2001-02 due to the overall
  slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on
  factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of the
  Maoist conflict and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the
  US have led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign
  exchange. Since 1991, the government has been moving forward with
  economic reforms, e.g., by reducing business licenses and
  registration requirements to simplify investment procedures,
  reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off
  civil servants. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its
  potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign
  investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in
  other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size
  of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its
  landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural
  disaster. The international community's role of funding more than
  60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total
  budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of
  growth.

Netherlands
  The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy
  depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable
  industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable
  current account surplus, and an important role as a European
  transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food
  processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.
  A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of
  the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing
  industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU
  partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The
  country continues to be one of the leading European nations for
  attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed
  considerably in 2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown,
  but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly
  4%, well above the EU average. The government is wrestling with a
  deteriorating budget position, and is moving toward the EU 3% limit.

Netherlands Antilles
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore
  finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely
  tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or remained
  even in each of the past six years, the islands enjoy a high per
  capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with
  other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods
  are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor
  soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of
  agriculture.

New Caledonia
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known
  nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for
  cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition
  to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more
  than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
  economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
  with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
  outlook for the next several years.

New Zealand
  Since 1984 the government has accomplished major
  economic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian
  economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more
  industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This
  dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the
  bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological
  capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary
  pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they
  remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there
  is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap.
  New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in
  agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
  the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus
  far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, although
  growth may slow to 2.5% in 2003.

Nicaragua
  Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries,
  faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and
  huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most
  unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward
  macroeconomic stability over the past few years, a banking crisis
  and scandal has shaken the economy. Nicaragua will continue to be
  dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid
  conditional on the openness of government financial operation,
  poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions
  for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should
  move up moderately in 2003 because of increased private investment
  and exports.

Niger
  Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
  centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport
  trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world
  demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January
  1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products
  of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral
  and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999
  coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In
  2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of
  $105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could
  prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.
  The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility
  for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under
  the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Further
  disbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may be
  sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral
  resources.

Nigeria
  The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political
  instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is
  undergoing substantial reform under the new civilian administration.
  Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy
  away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which
  provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65%
  of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector
  has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria,
  once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following
  the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria
  received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1
  billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
  The agreement was allowed to expire by the IMF in November 2001,
  however, and Nigeria apparently received much less multilateral
  assistance than expected in 2002. Nonetheless, increases in foreign
  oil investment and oil production kept growth at 3% in 2002. The
  government lacks the strength to implement the market-oriented
  reforms urged by the IMF, such as modernization of the banking
  system; to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands; and to
  resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the
  oil industry. When the uncertainties in the global economy are added
  in, estimates of Nigeria's prospects for 2003 must have a wide
  margin of error.

Niue
  The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
  geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
  Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
  is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
  used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
  expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
  agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
  although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
  primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
  honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
  collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
  years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
  of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
  promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
  Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down
  the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002
  was about $2.6 million.

Norfolk Island
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily
  increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity
  unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural
  sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef,
  poultry, and eggs.

Northern Mariana Islands
  The economy benefits substantially from
  financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined
  as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist
  industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for
  roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual
  tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but
  financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown.
  The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
  producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
  production is by far the most important industry with employment of
  17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
  duty and quota exemptions.

Norway
  The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
  capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
  government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
  the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
  The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
  hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
  its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and
  gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
  export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
  during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead
  with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
  worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two
  decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway
  has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government
  Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
  than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 2003
  against the background of a faltering European economy.

Oman
  Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due
  largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead
  with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of
  commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased
  budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and
  joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP
  growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell
  back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the
  government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local
  workers. Another government objective is the development of the
  nation's gas resources.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world
  economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch.
  It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West,
  extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals,
  and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%
  of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation
  of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role
  in the energy supplies of US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The
  high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide
  swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not
  stopped new drillings.

Pakistan
  Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country,
  suffers from internal political disputes, low levels of foreign
  investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring
  India. Pakistan's economic prospects, although still marred by poor
  human development indicators, continued to improve in 2002 following
  unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance beginning in 2001.
  Foreign exchange reserves have grown to record levels, supported
  largely by fast growth in recorded worker remittances. Trade levels
  rebounded after a sharp decline in late 2001. The government has
  made significant inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, but
  progress is beginning to slow. Although it is in the second year of
  its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility,
  Islamabad continues to require waivers for politically difficult
  reforms. Long-term prospects remain uncertain as development
  spending remains low, regional tensions remain high, and political
  tensions weaken Pakistan's commitment to lender-recommended economic
  reforms. GDP growth will continue to hinge on crop performance;
  dependence on foreign oil leaves the import bill vulnerable to
  fluctuating oil prices; and efforts to open and modernize the
  economy remain uneven.

Palau
  The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence
  agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the
  work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.
  Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The
  population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines
  and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist
  sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in
  the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries,
  and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure
  development.

Palmyra Atoll
  no economic activity

Panama
  Panama's economy is based primarily on a well-developed
  services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services
  include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,
  insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump
  in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown,
  and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth
  in 2000-02. The government has been backing public works programs,
  tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of
  tourism in order to stimulate growth.

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
  resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and
  the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a
  subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits,
  including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings.
  The economy has faltered over the past three years but will probably
  improve slightly in 2003. Former Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA had
  tried to restore integrity to state institutions, stabilize the
  kina, restore stability to the national budget, privatize public
  enterprises where appropriate, and ensure ongoing peace on
  Bougainville. The government has had considerable success in
  attracting international support, specifically gaining the backing
  of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development assistance
  loans. Significant challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE,
  including gaining further investor confidence, continuing efforts to
  privatize government assets, and maintaining the support of members
  of Parliament.

Paracel Islands
  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands
  for tourism.

Paraguay
  Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal
  sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported
  consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
  thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
  the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
  are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
  derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
  subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
  annually in 1995-97; but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and
  2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. On a per
  capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most
  observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to
  political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural
  reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient
  infrastructure.

Peru
  Thanks to foreign investment and the cooperation between the
  government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong in 1994-97
  and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's impact
  on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in
  Brazilian markets undercut growth. The following year was again lean
  year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial
  crisis working its way through the economy. Political instability
  resulting from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent
  departure from office limited growth in 2000. The downturn in the
  global economy further curtailed growth in 2001. President TOLEDO,
  who assumed the presidency in July 2001, has been working to
  reinvigorate the economy and reduce unemployment. Economic growth in
  2002 is estimated at 4.8%, led by construction in the retail and gas
  sectors.

Philippines
  In 1998, the Philippine economy - a mixture of
  agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated
  as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor
  weather conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but
  recovered to about 3.3% in 1999, 4.5% in 2000, and 4.5% in 2001. In
  2002, the Philippines recorded GDP growth of 4.4% but also incurred
  a record budget deficit. As a result, the Philippines is burdened
  with a public sector debt equal to more than 100% of GDP. Growth
  eased to 3.8% in 2003. The government has promised economic reforms
  including going forward with privatization, reforming the tax
  system, and promoting additional trade integration within its
  region. Considerable drive is required to update the educational
  system and the road network.

Pitcairn Islands
  The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist
  on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.
  The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits
  and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas,
  yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The
  major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to
  collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

Poland
  Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic
  liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a
  success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to
  be done. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies
  and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the
  development of the private business sector, but legal and
  bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering
  its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains
  handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small
  farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of
  "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy),
  while recently initiated, have stalled due to a lack of political
  will on the part of the government. Structural reforms in health
  care, education, the pension system, and state administration have
  resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress
  in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's
  remaining state sector, the reduction of state employment, and an
  overhaul of the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and
  farmers most of whom pay no tax. The government's determination to
  enter the EU has shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new
  legislation; in June 2003, 77% of the voters approved membership,
  now scheduled for May 2004. Improving Poland's export
  competitiveness and containing the internal budget deficit are top
  priorities. Due to political uncertainty, the zloty has recently
  depreciated in relation to the euro and the dollar while currencies
  of the other euro-zone aspirants have been appreciating. GDP per
  capita equals that of the 3 Baltic states.

Portugal
  Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly
  service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986.
  Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many
  state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy,
  including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country
  qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began
  circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member
  economies. Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of
  the past decade, but fell back in 2001-03. GDP per capita stands at
  70% of that of the leading EU economies. A poor educational system,
  in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and
  growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost
  producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct
  investment. The coalition government faces tough choices in its
  attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness and to keep
  the budget deficit within the 3% EU ceiling.

Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the
  Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed
  agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
  Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
  firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US
  minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy
  production and other livestock products as the main source of income
  in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an
  important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5
  million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-02, largely due to
  the slowdown in the US economy.

Qatar
  Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of
  export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have
  given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West
  European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion
  barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
  years. Production and export of natural gas are becoming
  increasingly important to the economy. Qatar's proved reserves of
  natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the
  world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature
  the development of offshore natural gas reserves. Since 2000, Qatar
  has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil
  prices and increased natural gas exports, and Qatar's economy is
  expected to receive an added boost as it begins to increase liquid
  natural gas exports.

Reunion
  The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
  services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
  than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
  The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
  industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
  the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
  poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
  tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
  off than other segments of the population, often approaching
  European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
  unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
  The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
  seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
  Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
  France.

Romania
  Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a
  largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to
  the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
  three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
  Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
  construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
  4%. An IMF Standby Agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied
  by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and
  the curbing of inflation. Nonetheless, recent macroeconomic gains
  have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, while
  corruption and red tape hinder foreign investment.

Russia
  A decade after the implosion of the Soviet Union in December
  1991, Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market
  economy and achieve strong economic growth. In contrast to its
  trading partners in Central Europe - which were able within 3 to 5
  years to overcome the initial production declines that accompanied
  the launch of market reforms - Russia saw its economy contract for
  five years, as the executive and legislature dithered over the
  implementation of many of the basic foundations of a market economy.
  Russia achieved a slight recovery in 1997, but the government's
  stubborn budget deficits and the country's poor business climate
  made it vulnerable when the global financial crisis swept through in
  1998. The crisis culminated in the August depreciation of the ruble,
  a debt default by the government, and a sharp deterioration in
  living standards for most of the population. The economy
  subsequently has rebounded, growing by an average of more than 6%
  annually in 1999-2002 on the back of higher oil prices and the 60%
  depreciation of the ruble in 1998. These GDP numbers, along with a
  renewed government effort to advance lagging structural reforms,
  have raised business and investor confidence over Russia's prospects
  in its second decade of transition. Yet serious problems persist.
  Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of
  exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.
  Russia's industrial base is increasingly dilapidated and must be
  replaced or modernized if the country is to maintain vigorous
  economic growth. Other problems include a weak banking system, a
  poor business climate that discourages both domestic and foreign
  investors, corruption, local and regional government intervention in
  the courts, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In 2003
  President PUTIN further tightened his control over the "oligarchs,"
  especially in the realm of political expression.

Rwanda
  Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the
  population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the
  most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few
  natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange
  earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's
  fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population,
  particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract
  private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made
  substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy
  to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has
  rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however,
  have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of
  much needed hard currency. Attempts to diversify into
  non-traditional agriculture exports such as flowers and vegetables
  have been stymied by a lack of adequate transportation
  infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production
  often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food to
  be imported. Rwanda continues to receive substantial amounts of aid
  money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor
  Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. But Kigali's
  high defense expenditures cause tension between the government and
  international donors and lending agencies.

Saint Helena
  The economy depends largely on financial assistance
  from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost
  one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns
  income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of
  handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has
  left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and
  in the UK.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the
  Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still
  dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism,
  export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed
  larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief
  source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover
  tourist arrivals following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
  has eroded government finances. The opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott
  hotel in February 2003 is expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

Saint Lucia
  The recent changes in the EU import preference regime
  and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made
  economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The
  island nation has been able to attract foreign business and
  investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism
  industries. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the
  Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize
  the banana industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  The inhabitants have traditionally earned
  their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets
  operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been
  declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing
  quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint
  Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an
  exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding
  territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of
  what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France
  to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an
  expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test
  drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy
  sector.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bananas and other agricultural products remain the staple of this lower-middle income country's economy. Although tourism and other services have been growing moderately in recent years, the government has been ineffective at introducing new industries. Unemployment remains high, and economic growth hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following 11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector, but its restrictive secrecy laws have come under international review. As of June 2001, it remained on the Financial Action Task Force's list of noncooperative jurisdictions. Saint Vincent is also the largest producer of marijuana in the Eastern Caribbean and is increasingly being used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South America.

Samoa
  The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
  development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agriculture
  and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
  Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
  of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
  manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
  decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
  is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
  tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has
  called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of
  investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the
  environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market
  as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves
  are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and
  inflation is low.

San Marino
  The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000
  more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries
  are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main
  agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of
  output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most
  prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Sao Tome and Principe
  This small poor island economy has become
  increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 28 years ago.
  Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because
  of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices brighten
  prospects for 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most
  manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of
  food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external
  debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt
  rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in
  December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  program. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has
  been rewarded by international donors, who pledged increased
  assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists for development of
  a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand
  facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to
  reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic that
  substantial petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its territorial
  waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea; production
  could begin as early as 2004.

Saudi Arabia
  This is an oil-based economy with strong government
  controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the
  largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved
  reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a
  leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75%
  of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About
  25% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 4 million foreign
  workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in
  the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans
  to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the
  ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The
  government is supporting private sector growth to lessen the
  kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities
  for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government
  spending in the short term include additional funds for the water
  and sewage systems and for education. Water shortages and rapid
  population growth constrain the government's efforts to increase
  self-sufficiency in agricultural products.

Senegal
  In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious
  economic reform program with the support of the international donor
  community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
  currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
  French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
  steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
  1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
  program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
  1995-2002. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%,
  but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001 and 3.0% in 2002. Investment
  rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997. As a
  member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU),
  Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a
  unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet
  connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information
  technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of
  GDP. In 2003, GDP will probably again grow at about 5%. On the
  negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic
  unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug
  addiction.

Serbia and Montenegro
  MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an
  extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to
  Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the war in Kosovo
  have left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. Since the
  ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October
  2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government
  has implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive
  market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in
  December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
  international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
  Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
  2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement
  rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts
  was concluded in November 2001; it will write off 66% of the debt; a
  similar debt relief agreement on its $2.8 billion London Club
  commercial debt is still pending. The smaller republic of Montenegro
  severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the
  MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses
  the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency,
  collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. Kosovo, while
  technically still part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now
  Serbia and Montenegro) according to United Nations Security Council
  Resolution 1244, is moving toward local autonomy under United
  Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and is
  dependent on the international community for financial and technical
  assistance. The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies,
  and UNMIK collects taxes and manages the budget. The complexity of
  Serbia and Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in
  privatization, and stagnation in the European economy are holding
  back the economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements
  for fiscal discipline, are an important element in policy formation.
  Severe unemployment remains a key political economic problem.

Seychelles
  Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this
  Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
  near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
  which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
  70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
  the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
  hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
  moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
  development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
  sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
  1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the
  government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the
  containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of
  public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish
  tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and
  the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic
  prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half
  the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency
  the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek
  cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sierra Leone
  Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with
  tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have
  substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However,
  the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and
  serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development,
  following a 11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age
  population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing
  consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light
  manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans continue to reopen
  bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major
  source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate
  of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and
  the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is
  essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and to supplement
  government revenues.

Singapore
  Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market
  economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment,
  stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world.
  The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics
  and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global
  recession and the slump in the technology sector. The government
  hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to
  the external business cycle than the current export-led model but is
  unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
  Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

Slovakia
  Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from
  a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
  government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic
  stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
  complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
  and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
  expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
  Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
  Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
  especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the
  containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care
  system.

Slovenia
  Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe,
  enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other
  transitioning economies of Central Europe. Privatization of the
  economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-3, and the budget
  deficit dropped from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. Despite
  the economic slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3%
  growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow
  for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to
  lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also
  needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between
  government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern
  in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the
  European Union.

Solomon Islands
  The bulk of the population depends on agriculture,
  fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most
  manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The
  islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead,
  zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing
  of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have
  led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker
  deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical
  generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability
  to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened
  by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and
  maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.

Somalia
  Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep
  political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence
  as "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared
  autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with
  the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part
  because much activity is local and relatively easily protected.
  Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally
  accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings,
  but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift
  Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and
  semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood,
  make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish,
  charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar,
  sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports.
  Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of
  agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap
  metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has
  managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide
  wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest
  international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a
  formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted
  throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500
  million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a
  variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels
  continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. The
  ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have
  interfered with any broad-based economic development and
  international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial
  obligations to the IMF continued to grow.

South Africa
  South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with
  an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial,
  legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock
  exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern
  infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to
  major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not
  been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate;
  and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era,
  especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the
  disadvantaged groups. High crime and HIV/AIDS infection rates also
  deter investment. South African economic policy is fiscally
  conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and
  liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household
  income.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Some fishing takes
  place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from
  harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from
  postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and
  harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from
  specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Southern Ocean
  Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed
  112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian
  toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to
  reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the
  2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of
  Patagonian and antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer
  12,248 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean
  and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Spain
  Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
  capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European
  economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain
  admission to the first group of countries launching the European
  single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR
  administration has continued to advocate liberalization,
  privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced
  some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling
  under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. The
  government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws
  and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability
  of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness
  in a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reduced
  cooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was
  satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy.
  Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an
  integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges
  to Spain over the next few years.

Spratly Islands
  Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing.
  The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins
  suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is
  largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential
  reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Sri Lanka
  In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and
  its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies
  and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are
  food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
  telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation
  crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
  textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
  annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
  deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
  economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
  saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
  combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
  global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
  3.2% in 2002. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the
  Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a year.

Sudan
  Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound
  economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
  formidable economic problems, notably the low level of per capita
  output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
  macroeconomic reforms. In 1999 Sudan began exporting crude oil and
  in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
  along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
  Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
  export processing zones helped maintain GDP growth at 5.1% in 2002.
  Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
  employing 80% of the work force and contributing 43% of GDP, but
  most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic
  domestic instability, lagging reforms, adverse weather, and weak
  world agricultural prices - but, above all, the low starting point -
  ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the
  poverty line for years.

Suriname
  The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which
  accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings.
  Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on
  renewed commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and
  to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and
  promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
  austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
  However, in 2002, President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
  for civil servants, which threatens his earlier gains in stabilizing
  the economy. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
  flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
  financing. The short-term economic outlook depends on the
  government's ability to control inflation and on the development of
  projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors.

Svalbard
  Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The
  treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to
  exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although
  US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past,
  the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The
  settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian
  state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian
  population on the island, runs many of the local services, and
  provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some
  trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.

Swaziland
  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture
  occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector
  has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
  important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
  importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
  remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
  border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
  Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to
  which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Customs duties
  from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from
  South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income.
  The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign
  investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes
  floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of
  the population needed emergency food aid in 2002 because of drought,
  and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by
  HIV/AIDS.

Sweden
  Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century,
  Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed
  system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It
  has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external
  communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and
  iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented
  toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
  industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
  of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
  2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
  resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
  by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
  revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank
  (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation
  target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14,
  2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
  concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

Switzerland
  Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market
  economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a
  per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European
  economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic
  practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
  international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for
  investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and
  has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the
  anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to
  about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.

Syria
  Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on
  average, more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate,
  causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent legislation
  allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking
  sector will take years and further government cooperation to
  develop. External factors such as the international war on
  terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war between the
  US-led coalition and Iraq probably will drive real annual GDP growth
  levels back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic
  constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid
  population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
  pollution.

Taiwan
  Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually
  decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government
  authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned
  banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have
  provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade
  surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third
  largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952.
  While Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China
  has become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken
  the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its
  conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths,
  Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the
  Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn,
  combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration
  and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in
  2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment
  also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in
  the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence,
  and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant
  long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for
  the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove
  Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002.

Tajikistan
  Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15
  former Soviet republics. Only 8% to 10% of the land area is arable.
  Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but
  limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.
  Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower
  facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry
  and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the
  already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
  industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
  people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
  experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
  privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
  further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
  however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
  reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
  debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
  in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
  period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
  Tajikistan.

Tanzania
  Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The
  economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for half of
  GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.
  Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops
  to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the
  processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The
  World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors
  have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic
  infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002
  featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial
  increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas exploration
  and development played an important role in this growth. Recent
  banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and
  investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies
  should support continued real GDP growth of 5% in 2003.

Thailand
  Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreign
  investment. Exports feature computers and electrical appliances.
  After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 -
  averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on
  Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial
  sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long
  pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56
  to the dollar in January 1998, and the economy contracted by 10.2%
  that same year. Thailand then entered a recovery stage, expanding by
  4.2% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports. An
  ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt
  restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, slowed
  growth to 1.4% in 2001. Increased consumption and investment
  spending pushed GDP growth up to 5.2% in 2002 despite a sluggish
  global economy.

Togo
  This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
  commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
  for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
  imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
  earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
  the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
  fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
  developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
  supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
  reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
  line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
  following through on privatization, increased openness in government
  financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
  continued support from foreign donors.

Tokelau
  Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack
  of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
  agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
  from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
  services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
  principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
  stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
  families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tonga
  Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in
  agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are
  the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total
  exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food,
  mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of
  hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains
  dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities
  overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing
  the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement
  of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and
  education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and
  well-developed social services.

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as
  an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading
  performer the past four years has been the booming natural gas
  sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as
  important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits
  from low inflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by
  solid growth in the oil sector, offset in part by domestic political
  uncertainty.

Tromelin Island
  no economic activity

Tunisia
  Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,
  mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental
  control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened
  over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification
  of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth
  averaged 5.4% in 1997-2001 but slowed to 1.9% in 2002 because of
  agricultural drought, slow investment, and lackluster tourism.
  Increased rainfall portends higher growth levels for 2003, but
  continued regional tension from the war in Iraq will most likely
  continue to suppress tourism earnings. Tunisia has agreed to
  gradually remove barriers to trade with the European Union over the
  next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the
  investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in
  government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among
  the challenges for the future.

Turkey
  Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry
  and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in
  2001 still accounted for 40% of employment. It has a strong and
  rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major
  role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The
  most important industry - and largest exporter - is textiles and
  clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. In recent years
  the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth
  and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many
  years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp
  declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Meanwhile, the public
  sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due in
  large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which account
  for more than 50% of central government spending. Inflation, in
  recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to 26% in 2003.
  Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct investment in
  Turkey remains low - less than $1 billion annually. In late 2000 and
  early 2001 a growing trade deficit and serious weaknesses in the
  banking sector plunged the economy into crisis - forcing Turkey to
  float the lira and pushing the country into recession. Results in
  2002-03 were much better, because of strong financial support from
  the IMF and tighter fiscal policy. Continued slow global growth and
  serious political tensions in the Middle East could result in
  negative growth in 2004.

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive
  agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources.
  One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the
  world's tenth-largest producer. With an authoritarian ex-Communist
  regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan
  has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas
  and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization
  goals remain limited. In 1998-2003, Turkmenistan suffered from the
  continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from
  obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time,
  however, total exports rose by 38% in 2003, largely because of
  higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the
  near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty,
  the burden of foreign debt, and the unwillingness of the government
  to adopt market-oriented reforms. However, Turkmenistan's
  cooperation with the international community in transporting
  humanitarian aid to Afghanistan may foreshadow a change in the
  atmosphere for foreign investment, aid, and technological support.
  Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and
  other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In any event,
  GDP increased substantially in 2003 because of a strong recovery in
  agriculture and rapid industrial growth.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The Turks and Caicos economy is based on
  tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital
  goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the
  leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the
  93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include
  fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
  Tourism fell by 6% in 2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend.

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of
  nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
  resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
  primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
  visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
  sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
  Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
  begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
  decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
  international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
  the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
  investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from
  an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
  government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, because of
  payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
  dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
  reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
  personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
  from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
  lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
  technology sources could increase substantially over the next
  decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
  imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
  telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
  official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.

Uganda
  Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile
  soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and
  cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy,
  employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk
  of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of
  foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to
  rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency
  reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices
  of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy
  changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting
  production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned
  in a solid performance based on continued investment in the
  rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production
  and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic
  security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.
  Ongoing Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of
  the Congo, corruption within the government, and slippage in the
  government's determination to press reforms raise doubts about the
  continuation of strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for
  enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth
  $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These
  amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief added up to
  about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued
  decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export. Prospects
  for 2003 are mixed, with probable strengthening of coffee prices yet
  with halting growth in the economies of major export customers.

Ukraine
  After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the
  most important economic component of the former Soviet Union,
  producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic.
  Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
  agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
  of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
  its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
  example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
  mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
  former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially
  natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.
  Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian
  Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for
  privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the
  government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led
  to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of
  the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to
  hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on
  Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural
  reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external
  shocks. Now in his second term, President KUCHMA has pledged to
  reduce the number of government agencies, streamline the regulatory
  process, create a legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and
  enact a comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically
  sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are
  still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have
  encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in
  2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth
  since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The
  economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and
  industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.1% in 2002 was more
  moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed
  world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic
  demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence.
  Growth was a sturdy 6% in 2003 despite a loss of mementum in needed
  economic reforms.

United Arab Emirates
  The UAE has an open economy with a high per
  capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is
  based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of
  the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since
  1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an
  impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state
  with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil
  and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government
  has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion
  and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector
  involvement.

United Kingdom
  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,
  is one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western
  Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced
  public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare
  programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient
  by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only
  1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil
  reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of
  the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly
  banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the
  largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in
  importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn,
  the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy"
  bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of
  the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment
  remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated
  the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join
  the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out,
  however, that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they
  point to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of
  Britons opposed to the single currency. Meantime, the government has
  been speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health
  services, at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003
  between a US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequent
  problems of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavy
  commitment of British military forces.

United States
  The US has the largest and most technologically
  powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $37,600. In
  this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms
  make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments
  buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private
  marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater
  flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in
  decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and
  develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to
  entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of
  foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront
  in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical,
  aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has
  narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology
  largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor
  market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the
  professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and
  more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage,
  and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in
  household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years
  1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation
  rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. The year 2001 saw the
  end of boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only
  0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising substantially.
  The response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed
  the remarkable resilience of the economy. Moderate recovery took
  place in 2002, with the GDP growth rate rising to 2.45%. A major
  short-term problem in first half 2002 was a sharp decline in the
  stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of dubious accounting
  practices in some major corporations. The war in March/April 2003
  between a US-led coalition and Iraq shifted resources to military
  industries and introduced uncertainties about investment and
  employment in other sectors of the economy. Long-term problems
  include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly
  rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable
  trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower
  economic groups.

Uruguay
  Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented
  agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of
  social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
  1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
  stemming largely from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which
  together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Total GDP in
  these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year.
  Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the
  burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF and the US
  has limited the damage, which is still extensive. Moves to
  reschedule debt and promote economic recovery may help limit a
  further decline in output in 2003.

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11%
  consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than
  60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities.
  Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a
  large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant
  producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in
  December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style
  command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and
  prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions
  generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing
  import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and
  currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The
  government, while aware of the need to improve the investment
  climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the
  government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in
  the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of
  society since independence.

Vanuatu
  The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale
  agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
  Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000
  visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
  deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
  deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
  Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
  hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
  vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
  markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in
  November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the
  northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another
  powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the
  capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by
  a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In
  response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten
  regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the
  government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Australia and New
  Zealand are the main suppliers of foreign aid.

Venezuela
  Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the
  petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP,
  around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government
  operating revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and
  into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a
  two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003,
  temporarily halted economic activity. The economy is likely to
  remain in a recession in 2003, after sinking an estimated 8.9
  percent in 2002.

Vietnam
  Vietnam is a poor, densely-populated country that has had to
  recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from
  the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned
  economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in
  moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth
  averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
  financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy
  but, rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's
  belief that shifting to a market-oriented economy would lead to
  disaster. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in
  1999. Growth then rose to 6% to 7% in 2000-02 even against the
  background of global recession. These numbers mask some major
  difficulties in economic performance. Many domestic industries,
  including coal, cement, steel, and paper, have reported large
  stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient
  foreign producers. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have moved to
  implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
  to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The
  US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement entered into force near the end
  of 2001 and is expected to significantly increase Vietnam's exports
  to the US. The US is assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal
  and structural reforms called for in the agreement.

Virgin Islands
  Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
  for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally
  host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of
  petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and
  watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food
  being imported. International business and financial services are a
  small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's
  largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are
  subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working
  to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the
  private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect
  the environment.

Wake Island
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
  contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods
  must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna
  The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
  agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture
  (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.
  About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come
  from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
  Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate
  workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank
  Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip
  (WBGS) declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the
  combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population
  growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of
  Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in
  response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and
  commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most
  serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment;
  unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by
  1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive
  closures during the next five years decreased and, in 1998, Israel
  implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other
  security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor.
  These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in
  1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the
  outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of
  Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor
  movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military
  measures in Palestinian Authority areas have resulted in the
  destruction of much capital plant and administrative structure,
  widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Another major
  loss has been the decline in earnings of Palestinian workers in
  Israel. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip have prevented the complete collapse of the economy.

Western Sahara
  Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing,
  and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the
  population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable
  agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban
  population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities
  are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests
  in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western
  Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of
  living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

World Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) fell from 4.8% in 2000 to 2.2% in 2001 and 2.7% in 2002. The causes: sluggishness in the US economy (21% of GWP) and in the 15 EU economies (19% of GWP); continued stagnation in the Japanese economy (7.2% of GWP); and spillover effects in the less developed regions of the world. China, the second-largest economy in the world (12% of GWP), proved an exception, continuing its rapid annual growth, officially announced as 8% but estimated by many observers as perhaps two percentage points lower. Russia (2.6% of GWP), with 4% growth, continued to make uneven progress, its GDP per capita still only one-third that of the leading industrial nations. The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 5% range of growth. The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decision-making powers to international bodies. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 2002, see the individual country entries.)

Yemen
  Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world,
  reported strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil
  production, but has been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices.
  Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program
  designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which has led to
  substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. International
  donors, meeting in Paris in October 2002, agreed on a further $2.3
  billion economic support package. Yemen has worked to maintain tight
  control over spending and implement additional components of the IMF
  program. A high population growth rate and internal political
  dissension complicate the government's task.

Zambia
  Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,
  Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to
  reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned
  copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses
  generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for
  copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth.
  However, low mineral prices have slowed the benefits of privatizing
  the mines and have reduced incentives for further private investment
  in the sector. Cooperation continues with international bodies on
  programs to reduce poverty.

Zimbabwe
  The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
  difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable
  fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and
  bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
  dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
  suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
  Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to
  60% in 2000, to over 100% by yearend 2001, to 228% in early 2003.
  The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and
  violence, has nearly destroyed the commercial farming sector, the
  traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider
  of 400,000 jobs.

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2117 Pipelines (km)

Afghanistan
  gas 651 km (2003)

Albania
  gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2003)

Algeria
  condensate 1,344 km; gas 87,347 km; liquid petroleum gas
  2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2003)

Angola
  gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30
  km; oil 845 km; refined products 56 km (2003)

Argentina
  gas 26,797 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km;
  refined products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2003)

Armenia
  gas 2,031 km (2003)

Australia
  condensate 36 km; condensate/gas 243 km; gas 27,321 km;
  liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,779 km; oil/gas/water 104 km;
  water 40 km (2003)

Austria
  gas 2,722 km; oil 687 km; refined products 149 km (2003)

Azerbaijan
  gas 5,001 km; oil 1,631 km (2003)

Bahrain
  gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2003)

Bangladesh
  gas 2,016 km (2003)

Belarus
  gas 4,519 km; oil 1,811 km; refined products 1,686 km (2003)

Belgium
  gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003)

Bolivia
  gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,460 km;
  refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  gas 170 km; oil 9 km (2003)

Brazil
  condensate/gas 243 km; gas 10,984 km; liquid petroleum gas
  341 km; oil 5,113 km; refined products 4,800 km (2003)

Brunei
  gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2003)

Bulgaria
  gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2003)

Burma
  gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003)

Cameroon
  gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,124 km (2003)

Canada
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Chad
  oil 205 km (2003)

Chile
  gas 2,267 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum
  gas 531 km; oil 983 km; refined products 545 km (2003)

China
  gas 13,845 km; oil 15,143 km; refined products 3,280 km (2003)

Colombia
  gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
  gas 53 km; oil 673 km (2003)

Costa Rica
  refined products 421 km (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
  condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2003)

Croatia
  gas 1,374 km; oil 583 km (2003)

Cuba
  gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2003)

Czech Republic
  gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km
  (2003)

Denmark
  condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2
  km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2003)

Dominican Republic
  crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  gas 71 km; oil 1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003)

Egypt
  condensate 327 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,145 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 382 km; oil 5,726 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; water 62 km
  (2003)

Equatorial Guinea condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2003)

Estonia
  gas 859 km (2003)

Finland
  gas 694 km (2003)

France
  gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)

Gabon
  gas 210 km; oil 1,426 km; water 3 km (2003)

Georgia
  gas 1,495 km; oil 1,029 km; refined products 232 km (2003)

Germany
  condensate 325 km; gas 25,289 km; oil 3,743 km; refined
  products 3,827 km (2003)

Ghana
  refined products 74 km (2003)

Gibraltar
  0 km

Greece
  gas 1,531 km; oil 108 km (2003)

Guatemala
  oil 480 km (2003)

Hungary
  gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2003)

India
  gas 5,798 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km;
  refined products 5,567 km (2003)

Indonesia
  condensate 672 km; condensate/gas 125 km; gas 8,183 km;
  oil 7,429 km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km; water
  72 km (2003)

Iran
  condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570
  km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2003)

Iraq
  gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003)

Ireland
  gas 1,795 km (2003)

Israel
  gas 100 km; oil 1,509 km (2003)

Italy
  gas 17,448 km; oil 1,245 km (2003)

Jamaica
  petroleum products 10 km

Japan
  gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2003)

Jordan
  gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2003)

Kazakhstan
  condensate 640 km; gas 10,527 km; oil 9,771 km; refined
  products 1,187 km; water 1,465 km (2003)

Kenya
  refined products 752 km (2003)

Korea, North
  oil 136 km (2003)

Korea, South
  gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003)

Kuwait
  gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2003)

Laos
  refined products 540 km (2003)

Latvia
  gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003)

Lebanon
  oil 209 km (2003)

Libya
  condensate 225 km; gas 3,196 km; oil 6,872 km (2003)

Liechtenstein
  gas 20 km (2003)

Lithuania
  gas 1,698 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2003)

Luxembourg
  gas 155 km (2003)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  gas 268 km; oil 120 km
  (2003)

Malaysia
  condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined
  products 114 km (2003)

Mexico
  crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural
  gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Midway Islands
  7.8 km

Moldova
  gas 606 km (2003)

Morocco
  gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Mozambique
  gas 189 km; refined products 292 km (2003)

Netherlands
  condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined
  products 716 km (2003)

New Zealand
  gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km;
  refined products 304 km (2003)

Nicaragua
  oil 54 km (2003)

Nigeria
  condensate 105 km; gas 1,660 km; oil 3,634 km (2003)

Norway
  condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water
  746 km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km; water 96 km (2003)

Oman
  gas 3,599 km; oil 3,187 km (2003)

Pakistan
  gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2003)

Panama
  crude oil 130 km (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  oil 264 km (2003)

Peru
  gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2003)

Philippines
  gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2003)

Poland
  gas 12,901 km; oil 737 km (2003)

Portugal
  gas 482 km (2003)

Qatar
  condensate 90 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 902 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 87 km; oil 722 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2003)

Romania
  gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2003)

Russia
  gas 135,771 km; oil 70,833 km; refined products 11,536 km;
  water 23 km (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  condensate 212 km; gas 837 km; liquid petroleum gas
  1,187 km; oil 5,062 km; refined products 69 km (2003)

Senegal
  gas 564 km (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2003)

Singapore
  gas 139 km (2003)

Slovakia
  gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2003)

Slovenia
  gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2003)

Somalia
  crude oil 15 km

South Africa
  condensate 100 km; gas 741 km; oil 847 km; refined
  products 1,354 km (2003)

Spain
  gas 7,290 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,110 km; unknown
  (oil/water) 397 km (2003)

Sri Lanka
  crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Sudan
  gas 156 km; oil 2,297 km; refined products 810 km (2003)

Suriname
  oil 51 km (2003)

Sweden
  gas 798 km (2003)

Switzerland
  gas 1,831 km; oil 212 km; refined products 7 km (2003)

Syria
  gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2003)

Taiwan
  condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2003)

Tajikistan
  gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)

Tanzania
  gas 5 km; oil 866 km (2003)

Thailand
  gas 3,066 km; refined products 265 km (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2003)

Tunisia
  gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2003)

Turkey
  gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2003)

Turkmenistan
  gas 6,634 km; oil 853 km (2003)

Ukraine
  gas 20,069 km; oil 4,435 km; refined products 4,098 km (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  condensate 383 km; gas 1,765 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 186 km; oil 1,266 km (2003)

United Kingdom
  condensate 370 km; gas 21,263 km; liquid petroleum
  gas 59 km; oil 6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474
  km; water 650 km (2003)

United States
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km
  (2003)

Uruguay
  gas 192 km (2003)

Uzbekistan
  gas 9,012 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2003)

Venezuela
  extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,484 km;
  refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2003)

Vietnam
  condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined
  products 206 km (2003)

Yemen
  gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2003)

Zambia
  oil 771 km (2003)

Zimbabwe
  refined products 261 km (2003)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2118 Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan
  NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux
  and many prominent players have plans to create new parties; the
  Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) is headed by
  President Hamid KARZAI; the TISA is a coalition government formed of
  leaders from across the Afghan political spectrum; there are also
  several political factions not holding positions in the Transitional
  government that are forming new groups and parties in the hopes of
  participating in 2004 elections

Albania
  Agrarian Party of Albania or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI];
  Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Communist Party of
  Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD
  [Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality
  Movement Party or PLL [Guri DUROLLARI]; National Front Party (Balli
  Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI]; Party of National Unity or PUK
  [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social
  Democracy or DS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
  [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian
  Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ
  [Vasil MELO]

Algeria
  Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic
  National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation
  Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi
  MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany)]; Society of Peace
  Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI]; National Entente Movement or MEN
  [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Ali BENFLIS,
  secretary general]; National Reform Movement or MRN [Abdellah
  DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [leader NA]; Progressive
  Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or
  RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
  Movement [Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL];
  Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general
  (self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for Democracy and Liberty
  [Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
  note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
  in March 1997

American Samoa
  Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party
  [leader NA]

Andorra
  Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic
  Group or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA
  [Marc FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union
  or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND
  [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc
  MATEU ZAMORA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group
  of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial
  d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA]
  note: there are two other small parties

Angola
  Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
  National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
  leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
  Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [interim leader: PAULO Lukamba
  "Gato"], largest opposition party has engaged in years of armed
  resistance; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA
  [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social
  Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio
  MUACHICUNGO]
  note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
  but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National
  Assembly

Anguilla
  Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; The United
  Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the
  Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance
  or ANA

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];
  Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United
  Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three
  opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP,
  Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor
  Movement or PLM)

Argentina
  Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO];
  Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front
  for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition)
  [Dario Pedro ALESSANDRO]; Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos Saul
  MENEM] (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic
  Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS]; Federal Recreate Movement [Ricardo LOPEZ
  MURPHY]; several provincial parties

Armenia
  Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party
  [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex
  ARZUMANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK
  [Ruben MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
  ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
  [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
  National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
  People's Party); National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
  National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity
  Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia
  [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram
  SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
  Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; Union of
  Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party
  [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Aruba
  Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban
  Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party
  or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert
  CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban
  People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the
  Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement
  Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or
  PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro
  KELLY]

Australia
  Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor
  Party [Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES];
  Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
  Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON];
  One Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

Austria
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL];
  Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert HAUPT]; Social Democratic
  Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative
  or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of
  "Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic"
  faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic
  Union Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA
  [Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party
  for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party
  [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shvkat
  HACIYEVA]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or
  NAP [Heydar ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of
  Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic
  Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardust ALIZADE]
  note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Bahamas, The
  Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST];
  Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain
  political parties prohibited but politically oriented
  societies are allowed

Bangladesh
  Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist
  Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party
  or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti
  Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI];
  Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD];
  Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Barbados
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor
  Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Belarus
  Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian
  Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN, chairman]; Belarusian
  Ecological Green Party (merger of Belarusian Ecological Party and
  Green Party of Belarus) [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement
  (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH,
  chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA];
  Belarusian Social-Democrat Party or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH,
  chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party or Hromada [Stanislav
  SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav
  KUZNETSOV]; Civic Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Anatol
  LIABEDZKA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH,
  chairman]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN,
  chairman]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatoliy
  NETYLKIN, chairman]; Social-Democrat Party of Popular Accord or PPA
  [Leanid SECHKA]; Women's Party or "Nadezhda" [Valentina POLEVIKOVA,
  chairperson]

Belgium
  AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dirk HOLEMANS]; Christian Democrats
  and Flemish or CD & V [Yves LETERME]; note - used to be the Flemish
  Christian Democrats or CVP; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel
  JAVAUK, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal
  Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT]; Francophone Humanist and
  Democratic Center of CDH (used to be Social Christian Party or PSC)
  [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR (used to be
  Liberal Reformation Party or PRL) [Antoine DUQUESNE]; Francophone
  Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; National Front or FN [Daniel
  FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new
  party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU;
  Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; note
  - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note -
  new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU;
  Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Belize
  People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic
  Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party
  chairman]

Benin
  African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
  Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
  Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
  Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
  Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
  and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
  Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small
  parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
  Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's
  Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
  note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda
  National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON];
  Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda
  Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT]

Bhutan
  no legal parties

Bolivia
  Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic
  Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or
  MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or
  VIMA [Freddy ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR
  [Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES];
  Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist
  Democratic Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];
  Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE
  LOZADA]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA];
  Pachakuti Indigenous Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist
  Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]
  note: the MNR, MIR, and UCS comprise the ruling coalition

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or
  SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic
  Democratic Party or GDS [Ilija SIMIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of
  Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ [Barisa COLAK (acting)]; Croat
  Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo
  IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat
  Peasants Party or HSS [Ilija SIMIC]; Democratic National Union or
  DNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];
  New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or SBiH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or
  SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
  IVANIC]; Pro-European People's Party or PROENS [Jadranko PRLIC];
  Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan KALINIC]; Serb Radical Party of
  the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Socialist Party
  of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana
  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana
  National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or
  BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM
  [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
  note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
  BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
  are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the
  Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana
  Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Brazil
  Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER];
  Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose Carlos MARTINEZ]; Brazilian
  Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Jose ANIBAL]; Brazilian
  Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES]; Brazilian Progressive Party
  or PPB [Paulo Salim MALUF]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB
  [Renato RABELLO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA];
  Green Party or PV [leader NA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge
  BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto];
  National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO];
  Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Senator Roberto FREIRE]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose
  GENOINO]

British Virgin Islands
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn
  SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
  Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
  O'NEAL]

Brunei
  Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd
  HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; note - the PPKB is the
  only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985 but
  became largely inactive after 1988; it was revived in 1995 and again
  in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other
  parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and
  Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965,
  deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];
  Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by
  BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization or VMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights
  and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II
  or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; Union of Democratic Forces or
  UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan
  SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtdDF (a coalition between
  the UDF and other center-right parties)

Burkina Faso
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and
  Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation
  and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for
  Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement
  for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE];
  Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party
  for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens
  for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Burma
  National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman,
  AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP
  (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or
  SNLD [KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or
  USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG,
  general secretary]; and other smaller parties

Burundi
  the two national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity
  for National Progress or UPRONA [Alphonse KADEGE, president];
  Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president]
  note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
  Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence
  NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or
  RADDES [Joseph NZEYIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA
  [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
  [Mathias HITIMANA]

Cambodia
  Buddhist Liberal Party or BLP [IENG MOULY]; Cambodian
  Pracheachon Party or Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM];
  Khmer Citizen Party or KCP [NGUON SOEUR]; National United Front for
  an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
  FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP
  (formerly Khmer Nation Party or KNP) [SAM RANGSI]

Cameroon
  Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA];
  Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA];
  Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA];
  Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC
  [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC
  [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
  [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU
  NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic
  KODOCK]

Canada
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stephen
  HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack
  LAYTON]; Progressive Conservative Party [Peter MACKAY]

Cape Verde
  African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV
  [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change
  or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID);
  Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman];
  Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president];
  Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party
  for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];
  Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Cayman Islands
  there are no formal political parties but the
  following loose groupings act as political organizations; National
  Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman
  [leader NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA]

Central African Republic
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP
  [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC
  [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA];
  Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for
  Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
  Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of
  deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress
  or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre
  Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Chad
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
  National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
  National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
  Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]
  (originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party
  of the president); Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen.
  Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress
  or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]

Chile
  Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI;
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of
  Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS,
  PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent
  Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN
  [Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Guido GIRARDI];
  Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS];
  Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA]

China
  Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary
  of the Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled
  by CCP

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal
  Party or PL [Piedad CORDOBA and Juan Manuel LOPEZ Cabrales];
  Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April
  Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]
  note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
  most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Comoros
  Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
  ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
  12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
  National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
  RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
  MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
  movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
  or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
  Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
  Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
  Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
  government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Democratic Social Christian Party
  or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and
  Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese
  Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of
  the Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine
  NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga
  [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine
  GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne
  TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent
  Republicans or UFERI (two factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO];
  UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Congo, Republic of the
  the most important of the many parties are
  the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of
  Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT,
  Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress,
  Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the
  National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese
  Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel
  MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin
  MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre
  Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic
  or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or
  UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Cook Islands
  Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY];
  Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance
  Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN
  [Teariki HEATHER]

Costa Rica
  Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS
  Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican
  Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or
  PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA
  Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro
  MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ
  Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes];
  National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian
  Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]
  note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3
  February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant
  percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002

Cote d'Ivoire
  Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic
  Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or
  FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
  Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
  Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties

Croatia
  Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian
  Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union
  or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
  Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's
  Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS
  [Drazen BUDISA]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav
  TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Mate GRANIC]; Istrian Democratic
  Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Ivo BANAC];
  Party of Liberal Democrats or LIBRA [Goran GRANIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]
  note: the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian Social
  Liberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP,
  and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union or
  HDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election; the IDS
  subsequently left the governing coalition in June 2001 over its
  inability to win greater autonomy for Istria

Cuba
  only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz,
  first secretary]

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos
  PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS];
  Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green
  Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU];
  Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party)
  [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS
  (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis
  OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU];
  Turkish Cypriot area: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Mustafa
  AKINCI]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth
  Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis
  EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement
  or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI
  TALAT]

Czech Republic
  Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's
  Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic
  Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic
  Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia
  and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party
  of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National
  Social Party of CSNS [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic
  Party or CSSD [Vladimir SPIDLA, chairman]; Freedom Union-Democratic
  Union or US-DEU [Petr MARES, chairman]; Quad Coalition [Karel KUHNL,
  chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU)

Denmark
  Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's
  Party [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as
  Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party
  [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social
  Democratic Party [Mogens LYKKETOFT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes
  called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH,
  chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN]; Red-Green
  Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of
  Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

Djibouti
  Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh];
  Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti
  Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la
  Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD];
  People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar
  GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon
  FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED];
  Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Dominica
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica
  Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers Party or UWP
  [Edison JAMES]

Dominican Republic
  Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
  FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE
  CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Eduardo ESTRELLA]

East Timor
  Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco
  Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC
  [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC
  [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de
  ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party
  or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
  Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
  Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
  Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of the Mountain
  Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA
  [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao
  CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA];
  Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular
  Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA]

Ecuador
  Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
  Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; National Action
  Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [leader NA]; Pachakutik
  Movement [Miguel LLUCO]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [leader NA];
  Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular
  Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista
  Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE
  [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC
  [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]

Egypt
  Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din
  DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni
  MUBARAK] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping
  or Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man
  GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [leader NA]
  note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
  government

El Salvador
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER];
  Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]
  (includes Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO, leader);
  Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National
  Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO]; Liberal Democratic Party
  or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or
  PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National
  Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president]; National
  Republican Alliance or ARENA [Walter ARAUJO]; Social Christian Union
  or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or
  PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]

Equatorial Guinea
  Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS
  [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE
  (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress
  of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
  Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
  [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
  [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
  [Daniel OYONO]

Eritrea
  People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only
  party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a
  National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in
  January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or
  voted on it

Estonia
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR,
  chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN];
  Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian
  United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [leader NA]; Moderates
  (Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne
  KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan PARTS]; Russian Baltic Party
  [Sergei IVANOV]

Ethiopia
  Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Amhara
  National Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji
  People's Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul
  Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA];
  Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES
  Zenawi] (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo
  People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage
  Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka
  People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata,
  Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo People's Democratic
  Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic
  Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Omo People's Democratic
  Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or
  TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's
  Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small
  parties

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none; all independents

Faroe Islands
  Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party
  [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican
  Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes
  EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN]

Fiji
  Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
  Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
  Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
  Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
  Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
  FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
  Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
  BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
  Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
  Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
  or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
  National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
  Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
  National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
  [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
  SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
  BEDDOES]

Finland
  Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats
  or KD [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left
  Alliance or VAS (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League
  and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
  (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party
  or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik
  ENESTAM]

France
  Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre
  CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly
  RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF
  [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical
  Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
  [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal Democracy or DL (originally Republican
  Party or PR; now merged into the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for
  France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF
  [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (merged into UMP)
  [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens
  [Martine BILLARD, Denis BAUPIN, Stephane POCRAIN, Maryse ARDITI];
  Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP,
  and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement
  or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]

French Guiana
  Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE];
  Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana
  Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese
  Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland
  HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari
  Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

French Polynesia
  Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia
  (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api)
  [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or
  RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia
  Api) [leader NA]

Gabon
  Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface
  ASSELE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
  [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
  former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
  Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of
  Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul
  M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Gambia, The
  Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or
  APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive
  People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition
  [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA];
  National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's
  Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS
  [Sidia JATTA]
  note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
  the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
  since 1996

Georgia
  Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Avtandil JORBENADZE];
  Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist
  Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi
  GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE];
  Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil
  SAAKASHVILI]; New Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party
  [David BERDZENISHVILI]; "Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan
  ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists
  [Akaki ASATIANI]

Germany
  Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
  Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
  Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
  FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or
  PDS [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Gerhard
  SCHROEDER, chairman]

Ghana
  Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
  secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
  chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
  National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
  Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
  New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
  Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
  People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
  People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
  [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social
  Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or
  GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Greece
  Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos
  KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
  New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
  Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]

Greenland
  Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party
  (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close
  relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per
  BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist
  party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home
  rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH];
  Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center
  party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party,
  a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic
  identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Grenada
  Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME];
  National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National
  Party or NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader
  NA]

Guadeloupe
  Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS
  [Dominique LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri
  BANGOU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (may have become UMP)
  [Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY]; Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR];
  Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]

Guam
  Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente
  (Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO)
  [leader NA]

Guatemala
  Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER];
  Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National
  Alliance or GANA [leader NA]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES
  Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO
  Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Secretary
  General Alba ESTELA Maldonado]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG
  [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo
  ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV
  [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Secretary
  General Leonel LOPEZ Rodas]; National Unity for Hope or UNE
  [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by
  an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom
  subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
  Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
  BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ
  Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES
  Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Secretary General Alfredo
  SKINNER-KLEE]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Guernsey
  none; all independents

Guinea
  Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
  PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
  Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or
  PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea
  or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha
  CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO];
  Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,
  secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Guinea-Bissau
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau
  and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for the
  Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY];
  Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz
  LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
  International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje
  Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress
  or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic
  Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS
  [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr.
  Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social Democratic Party or
  PUSD [Victor Sau'de MARIA]

Guyana
  Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or
  GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE];
  Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP
  [leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman
  Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
  JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United
  Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA
  [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Haiti
  Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
  [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
  RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed of
  ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc
  MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or
  ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the following
  parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM,
  National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004,
  and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH
  [Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark
  PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization
  for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for
  National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the
  Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement
  for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean
  MOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick Remy
  JOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL
  and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
  MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];
  Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Dr. Hernan CORRALES
  Padilla]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [leader NA]; Liberal
  Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
  Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
  National Party of Honduras or PN [Raphael CALLEJAS]

Hong Kong
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood
  [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
  Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
  [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE
  Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing,
  chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's
  Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU
  Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New
  Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]
  note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
  Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party,
  Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
  of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New
  Century Forum

Hungary
  Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE];
  Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Laszlo VARGA,
  chairman]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Jozsef SZASER,
  chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID];
  Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI,
  chairman]; Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA,
  chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Laszlo KOVACS,
  chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Iceland
  Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green
  Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
  KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
  Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
  Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON];
  Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's
  List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

India
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C.
  Jayalalitha JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS
  (general secretary)]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI];
  Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
  [Jana KRISNAMURTHY]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK];
  Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN];
  Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar
  BHATTACHARYA]; Congress (I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra
  Kazagham or DMK (a regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI];
  Indian National League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D.
  Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Kerala
  Congress (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra
  Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA];
  Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Rashtriya Janata
  Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or
  RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV];
  Shiromani Akali Dal [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil
  Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP
  [Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Indonesia
  Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
  chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar
  TANDJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or
  PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party
  or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien
  RAIS, chairman]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Hidayat NUR WAHID,
  chairman]; United Development Party or PPP (federation of former
  Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Iran
  a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front
  achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in
  early 2000, and groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran
  Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party
  (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution
  Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); a new
  apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, emerged
  at the local level in early 2003

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green
  Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive
  Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party
  [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Israel
  Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Front for Peace and
  Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA]; Democratic Movement [Roman
  BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Green Leaf Party [Boaz WACHTEL and
  Shlomi SANDAK]; Herut [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party [Binyamin
  BEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meimad [Rabbi Michael
  MELCHIOR]; Meretz [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance
  (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY];
  National Union [Benyamin ELON] (includes Tekuma and Moledet); One
  Israel [Ra'anan COHEN]; One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu
  YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik
  DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or
  YBA [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Italy
  Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] -
  Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular
  Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The
  Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian
  Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right
  Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of
  Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance,
  The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center,
  United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic
  Center or CCD [Marco FOLLINI]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero
  FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation
  [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando
  COSSUTTA]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI];
  Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or
  SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma
  [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern
  League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP
  (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes
  Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance
  (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats
  for Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The
  Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco
  PANNELLA]; The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic
  Center, United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe
  or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU
  [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]

Jamaica
  Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National
  Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party
  or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

Japan
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Naoto KAN, leader; Katsuya
  OKADA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII,
  chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito [Takenori
  KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president; Shinzo ABE,
  secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho
  FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Jersey
  none; all independents

Jordan
  Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary
  general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary
  general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general];
  Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian
  Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general];
  Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general];
  Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS,
  secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary
  general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary
  general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI,
  secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI,
  secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud
  al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
  Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak Zhol Party "White
  Road" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, cofounders];
  AUL "Village" [leader NA]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first
  secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first
  secretary]; Otan "Fatherland" [Gani YESIMOV, chairman]; Patriots'
  Party [Gani KASYMOV]
  note: only seven parties in Kazakhstan have been registered under
  the new political party law passed in July 2002

Kenya
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
  [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
  [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
  the governing party

Kiribati
  Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];
  Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati
  or MKP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry
  TONG]
  note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
  in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
  because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
  structures

Korea, North
  Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Social
  Democratic Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman]; major party - Korean
  Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, general secretary]

Korea, South
  Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader NA]; Grand
  National Party or GNP [CH'OE Pyong-ryol, chairman]; Millennium
  Democratic Party or MDP [CHO Sun-hyong, chairman]; United Liberal
  Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [KIM
  Kun-t'ae, chairman]

Kuwait
  none; formation of political parties is illegal

Kyrgyzstan
  Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson S. SYDYKOV];
  Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken or Fatherland
  [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA
  [Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK
  [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A.
  SHAILIYEVA]; Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan
  Progressive and Democratic Party [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Justice
  Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement for the People's Salvation
  [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement or Ashar [Jumagazy
  USUPOV]; My Country Party of Action [Almazbek ISMANKULOV]; National
  Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of
  Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the
  Veterans of the War in Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party
  [leader NA]; People's Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Republican Popular
  Party of Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or
  PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union of Democratic Forces (composed of Social
  Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or PSD [J. IBRAMOV], Economic Revival
  Party, and Birimdik Party)

Laos
  Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon,
  party president]; other parties proscribed

Latvia
  Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts
  BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER
  Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks
  JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS];
  For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a
  coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian
  Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party
  [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth
  Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party
  (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC
  [Janis NAGLIS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era
  Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of
  Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive
  Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS];
  Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic
  Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of
  Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE]

Lebanon
  political party activity is organized along largely
  sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of
  individual political figures and followers motivated by religious,
  clan, and economic considerations

Lesotho
  Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho
  National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho
  Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha
  MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress
  or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles
  MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance
  [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete
  Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Liberia
  Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP)
  [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY];
  Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's
  Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader
  NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing
  party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or
  UP [Charles CLARKE]

Libya
  none

Liechtenstein
  Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive
  Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo
  FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER]

Lithuania
  Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar
  TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS
  [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS
  [Kestutis GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or
  LKD [Kazys BOBELIS]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas
  KARBAUSKIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS];
  Lithuanian Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National
  Democratic Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic
  Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian
  Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic
  Party or LSDP, and New Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union
  [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas
  BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera
  PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas
  PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS]

Luxembourg
  Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert
  MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as
  Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic
  Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix
  BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN];
  Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal
  leadership]; other minor parties

Macau
  there are no formal political parties, however, there are
  civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join
  together to form political blocs

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Democratic Alternative or
  DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Union for Integration
  or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI]; Democratic Party of Albanians or
  PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or
  VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Internal Macedonian
  Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or
  VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Liberal Democratic Party
  or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National
  Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA]; Party for Democratic
  Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI]; Social-Democratic Alliance
  of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist
  Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for
  Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Branko
  CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM [leader NA]

Madagascar
  Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
  [leader vacant]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for
  National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love
  Madagascar or TIM [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA];
  Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

Malawi
  Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi
  Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO, president; Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, vice
  president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; United
  Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party

Malaysia
  ruling coalition parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or
  PGRM [LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
  Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
  Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LING Ong Ka Ting];
  Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
  VELLU]; Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE]; Parti
  Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
  Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah
  Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee];
  Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP
  [WONG Soon Kah]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO
  [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut
  Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or
  UPKO [leader NA]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
  Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KERK Kim Hock]; Islamic Party of
  Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
  National Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Nasional) or Keadilan [WAN
  AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (the
  ruling coalition dominated by the UMNO and includes MCA, MIC, PGRM,
  PBDS, SUPP, PBB, PBS, LDP, SAPP, UPKO) [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]

Maldives
  although political parties are not banned, none exist

Mali
  Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda Traore KEITA, party
  chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
  [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
  Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
  Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
  [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
  Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
  Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
  National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
  secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
  GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
  chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
  TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
  or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
  Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Malta
  Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD
  [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT];
  Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]

Man, Isle of
  Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive
  Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
  note: most members sit as independents

Marshall Islands
  traditionally there have been no formally organized
  political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions
  or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,
  formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"
  have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party
  [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Martinique
  Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE];
  Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
  Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique
  Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats
  and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
  Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
  Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Mauritania
  Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR];
  Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE];
  Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party)
  [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for
  Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National
  Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party
  for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA];
  Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress
  Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and
  Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force
  Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or
  RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed
  Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint
  MOUKNASS]
  note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002;
  parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however,
  politics continue to be tribally based

Mauritius
  Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party
  or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM
  [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat
  Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist
  Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues
  Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples
  Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Mayotte
  Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular
  Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
  KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
  SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
  Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
  [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Mexico
  Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
  Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI
  Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio
  GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO
  Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA
  Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS
  Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON
  Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Micronesia, Federated States of
  no formal parties

Moldova
  Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM
  [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic
  Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of
  Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]

Monaco
  National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA];
  Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
  Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]

Mongolia
  Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called Civil Will Party
  or Civil Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic Party or
  DP [D. DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP
  [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or
  MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B.
  JARGALSAIHAN]
  note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Montserrat
  National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New
  People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Morocco
  Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of
  Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj
  [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS
  [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI];
  Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU];
  Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and
  Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social
  Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD
  [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN];
  Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of
  Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party
  (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development
  Party (formerly the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement)
  or PJD [Abdelkrim EL KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed
  ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National
  Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National
  Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of
  Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces
  or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL
  OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail
  ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party
  of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER];
  Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development
  Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC
  [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP
  [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Mozambique
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de
  Liberatacao de Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO,
  president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union
  (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE
  [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

Namibia
  Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic
  Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president];
  Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa
  People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United
  Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Nauru
  loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];
  Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party
  [leader NA]

Nepal
  Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML
  [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party
  or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur
  THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha)
  [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP
  [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and
  Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman];
  Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president;
  Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila
  Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]

Netherlands
  Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques
  Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats
  66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party
  or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party
  for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM]; Socialist
  Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor parties

Netherlands Antilles
  Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel
  POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB
  [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ];
  Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY];
  Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
  WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or
  FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol
  COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER];
  New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union
  of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten
  or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi];
  Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor
  Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St.
  Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative
  People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS
  [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
  JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald
  LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

New Caledonia
  Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];
  Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI
  [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de
  Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for
  National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC,
  and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and
  Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti
  independent) or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour
  l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,
  but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
  Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
  [Victor TUTUGORO]

New Zealand
  ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition
  of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party,
  and Mana Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette
  FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New
  Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor
  Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Nicaragua
  Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando
  AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY];
  Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional
  Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party
  for National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or
  PUCA) [leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro
  SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin
  LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo
  OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN
  [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN
  [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS
  [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union
  Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]

Niger
  Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid
  ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
  [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
  Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien
  Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or
  ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for
  Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou
  ISSOUFOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or
  UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]

Nigeria
  Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All
  Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
  Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH];
  Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
  Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
  Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Niue
  Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
  Independents or AI [leader NA]

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO];
  Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Norway
  Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party
  [Valgerd Svarstad HAUGLAND]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN];
  Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG];
  Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN];
  Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan
  National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch
  National Party or BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Baluch National
  Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Kahn BALOCH]; Jamhoori Watan Party
  or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];
  Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur
  REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami
  ul-HAQ]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat
  Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah Ahmad NOORANI];
  Millat Party or MP [Farooq LEGHARI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf
  faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muhajir Quami Movement, Haqiqi
  faction or MQM/H [Afaq AHMAD]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or
  MMA [leader NA]; National Alliance or NA [Farooq Ahmad Khan
  LEGHARI]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI];
  Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI];
  Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN]; Pakistan Awami
  Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic Party or PDP
  [Nawabadzada KHAN]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or
  PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J
  [Hamid Nasir CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction
  or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-l-Azam
  faction or PML/Q [Chaudhry Shujjat HUSSEIN]; Pakistan Muslim League,
  Zia-ul-HAQ or PML/Z [Ejaz ul-Haq]; Pakistan National Party or PNP
  [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO];
  Pakistan People's Party/Sherpao or PPP/S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO];
  Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO];
  Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Amin FAHIM];
  Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami
  [Allama Sajid NAQVI]; Tehrik-i-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]
  note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Palau
  none

Panama
  Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez];
  Civic Renewal Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA]; Democratic Change
  [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin
  TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Raul ARANGO Gasteazopo];
  National Renovation Movement or MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox];
  Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon MORALES];
  Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)
  [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS Galindo]

Papua New Guinea
  Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Bernard
  NAROKOBI]; National Alliance or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader;
  George MANOA, party president]; National Front Party [leader NA];
  National Party or NP [leader NA]; Papua New Guinea Revival Party
  [John PUNDARI]; Papua New Guinea United Party or Pangu Pati [Pate
  WAMP, party leader; Chris HAIVETA, parliamentary leader]; People's
  Action Party or PAP [Ted DIRO]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM
  [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA];
  People's National Congress or PNC [Bill SKATE]; People's Progress
  Party or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's Unity Party or PUP [leader
  NA]; United Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO]
  note: 43 political parties registered to participate in the June
  2002 elections

Paraguay
  Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR
  [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]; Movimiento Patria Querida or MPQ [Pedro
  Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Colorados
  Eticos or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Partido Encuentro
  Nacional or PEN [Diego ABENTE Brun]; Partido Liberal Radical
  Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or
  PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]

Peru
  Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP [Alan GARCIA]; Independent
  Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity
  (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Posible or PP
  [Luis SOLARI]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion
  Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union
  for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Philippines
  Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino
  Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president, Agapito AQUINO,
  secretary general]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian
  Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, president]; Liberal Party or
  LP [Florencio ABAD, president; Franklin DRILON, chairman]; National
  People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus;
  Frisco SAN JUAN, president; Faustino DY, chairman]; PDP-Laban
  [Aquilino PIMENTEL, chairman; Jejomar BINAY, president]; PMP
  [Horacio MORALES, president]; Aksyon Demokratiko Party [Raul ROCO,
  president]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA, chairman]; PROMDI [Emilio
  OSMENA, president]

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ];
  Citizens Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party
  or SKL-RNP [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Leszek
  MILLER]; Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority
  of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS
  [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek
  KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan
  OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI];
  Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL
  [Wojciech MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw
  KALINOWSKI]; Samoobrona [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Movement or RS
  [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Marek POL]

Portugal
  The Greens or PEV [no leader]; Popular Party or PP [Paulo
  PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party/The Greens or PCP/PEV [Carlos
  CARVALHAS]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Eduardo Ferro
  RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Jose Manuel DURAO
  BARROSO]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU [Carlos CARVALHAS]; The
  Left Bloc [no leader]

Puerto Rico
  National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National
  Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party
  or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA]; Popular Democratic
  Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON]; Puerto Rican
  Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for
  the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
  GERARD]

Romania
  Democratic Party or PD [Traian BASESCU]; Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party
  or PNL [Theodor STOLOJAN]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian
  Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
  [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in
  Romania or PDSR

Russia
  Communist Party of the Russian Federation or KPRF [Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
  [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Sergey
  GLAZYEV and Dmitriy ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV];
  Union of Rightist Forces or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor
  Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich
  NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko
  Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]

Rwanda
  Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene
  NAYINZIRA]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [J. Damascene
  NTAWUKURIRYAYO]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader
  NA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA];
  Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
  [Pie MUGABO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned)
  [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Front
  or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR
  [leader NA]

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
  AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's
  Action Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor
  Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Saint Lucia
  National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia
  Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or
  SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher
  HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la
  Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS
  [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  National Reform Party or NRP [Joel
  MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's
  Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or
  PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS];
  Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition
  of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National
  Unity or MNU)

Samoa
  Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights
  Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman];
  Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan
  National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman]
  (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary];
  Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan
  United Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI]

San Marino
  Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in
  Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader
  NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian
  Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular
  Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino
  Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or
  SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Sao Tome and Principe
  Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA];
  Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent
  Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation
  of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD
  [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD
  [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small
  parties

Saudi Arabia
  none allowed

Senegal
  African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also
  known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party
  of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or
  AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP
  (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic
  League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front
  for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
  Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
  or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
  DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
  Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
  coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
  Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Serbia and Montenegro
  Democratic Opposition of Serbia or DOS (a
  coalition of many small parties including DSS) [leader NA]; Alliance
  of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Democratic League of
  Kosovo or LDK [Dr. Ibrahim RUGOVA, president]; Democratic List for
  European Montenegro or DLECG [Milo DJUKANOVIC, Ranko KRIVOKAPIC];
  Democratic Party or DS [collective interim leadership led by Cedomir
  JOVANOVIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA];
  Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo
  DJUKANOVIC]; Party of Serb Unity or SSJ [Borislav PELEVIC]; Serbian
  Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or
  SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Zoran
  ANDJELKOVIC, general secretary]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
  [Rasim LJAJIC]; Together for Changes or ZP [leader NA]

Seychelles
  Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE];
  Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL];
  Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or
  UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or
  SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Sierra Leone
  All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA,
  interim chairman]; Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP
  [Alfred Musa CONTEH, interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party
  or CPP [Jeridine WILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center
  Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP
  [George E. L. PALMER]; Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting
  chairman]; National Alliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya
  SILLAH, chairman]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B.
  JALLOH]; National People's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National
  Republican Party or NRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity
  Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH, interim chairman]; National Unity Party
  or NUP [John BENJAMINE, interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party
  or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic
  Alliance or PDA [Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman];
  People's Democratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National
  Convention or PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party
  or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front
  Party or RUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic
  Party or SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or
  SLPP [Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party
  or UNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader];
  Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]

Singapore
  governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok
  Tong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
  [leader NA]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA];
  Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,
  PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
  Singapore Justice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National Malay
  Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Party
  or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]

Slovakia
  Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY];
  Democratic Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert
  FICO]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS
  [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party
  of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist
  Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or
  SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

Slovenia
  Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS
  [Anton ROUS]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or
  NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
  Slovene People's Party or SLS [Franc BUT]; Slovene Youth Party or
  SMS [Dominic CERNJAK]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS
  [Janez JANSA]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Solomon Islands
  Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's
  Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party
  or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for
  Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands
  Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
  coalitions

Somalia
  none

South Africa
  African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth
  MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,
  president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the
  Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NNP; note - NNP
  split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr.
  Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu
  BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NNP [Marthinus VAN
  SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA,
  president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Spain
  Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia];
  Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino
  RIVERO]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley,
  secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of
  Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of
  Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician
  Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents
  from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP
  [Mariano RAJOY]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis
  RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties
  including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Sri Lanka
  All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon
  Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP
  [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
  [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
  [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
  or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP
  [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
  People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
  People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader
  NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom
  Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim
  Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF
  [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO
  [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ];
  Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United
  National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's
  Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim
  parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Sudan
  the government allows political "associations" under a 1998
  law revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must
  accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using
  violence against the regime; approved parties include the National
  Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National
  Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor,
  pro-government parties

Suriname
  Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the
  Alternative Forum or AF and Party for Brotherhood and Unity in
  Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991) [Winston JESSURUN];
  Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000 (coalition of two
  parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the 21st Century) [Jules
  WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative or OPDA
  [Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium Combination or MC (a coalition of
  three parties, Democratic Alternative, Party for National Unity and
  Solidarity, and National Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader
  NA]; Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party
  of National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja
  Luhur [Paul SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
  Union or PALU [Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of
  four parties Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform
  Party or VHP, Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur)
  [Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a
  combination of three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP,
  Party of the Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname
  Progressive People's Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Swaziland
  political parties are banned by the constitution - the
  following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National
  Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or
  NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement
  or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or
  SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Sweden
  Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf
  SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
  Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly
  Communist) [Ulla HOFFMAN (acting)]; Liberal People's Party [Lars
  LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT];
  Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Switzerland
  Christian Democratic People's Party
  (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti
  Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano
  Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra
  or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei
  der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito
  Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La
  Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free
  Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or
  FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio
  Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Christiane LANGENBERGER,
  president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der
  Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista
  Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS)
  [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party
  (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or
  UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal
  Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties

Syria
  National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist
  Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar
  al-ASAD, secretary general], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
  [Ahmad al ASAD], Syrian Communist Party [leader NA], Unionist
  Socialist Party [leader NA], Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani
  QANNUT], and Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Sami SUFAN])
  [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or
  ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL];
  Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Taiwan
  Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHEN Shui-bian,
  chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan,
  chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu),
  chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Chu-wen, chairman];
  other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Tajikistan
  Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV,
  chairman]; Islamic Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman];
  People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV];
  Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party
  or SPT [Sherali KENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi
  SHABDOLOV]

Tanzania
  Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
  Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
  (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
  or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
  [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
  Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Thailand
  Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANTADTAN
  Banyat]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN
  Dabbaransi]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN
  Sinlapa-acha]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Togo
  Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace
  and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for
  Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO]; Rally of the
  Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for
  Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
  note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA,
  was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was
  legalized 12 April 1991

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  there are no political parties

Trinidad and Tobago
  National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR
  [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA];
  People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or
  TUN [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Tunisia
  Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; Constitutional Democratic
  Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD
  [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal
  Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Democratic Socialists
  or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj
  AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Turkey
  Democratic Left Party or DSP [Bulent ECEVIT]; Justice and
  Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayip ERDOGAN]; Motherland Party or
  ANAP [Ahmet Mesut YILMAZ]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet
  BAHCELI]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; True Path
  Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP [Tansu
  CILLER]; Young Party or GP [Cem UZAN]

Turkmenistan
  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat
  NIYAZOV]
  note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
  opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
  two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
  Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
  SHIKHUMRADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
  November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
  led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow

Turks and Caicos Islands
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek
  H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK];
  United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Tuvalu
  there are no political parties but members of Parliament
  usually align themselves in informal groupings

Uganda
  only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
  NRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
  note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
  party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
  Ugandans
  note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
  while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
  parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
  the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
  OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
  Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
  MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Ukraine
  Agrarian Party [Kateryna VASHCHUK]; Communist Party of
  Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan
  HAVRYSH]; European Choice [Volodymyr STASYUK]; Our Ukraine [Viktor
  YUSHCHENKO]; People's Choice [Mykola HAPOCHKA]; People's Democratic
  Party or PDP [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO, chairman]; People's Power
  [Bohdan HUBSKYY]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Socialist
  Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United Social
  Democratic Party [Leonid KRAVCHUK]; Working Ukraine-Industrialists
  and Entrepreneurs [Ihor SHAROV]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya
  TYMOSHENKO]
  note: and numerous smaller parties

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD];
  Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY];
  Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles
  KENNEDY]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn Jones]; Scottish
  National Party or SNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)
  [Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern
  Ireland) [Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
  [David TRIMBLE]

United States
  Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE]; Green Party
  [leader NA]; Libertarian Party [Steve DASBACH]; Republican Party
  [Governor Marc RACICOT]

Uruguay
  Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or
  Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or
  Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
  Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Uzbekistan
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar
  JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party
  (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's
  Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz
  JALALOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar
  National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note -
  Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Vanuatu
  Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive
  Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van
  THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku
  Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican
  Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]

Venezuela
  Democratic Action or AD [Claudio FERMIN]; Fifth Republic
  Movement or MVR [Garcia PONCE]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose
  ALBORNIZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism
  or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
  Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio HERRERA]; Social
  Christian Party or COPEI [Oswaldo ALVAREZ Paz]; Venezuela Project or
  PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Vietnam
  only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc
  MANH, general secretary]

Virgin Islands
  Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent
  Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary
  SPRAUVE]

Wallis and Futuna
  Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement
  des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or
  RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union
  Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
  Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Yemen
  there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of
  the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President
  Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh
  Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Baath Party
  [Dr. Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik
  al-MAKHLAFI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
  note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
  landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
  longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
  al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
  been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
  loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative
  election, but announced that it would participate in Yemen's first
  local elections, held in February 2001; these local elections aim to
  decentralize political power and are a key element of the
  government's political reform program

Zambia
  Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum
  for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage
  Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF
  [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD
  [Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for
  Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr.
  Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian
  Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or
  SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP
  [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development
  or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

Zimbabwe
  Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI];
  National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA];
  United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National
  Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African
  National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE];
  Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2119 Population

Afghanistan
  28,717,213 (July 2003 est.)

Albania
  3,582,205 (July 2003 est.)

Algeria
  32,818,500 (July 2003 est.)

American Samoa
  70,260 (July 2003 est.)

Andorra
  69,150 (July 2003 est.)

Angola
  10,766,471 (July 2003 est.)

Anguilla
  12,738 (July 2003 est.)

Antarctica
  no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally
  staffed research stations
  note: approximately 27 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic
  Treaty, send personnel to perform seasonal (summer) and year-round
  research on the continent and in its surrounding oceans; the
  population of persons doing and supporting science on the continent
  and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the
  region covered by the Antarctic Treaty) varies from approximately
  4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000
  personnel including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard
  research are present in the waters of the treaty region; summer
  (January) population - 3,687 total; Argentina 302, Australia 201,
  Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16, Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11,
  France 100, Germany 51, India 60, Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea
  14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway 40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia
  254, South Africa 80, Spain 43, Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378
  (1998-99); winter (July) population - 964 total; Argentina 165,
  Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China 33, France 33, Germany 9,
  India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10, Poland 20, Russia 102,
  South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99); year-round stations - 42
  total; Argentina 6, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, Finland
  1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ
  1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 6, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Ukraine 1,
  UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (1998-99); summer-only stations - 32 total;
  Argentina 3, Australia 4, Bulgaria 1, Chile 7, Germany 1, India 1,
  Japan 3, NZ 1, Peru 1, Russia 3, Sweden 2, UK 5 (1998-99); in
  addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous
  occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary
  facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (July 2003
  est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  67,897 (July 2003 est.)

Argentina
  38,740,807 (July 2003 est.)

Armenia
  3,326,448
  note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in
  October 2001; official results are not expected until late 2003
  (July 2003 est.)

Aruba
  70,844 (July 2003 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2003 est.)

Australia
  19,731,984 (July 2003 est.)

Austria
  8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  7,830,764 (July 2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  297,477
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Bahrain
  667,238
  note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Baker Island
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
  remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
  middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
  Service (July 2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  138,448,210 (July 2003 est.)

Barbados
  277,264 (July 2003 est.)

Bassas da India
  uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Belarus
  10,322,151 (July 2003 est.)

Belgium
  10,289,088 (July 2003 est.)

Belize
  266,440 (July 2003 est.)

Benin
  7,041,490
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Bermuda
  64,482 (July 2003 est.)

Bhutan 2,139,549 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2003 est.)

Bolivia
  8,586,443 (July 2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3,989,018 (July 2003 est.)

Botswana
  1,573,267
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Bouvet Island
  uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Brazil
  182,032,604
  note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
  population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
  projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
  underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
  country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
  due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
  mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
  changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
  otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
  the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
  were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and
  1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
  British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
  2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
  and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
  (July 2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  21,730 (July 2003 est.)

Brunei
  358,098 (July 2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  7,537,929 (July 2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  13,228,460
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Burma
  42,510,537
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Burundi
  6,096,156
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Cambodia
  13,124,764
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Cameroon
  15,746,179
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Canada
  32,207,113 (July 2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  412,137 (July 2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  41,934 (July 2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  3,683,538
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Chad
  9,253,493 (July 2003 est.)

Chile
  15,665,216 (July 2003 est.)

China
  1,286,975,468 (July 2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  433 (July 2003 est.)

Clipperton Island
  uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  630 (July 2003 est.)

Colombia
  41,662,073 (July 2003 est.)

Comoros
  632,948 (July 2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  56,625,039
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  2,954,258
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  21,008 (July 2003 est.)

Coral Sea Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
  station (July 2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  16,962,491
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Croatia
  4,422,248 (July 2003 est.)

Cuba
  11,263,429 (July 2003 est.)

Cyprus
  771,657 (July 2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  10,249,216 (July 2003 est.)

Denmark
  5,384,384 (July 2003 est.)

Djibouti
  457,130 (July 2003 est.)

Dominica
  69,655 (July 2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  8,715,602 (July 2003 est.)

East Timor
  997,853
  note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (2002 est.) (July 2003
  est.)

Ecuador
  13,710,234 (July 2003 est.)

Egypt
  74,718,797 (July 2003 est.)

El Salvador
  6,470,379 (July 2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  510,473 (July 2003 est.)

Eritrea
  4,362,254 (July 2003 est.)

Estonia
  1,408,556 (July 2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  66,557,553
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Europa Island
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2,967 (July 2003 est.)

Faroe Islands
  46,345 (July 2003 est.)

Fiji
  868,531 (July 2003 est.)

Finland
  5,190,785 (July 2003 est.)

France
  60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)

French Guiana
  186,917 (July 2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  262,125 (July 2003 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  no indigenous inhabitants (July
  2002 est.)
  note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
  winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2003 est.)

Gabon
  1,321,560
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  1,501,050 (July 2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1,274,868 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
  Gaza Strip (July 2003 est.)

Georgia
  4,934,413 (July 2003 est.)

Germany
  82,398,326 (July 2003 est.)

Ghana
  20,467,747
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  27,776 (July 2003 est.)

Glorioso Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Greece
  10,665,989 (July 2003 est.)

Greenland
  56,385 (July 2003 est.)

Grenada
  89,258 (July 2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  440,189 (July 2003 est.)

Guam
  163,941 (July 2003 est.)

Guatemala
  13,909,384 (July 2003 est.)

Guernsey
  64,818 (July 2003 est.)

Guinea
  9,030,220 (July 2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,360,827 (July 2003 est.)

Guyana
  702,100
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Haiti
  7,527,817
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  911 (July 2003 est.)

Honduras
  6,669,789
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  7,394,170 (July 2003 est.)

Howland Island
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
  by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

Hungary
  10,045,407 (July 2003 est.)

Iceland
  280,798 (July 2003 est.)

India
  1,049,700,118 (July 2003 est.)

Indonesia
  234,893,453 (July 2003 est.)

Iran
  68,278,826 (July 2003 est.)

Iraq
  24,683,313 (July 2003 est.)

Ireland
  3,924,140 (July 2003 est.)

Israel
  6,116,533 (July 2002 est.)
  note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
  about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
  in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem
  (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Italy
  57,998,353 (July 2003 est.)

Jamaica
  2,695,867 (July 2003 est.)

Jan Mayen
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
  the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2003 est.)

Japan
  127,214,499 (July 2003 est.)

Jarvis Island
  uninhabited
  note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
  used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
  abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
  Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
  permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
  restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
  and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

Jersey
  90,156 (July 2003 est.)

Johnston Atoll
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
  and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
  population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
  Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2003 the island
  population was just above 800 personnel, including US Air Force, US
  Department of Defense civilian, and civilian contractor personnel
  (January 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Jordan
  5,460,265 (July 2003 est.)

Juan de Nova Island no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  16,763,795 (July 2003 est.)

Kenya
  31,639,091
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Kingman Reef
  uninhabited (July 2003 est.)

Kiribati
  98,549 (July 2003 est.)

Korea, North
  22,466,481 (July 2003 est.)

Korea, South
  48,289,037 (July 2003 est.)

Kuwait 2,183,161 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  4,892,808 (July 2003 est.)

Laos
  5,921,545 (July 2003 est.)

Latvia
  2,348,784 (July 2003 est.)

Lebanon
  3,727,703 (July 2003 est.)

Lesotho
  1,861,959
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Liberia
  3,317,176 (July 2003 est.)

Libya 5,499,074 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  33,145 (July 2003 est.)

Lithuania
  3,592,561 (July 2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  454,157 (July 2003 est.)

Macau
  469,903 (July 2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  2,063,122
  note: a census was taken 1-15 November 2002, but results are not yet
  available (July 2003 est.)

Madagascar
  16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)

Malawi
  11,651,239
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Malaysia
  23,092,940 (July 2003 est.)

Maldives
  329,684 (July 2003 est.)

Mali
  11,626,219 (July 2003 est.)

Malta
  400,420 (July 2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  74,261 (July 2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  56,429 (July 2003 est.)

Martinique
  425,966 (July 2003 est.)

Mauritania
  2,912,584 (July 2003 est.)

Mauritius
  1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)

Mayotte
  178,437 (July 2003 est.)

Mexico
  104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  108,143 (July 2003 est.)

Midway Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people
  make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services
  cooperator living at the atoll (July 2003 est.)

Moldova
  4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)

Monaco
  32,130 (July 2003 est.)

Mongolia
  2,712,315 (July 2003 est.)

Montserrat
  8,995
  note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
  resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
  (July 2003 est.)

Morocco
  31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Mozambique
  17,479,266
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
  Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003
  est.)

Namibia
  1,927,447
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Nauru
  12,570 (July 2003 est.)

Navassa Island
  uninhabited
  note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
  (July 2003 est.)

Nepal
  26,469,569 (July 2003 est.)

Netherlands
  16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  216,226 (July 2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  210,798 (July 2003 est.)

New Zealand
  3,951,307 (July 2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)

Niger
  11,058,590 (July 2003 est.)

Nigeria
  133,881,703
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Niue
  2,145 (July 2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  1,853 (July 2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  80,006 (July 2003 est.)

Norway
  4,546,123 (July 2003 est.)

Oman 2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Pakistan
  150,694,740 (July 2003 est.)

Palau
  19,717 (July 2003 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
  no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy
  staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2003 est.)

Panama
  2,960,784 (July 2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  5,295,816 (July 2003 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)

Paraguay
  6,036,900 (July 2003 est.)

Peru
  28,409,897 (July 2003 est.)

Philippines
  84,619,974 (July 2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  47 (July 2003 est.)

Poland
  38,622,660 (July 2003 est.)

Portugal
  10,102,022 (July 2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  3,885,877 (July 2003 est.)

Qatar
  817,052 (July 2003 est.)

Reunion
  755,171 (July 2003 est.)

Romania
  22,271,839 (July 2003 est.)

Russia
  144,526,278 (July 2003 est.)

Rwanda
  7,810,056
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  7,367 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  38,763 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  162,157 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  6,976 (July 2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  116,812 (July 2003 est.)

Samoa
  178,173 (July 2003 est.)

San Marino
  28,119 (July 2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  175,883 (July 2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia 24,293,844 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Senegal 10,580,307 (July 2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro 10,655,774 note: a census was taken in Serbia 1-15 April 2002 (July 2003 est.)

Seychelles
  80,469 (July 2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  5,732,681 (July 2003 est.)

Singapore
  4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)

Slovakia
  5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)

Slovenia
  1,935,677 (July 2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  509,190 (July 2003 est.)

Somalia
  8,025,190
  note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
  1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
  complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
  in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2003 est.)

South Africa
  42,768,678
  note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a
  population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8%
  underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for
  this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess
  mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
  higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
  rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex
  than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  no indigenous
  inhabitants
  note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
  2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
  British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
  Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003
  est.)

Spain
  40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)

Spratly Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
  claimant states (July 2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  19,742,439 (2003 est.)
  note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
  armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
  Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000,
  approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south
  India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than
  200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2003 est.)

Sudan
  38,114,160 (July 2003 est.)

Suriname
  435,449 (July 2003 est.)

Svalbard
  2,811 (July 2003 est.)

Swaziland
  1,161,219
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Sweden
  8,878,085 (July 2003 est.)

Switzerland
  7,318,638 (July 2003 est.)

Syria
  17,585,540 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
  about 20,000 Israeli settlers (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Taiwan
  22,603,001 (July 2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Tanzania
  35,922,454
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Thailand
  64,265,276
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Togo
  5,429,299
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Tokelau
  1,418 (July 2003 est.)

Tonga
  108,141 (July 2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,104,209 (July 2003 est.)

Tromelin Island
  uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July
  2003 est.)

Tunisia
  9,924,742 (July 2003 est.)

Turkey
  68,109,469 (July 2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  4,775,544 (July 2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  19,350 (July 2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  11,305 (July 2003 est.)

Uganda
  25,632,794
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Ukraine
  48,055,439 (July 2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2,484,818
  note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
  1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
  there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  60,094,648 (July 2003 est.)

United States
  290,342,554 (July 2003 est.)

Uruguay
  3,413,329 (July 2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  25,981,647 (July 2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  199,414 (July 2003 est.)

Venezuela
  24,654,694 (July 2003 est.)

Vietnam
  81,624,716 (July 2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  124,778 (July 2003 est.)

Wake Island
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
  personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
  present (July 2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  15,734 (July 2003 est.)

West Bank
  2,237,194 (July 2002 est.)
  note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
  West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (February 2002
  est.) (July 2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  261,794 (July 2003 est.)

World
  6,302,309,691 (July 2003 est.)

Yemen
  19,349,881 (July 2003 est.)

Zambia
  10,307,333
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  12,576,742
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2120 Ports and harbors

Afghanistan
  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania
  Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria
  Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene,
  Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

American Samoa
  Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago
  Pago, Ta'u

Andorra
  none

Angola
  Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Mocamedes, Namibe,
  Porto Amboim, Soyo

Anguilla
  Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica
  there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica;
  most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
  transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
  helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
  stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
  W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
  "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
  sparse and intermittent

Antigua and Barbuda
  Saint John's

Arctic Ocean
  Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina
  Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion
  del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos,
  Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Armenia
  none

Aruba
  Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean
  Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
  (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
  (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
  Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
  (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal),
  London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal
  (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran
  (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de
  Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg
  (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia
  Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania),
  Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
  Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Austria
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan
  Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
  Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Bahrain
  Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Baker Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Bangladesh
  Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Barbados
  Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Bassas da India
  none; offshore anchorage only

Belarus
  Mazyr

Belgium
  Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent,
  Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Belize
  Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Benin
  Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Bermuda
  Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Bhutan
  none

Bolivia
  Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
  Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
  maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski
  Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Botswana
  none

Bouvet Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil
  Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto
  Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
  Road Town

Brunei
  Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Bulgaria
  Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Burkina Faso
  none

Burma
  Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon,
  Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

Burundi
  Bujumbura

Cambodia
  Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong,
  Phnom Penh

Cameroon
  Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Canada
  Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal,
  New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick),
  St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres,
  Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Cape Verde
  Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
  Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chad
  none

Chile
  Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt,
  Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

China
  Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang,
  Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou,
  Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)

Christmas Island
  Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none; lagoon anchorage only

Colombia
  Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena,
  Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Comoros
  Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma,
  Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the
  Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
  Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands
  Avarua, Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica
  Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos,
  Puntarenas

Cote d'Ivoire
  Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Croatia
  Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik,
  Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Cuba
  Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas,
  Santiago de Cuba

Cyprus
  Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Czech Republic
  Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark
  Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia,
  Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Djibouti
  Djibouti

Dominica
  Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic
  Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata,
  San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar,
  San Lorenzo

Egypt
  Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta,
  Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

El Salvador
  Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto
  El Triunfo

Equatorial Guinea
  Bata, Luba, Malabo

Eritrea
  Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Estonia
  Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Ethiopia
  none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with
  Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border
  dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti
  for nearly all of its imports

Europa Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Stanley
  note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known
  locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the
  facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300
  meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after
  1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988

Faroe Islands
  Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Fiji
  Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Finland
  Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori,
  Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

France
  Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice,
  Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint
  Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

French Guiana
  Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

French Polynesia
  Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon
  Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,
  Port-Gentil

Gambia, The
  Banjul

Gaza Strip
  Gaza

Georgia
  Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Germany
  Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden,
  Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
  Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Ghana
  Takoradi, Tema

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Greece
  Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra,
  Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
  Thessaloniki, Volos

Greenland
  Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn),
  Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq
  (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Grenada
  Grenville, Saint George's

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot,
  Pointe-a-Pitre

Guam
  Apra Harbor

Guatemala
  Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose,
  Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey
  Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea
  Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau
  Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana
  Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Haiti
  Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
  Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo,
  Tela, Puerto Lempira

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong

Howland Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Hungary
  Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Iceland
  Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn,
  Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

India
  Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata
  (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
  (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)
  Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South
  Africa)

Indonesia
  Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang,
  Semarang, Surabaya

Iran
  Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war),
  Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam
  Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman,
  Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan,
  Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November
  1992), Now Shahr

Iraq
  Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited
  functionality

Ireland
  Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick,
  New Ross, Waterford

Israel
  Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Italy
  Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La
  Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres
  (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)

Jamaica
  Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho
  Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Jan Mayen
  none; offshore anchorage only

Japan
  Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima,
  Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima,
  Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Jarvis Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another
  near the southwest corner of the island

Jersey
  Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
  Johnston Island

Jordan
  Al 'Aqabah

Juan de Nova Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Kazakhstan
  Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
  (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya
  Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Kingman Reef
  none; offshore anchorage only

Kiribati
  Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Korea, North
  Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
  Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,
  Wonsan

Korea, South
  Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang,
  Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Kuwait
  Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina'
  al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Kyrgyzstan
  Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Laos
  none

Latvia
  Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon
  Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani,
  Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Lesotho
  none

Liberia
  Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Libya
  Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's
  Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Luxembourg
  Mertert

Macau
  Macau

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  none

Madagascar
  Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
  Toliara

Malawi
  Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia
  Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan,
  Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port
  Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung
  Kidurong, Tawau

Maldives
  Gan, Male

Mali
  Koulikoro

Malta
  Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Man, Isle of
  Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Marshall Islands
  Majuro

Martinique
  Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Mauritania
  Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Mauritius
  Port Louis

Mayotte
  Dzaoudzi

Mexico
  Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz,
  Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz,
  Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei),
  Lele, Moen

Midway Islands
  Sand Island

Moldova
  none

Monaco
  Monaco

Mongolia
  none

Montserrat
  Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry
  landing), Carr's Bay

Morocco
  Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra,
  Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled
  Ceuta and Melilla

Mozambique
  Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Namibia
  Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru
  Nauru

Navassa Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Nepal
  none

Netherlands
  Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen,
  Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht,
  Vlissingen

Netherlands Antilles
  Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

New Caledonia
  Mueo, Noumea, Thio

New Zealand
  Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Nicaragua
  Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto
  Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Niger
  none

Nigeria
  Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Niue
  none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands
  Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund,
  Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso,
  Trondheim

Oman
  Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Pacific Ocean
  Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan),
  Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
  Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
  (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan
  Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Palau
  Koror

Palmyra Atoll
  West Lagoon

Panama
  Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon
  area), Vacamonte

Papua New Guinea
  Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Paracel Islands
  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
  Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay
  Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru
  Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado,
  Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
  note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches
  of the Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines
  Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island,
  Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San
  Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands
  Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland
  Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie,
  Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw

Portugal
  Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes,
  Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores),
  Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Puerto Rico
  Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla,
  Guayama, Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Qatar
  Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Reunion
  Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Romania
  Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Russia
  Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
  De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan',
  Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow,
  Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega,
  Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov, Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg,
  Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk, Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd,
  Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Rwanda
  Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena
  Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Basseterre, Charlestown

Saint Lucia
  Castries, Vieux Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Saint Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Kingstown

Samoa
  Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

San Marino
  none

Sao Tome and Principe
  Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
  Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's
  al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al
  Sinaiyah

Senegal
  Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis,
  Ziguinchor

Serbia and Montenegro
  Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo,
  Tivat, Zelenika

Seychelles
  Victoria

Sierra Leone
  Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Singapore
  Singapore

Slovakia
  Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia
  Izola, Koper, Piran

Solomon Islands
  Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Somalia
  Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

South Africa
  Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port
  Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Grytviken

Southern Ocean
  McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
  note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
  Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
  periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
  icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
  research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
  commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
  degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
  observers (see Article 7)

Spain
  Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la
  Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands),
  Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary
  Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Spratly Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka
  Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Sudan
  Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Suriname
  Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam,
  Wageningen

Svalbard
  Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Swaziland
  none

Sweden
  Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar,
  Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Switzerland
  Basel

Syria
  Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Taiwan
  Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Tajikistan
  none

Tanzania
  Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara,
  Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Thailand
  Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha,
  Songkhla

Togo
  Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau
  none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga
  Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Trinidad and Tobago
  Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas,
  Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Tromelin Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Tunisia
  Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Turkey
  Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit),
  Icel (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu
  Funafuti, Nukufetau

Uganda
  Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine
  Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson,
  Kiev (Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni,
  Sevastopol', Yalta, Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates
  'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,
  Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina'
  Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom
  Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth,
  Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London,
  Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow,
  Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne

United States
  Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago,
  Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles,
  New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland
  (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa,
  Toledo

Uruguay
  Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo,
  Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Uzbekistan
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu
  Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela
  Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina,
  Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto
  Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Vietnam
  Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy
  Nhon, Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Virgin Islands
  Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port
  Alucroix

Wake Island
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna
  Leava, Mata-Utu

West Bank
  none

Western Sahara
  Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

World
  Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi
  (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Yemen
  Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha,
  Nishtun

Zambia
  Mpulungu

Zimbabwe
  Binga, Kariba

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2121 Railways (km)

Afghanistan
  total: 24.6 km
  broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to
  Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to
  Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya (2001)

Albania
  total: 447 km
  standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Algeria
  total: 3,973 km
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2002)

American Samoa
  0 km

Andorra
  0 km

Angola total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

Anguilla
  0 km

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 77 km
  narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost
  exclusively for handling sugarcane) (2001 est.)

Argentina
  total: 34,463 km (168 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 20,736 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,115 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Armenia
  total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include
  industrial lines
  broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2002)

Aruba
  0 km

Australia
  total: 41,588 km (4,612 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 2,193 km 1.600-m gauge
  standard gauge: 23,648 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 15,456 km 1.067-m gauge
  dual gauge: 291 km dual gauge (2002)

Austria
  total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km
  0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)

Azerbaijan total: 2,122 km broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2002)

Bahamas, The
  0 km

Bahrain
  0 km

Bangladesh
  total: 2,706 km
  broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Barbados
  0 km

Belarus
  total: 5,523 km
  broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2002)

Belgium
  total: 3,471 km
  standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)

Belize
  0 km

Benin total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Bermuda
  0 km

Bhutan
  0 km

Bolivia
  total: 3,519 km
  narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Botswana
  total: 888 km
  narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Brazil
  total: 31,543 km (1,981 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 4,961 km 1.600-m gauge (692 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge (630 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 25,992 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
  electrified) (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  0 km

Brunei
  total: 13 km (private line)
  narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 4,294 km
  standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Burkina Faso
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
  (2002)

Burma
  total: 3,955 km
  narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Burundi
  0 km

Cambodia
  total: 602 km
  narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Cameroon
  total: 1,008 km
  narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Canada
  total: 49,422 km
  standard gauge: 49,422 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km electrified) (2002)

Cape Verde
  0 km

Cayman Islands
  0 km

Central African Republic
  0 km

Chad
  0 km

Chile
  total: 6,585 km
  broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

China
  total: 71,600 km
  standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (14,600 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial
  lines (2002)

Christmas Island
  24 km to serve phosphate mines

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0 km

Colombia
  total: 3,304 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Comoros
  0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 4,772 km
  narrow gauge: 3,621 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2002)

Congo, Republic of the total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Cook Islands 0 km

Costa Rica total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
  Faso (2002)

Croatia
  total: 2,296 km
  standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified) (2002)

Cuba
  total: 3,442 km
  standard gauge: 3,442 km 1.435-m gauge (142 km electrified)
  note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
  about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
  (2002)

Cyprus
  0 km

Czech Republic
  total: 9,462 km
  standard gauge: 9,363 km 1.435-m gauge (1,745 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Denmark
  total: 3,164 km
  standard gauge: 2,324 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified)
  note:: total includes 840 km of suburban track (2002)

Djibouti
  total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
  railway)
  narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Dominica
  0 km

Dominican Republic
  total: 1,503 km
  standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
  note:: 986 km also operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m,
  and 0.762-m gauges (2002)

East Timor
  0 km

Ecuador
  total: 966 km
  narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Egypt
  total: 5,105 km
  standard gauge: 5,105 km 1.435-m gauge (42 km electrified) (2002)

El Salvador
  total: 283 km
  narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
  disuse and lack of maintenance (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 0 km

Eritrea
  total: 306 km
  narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge
  note: railway is being rebuilt (2002)

Estonia
  total: 968 km
  broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)
  note:: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear
  on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2002)

Ethiopia
  total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis
  Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
  narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 km

Faroe Islands
  0 km

Fiji
  total: 597 km
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
  note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
  to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to September) (2002)

Finland
  total: 5,850 km
  broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)

France
  total: 32,682 km
  standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

French Guiana
  0 km

French Polynesia
  0 km

Gabon total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Gambia, The
  0 km

Gaza Strip
  total: NA km; note - one line, abandoned and in
  disrepair, little trackage remains (2001 est.)

Georgia
  total: 1,612 km
  broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2002)

Germany
  total: 45,514 km (21,000 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 45,276 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
  0.750-m gauge (2002)

Ghana
  total: 953 km
  narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Greece
  total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
  dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
  system) (2002)

Greenland
  0 km

Grenada
  0 km

Guadeloupe
  NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Guam
  0 km

Guatemala total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Guernsey
  5 km

Guinea
  total: 1,115 km
  standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 km

Guyana
  total: 187 km
  standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Haiti
  total: 40 km
  narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track
  note: privately owned industrial line; closed in early 1990s (2001
  est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 0.86 km
  standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint
  Peter's station (2001 est.)

Honduras
  total: 699 km
  narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Hong Kong
  total: 34 km
  standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked)
  note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border
  (2001)

Hungary
  total: 7,875 km
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge
  note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage a cross-border,
  standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev
  railroad) with a route length of 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in
  Austria; 156 km of this line is electrified (2002)

Iceland
  0 km

India
  total: 63,518 km (15,009 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 45,142 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 15,013 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,363 km 0.762-m gauge and
  0.610-m gauge (2002)

Indonesia
  total: 6,458 km
  narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
  0.750-m gauge (2002)

Iran
  total: 7,201 km
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,107 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2002)

Iraq
  total: 1,963 km
  standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Ireland
  total: 3,312 km
  broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
  Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
  (2002)

Israel
  total: 640 km
  standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Italy
  total: 19,493 km
  standard gauge: 18,090 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 88 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,315 km
  0.950-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2002)

Jamaica
  total: 272 km
  standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to
  the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but
  are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned
  and used to transport bauxite (2002)

Japan
  total: 23,168 km (15,995 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 19,855 km
  1.067-m gauge (12,683 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (31 km
  electrified) (2002)

Jersey
  0 km

Jordan total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Juan de Nova Island total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Kazakhstan
  total: 13,601 km
  broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2002)

Kenya
  total: 2,778 km
  narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Kiribati
  0 km

Korea, North
  total: 5,214 km
  standard gauge: 4,549 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Korea, South total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)

Kuwait 0 km

Kyrgyzstan total: 420 km broad gauge: 420 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Laos
  0 km

Latvia
  total: 2,347 km
  broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)

Lebanon
  total: 401 km
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
  note: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)

Lesotho
  total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in
  the statistics of South Africa
  narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Liberia
  total: 490 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: none of the railways are in operation (2002)

Libya
  0 km

Liechtenstein
  total: 18.5 km
  standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
  note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian
  Federal Railways (2002)

Lithuania
  total: 1,998 km
  broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2002)

Luxembourg total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2002)

Macau 0 km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 699 km
  standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)

Madagascar
  total: 732 km
  narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Malawi
  total: 797 km
  narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Malaysia
  total: 2,418 km
  standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2002)

Maldives
  0 km

Mali
  total: 729 km
  narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Malta
  0 km

Man, Isle of
  total: 60 km (35 km electrified) (2002)

Marshall Islands
  0 km

Martinique
  0 km

Mauritania 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Mauritius
  0 km

Mayotte
  0 km

Mexico total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of 0 km

Moldova
  total: 1,300 km
  broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Monaco
  total: 1.7 km
  standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Mongolia
  1,815 km
  broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Montserrat
  0 km

Morocco
  total: 1,907 km
  standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Mozambique
  total: 3,123 km
  narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Namibia
  total: 2,382 km
  narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Nauru
  total: 5 km
  note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the
  island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Nepal
  total: 59 km
  narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Netherlands
  total: 2,808 km
  standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 km

New Caledonia
  0 km

New Zealand
  total: 3,898 km
  narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2002)

Nicaragua
  total: 6 km
  narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Niger
  0 km

Nigeria
  total: 3,557 km
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
  standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Niue
  0 km

Norfolk Island
  0 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 km

Norway total: 4,178 km standard gauge: 4,178 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2002)

Oman
  0 km

Pakistan
  total: 8,163 km
  broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Palau
  0 km

Panama
  total: 355 km
  broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  0 km

Paraguay
  total: 441 km
  standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Peru
  total: 1,829 km
  standard gauge: 1,515 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 314 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

Philippines
  total: 897 km
  narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (405 km are not in operation)
  (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  0 km

Poland
  total: 23,420 km
  broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m,
  0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2002)

Portugal
  total: 2,850 km
  broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Puerto Rico total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Qatar
  0 km

Reunion
  0 km

Romania
  total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
  broad gage: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Russia
  total: 87,157 km
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
  note:: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrrier lines serve
  industries (2002)

Rwanda
  0 km

Saint Helena
  0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 50 km
  narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
  plantations during harvest season (2002)

Saint Lucia
  0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 km

Samoa
  0 km

San Marino
  0 km; note - there is a 1.5-km cable railway connecting
  the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 1,392 km
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
  sidings) (2002)

Senegal
  total: 906 km
  narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 4,059 km
  standard gauge: 4,059 km 1.435-m gauge (1,364 km electrified) (2002)

Seychelles
  0 km

Sierra Leone
  total: 84 km
  narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existing
  railroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine at
  Marampa is closed (2001)

Singapore
  total: 38.6 km
  narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

Slovakia
  total: 3,668 km
  broad gauge: 106 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)

Slovenia total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002)

Solomon Islands
  0 km

Somalia
  0 km

South Africa
  total: 22,298 km
  narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314
  km 0.610-m gauge
  note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2002)

Spain
  total: 14,189 km
  broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km
  0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)

Sri Lanka
  total: 1,508 km
  broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Sudan
  total: 5,978 km
  narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge
  plantation line (2002)

Suriname
  total: 166 km (single-track)
  standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: Suriname railroads are not in operation (2001)

Svalbard
  0 km

Swaziland
  total: 301 km
  narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Sweden
  total: 11,481 km
  standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 4,511 km
  standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 982 km 1.000-m gauge (975 km electrified); 46 km
  0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2002)

Syria
  total: 2,743 km
  standard gauge: 2,425 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

Taiwan
  total: 1,108 km
  narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
  note: there also are 1,255 km of 1.067-m gauge routes belonging to
  the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used
  to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2002)

Tajikistan
  total: 482 km
  broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Tanzania
  total: 3,690 km
  narrow gauge: 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Thailand
  total: 4,071 km
  narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Togo
  total: 525 km
  narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Tokelau
  0 km

Tonga
  0 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  minimal agricultural railroad system near San
  Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968
  (2001)

Tunisia
  total: 2,152 km
  standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2002)

Turkey
  total: 8,607 km
  standard gauge: 8,607 km 1.435-m gauge (2,131 km electrified) (2002)

Turkmenistan
  total: 2,440 km
  broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 km

Tuvalu
  0 km

Uganda
  total: 1,241 km
  narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Ukraine
  total: 22,473 km
  broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  0 km

United Kingdom
  total: 16,893 km
  standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 357 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2002)

United States
  total: 194,731 km mainline routes
  standard gauge: 194,731 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul
  railroads including an estimate for class II and III railroads;
  excludes 135,185 km of yard tracks, sidings, and parallel lines
  (2000)

Uruguay
  total: 2,073 km
  standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
  partial use (2002)

Uzbekistan total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2002)

Vanuatu 0 km

Venezuela total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Vietnam
  total: 3,142 km
  standard gauge: 209 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,625 km 1.000-m gauge
  dual gauge: 308 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
  gauges (2002)

Virgin Islands
  0 km

Wallis and Futuna
  0 km

West Bank
  0 km

Western Sahara
  0 km

World
  total: 1,122,650 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of
  electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in
  the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and
  4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is
  300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer
  Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line
  broad gauge: 251,153 km
  standard gauge: 710,754 km
  narrow gauge: 239,430 km

Yemen
  0 km

Zambia
  total: 2,173 km
  narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
  (TAZARA) (2002)

Zimbabwe
  total: 3,077 km
  narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)
  note: includes the 318 km Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway Company line
  (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2122 Religions (%)

Afghanistan
  Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Albania
  Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
  note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
  observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
  private religious practice

Algeria
  Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa
  Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
  Protestant and other 30%

Andorra
  Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola
  indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%
  (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
  Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Antigua and Barbuda
  Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other
  Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)

Argentina
  nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
  Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia
  Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
  (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%

Aruba
  Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
  Jewish

Australia
  Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
  non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Austria
  Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Azerbaijan
  Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
  2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
  note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
  percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The
  Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%,
  Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or
  unknown 3%, other 2%

Bahrain
  Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Bangladesh
  Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados
  Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,
  other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Belarus
  Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
  Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium
  Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Belize
  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%,
  Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%,
  Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14%
  (2000)

Benin
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Bermuda
  non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic
  15%, other 19%

Bhutan
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
  Hinduism 25%

Bolivia
  Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  Protestant 4%, other 10%

Botswana
  indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Brazil
  Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

British Virgin Islands
  Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,
  Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2%
  (1991)

Brunei
  Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%,
  indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic
  1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 2.3%
  (1998)

Burkina Faso
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly
  Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma
  Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
  Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi
  Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
  indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia
  Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Cameroon
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada
  Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
  note: based on the 1991 census

Cape Verde
  Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);
  Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands
  United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational),
  Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Central African Republic
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,
  Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
  Christian majority

Chad
  Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Chile
  Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

China
  Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%
  (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia
  Roman Catholic 90%

Comoros
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant
  20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and
  indigenous beliefs 10%

Congo, Republic of the
  Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands
  Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook
  Islands Christian Church)

Costa Rica
  Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%
  (2001)
  note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
  (70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia
  Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant
  0.3%, others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Cuba
  nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
  Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
  represented

Cyprus
  Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic,
  and other 4%

Czech Republic
  Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%,
  other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%

Denmark
  Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman
  Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti
  Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica
  Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
  Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
  none 2%, other 6%

Dominican Republic
  Roman Catholic 95%

East Timor
  Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%,
  Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Ecuador
  Roman Catholic 95%

Egypt
  Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

El Salvador
  Roman Catholic 83%
  note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
  the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
  Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
  Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea
  Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia
  Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox,
  Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
  Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish

Ethiopia
  Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%,
  other 3%-8%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  primarily Anglican, Roman
  Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's
  Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Faroe Islands
  Evangelical Lutheran

Fiji
  Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%,
  Muslim 8%, other 2%
  note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
  a Muslim minority (1986)

Finland
  Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%,
  other 1%

France
  Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
  5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

French Guiana
  Roman Catholic

French Polynesia
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no
  religion 6%

Gabon
  Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The
  Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Gaza Strip
  Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,
  Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
  Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%,
  Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Germany
  Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,
  unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana
  indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%

Gibraltar
  Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%,
  Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Greece
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland
  Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada
  Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guadeloupe
  Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%,
  Protestant 1%

Guam
  Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
  Congregational, Methodist

Guinea
  Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Guyana
  Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Haiti
  Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal
  4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
  note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Roman Catholic

Honduras
  Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Hong Kong
  eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary
  Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist
  and other 7.5%

Iceland
  Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman
  Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

India
  Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
  groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Indonesia
  Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
  Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Iran
  Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
  Christian, and Baha'i 1%

Iraq
  Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland
  Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9%
  (1998)

Israel
  Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian
  2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Italy
  predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
  communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Jamaica
  Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%,
  Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist
  2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%,
  Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual
  cults 34.7%

Japan
  observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
  Christian 0.7%)

Jersey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
  Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan
  Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but
  some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
  Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
  small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya
  Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%,
  Muslim 10%, other 2%
  note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
  the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
  beliefs vary widely

Kiribati
  Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
  Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
  of God (1999)

Korea, North
  traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian
  and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
  note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
  government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
  religious freedom

Korea, South
  Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%,
  Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Kuwait
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi,
  and other 15%

Kyrgyzstan
  Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos
  Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
  Christian denominations 1.5%)

Latvia
  Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Lebanon
  Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite,
  Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian,
  Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%

Lesotho
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Libya
  Sunni Muslim 97%

Liechtenstein
  Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,
  other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania
  Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox,
  Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Luxembourg
  87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
  (2000)

Macau
  Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
  est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonian Orthodox 67%,
  Muslim 30%, other 3%

Madagascar
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi
  Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous
  beliefs 3%, other 2%

Malaysia
  Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
  addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Maldives
  Sunni Muslim

Mali
  Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Malta
  Roman Catholic 98%

Man, Isle of
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
  Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Marshall Islands
  Christian (mostly Protestant)

Martinique
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu
  0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)

Mauritania
  Muslim 100%

Mauritius
  Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant
  2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Mayotte
  Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mexico
  nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Moldova
  Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
  (2000)

Monaco
  Roman Catholic 90%

Mongolia
  Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the
  southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Montserrat
  Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
  Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco
  Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Namibia
  Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
  beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru
  Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Nepal
  Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
  note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Netherlands
  Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other
  3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Netherlands Antilles
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day
  Adventist

New Caledonia
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand
  Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none
  33% (1986)

Nicaragua
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Niger
  Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Nigeria
  Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue
  Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
  related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints
  10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,
  Seventh-Day Adventist)

Norfolk Island
  Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%,
  Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%,
  unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
  although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway
  Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and
  Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Oman
  Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Pakistan
  Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and
  other 3%

Palau
  Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists,
  Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission,
  and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the
  population observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)

Panama
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea
  Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
  Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
  Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant
  10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Paraguay
  Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Peru
  Roman Catholic 90%

Philippines
  Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist
  and other 3%

Pitcairn Islands
  Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland
  Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
  Protestant, and other 5%

Portugal
  Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Puerto Rico
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar
  Muslim 95%

Reunion
  Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Romania
  Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%,
  Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%,
  unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)

Russia
  Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Rwanda
  Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
  4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Helena
  Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
  Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia
  Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Roman Catholic 99%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
  Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Samoa
  Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with
  the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman
  Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

San Marino
  Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe
  Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical
  Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Saudi Arabia
  Muslim 100%

Senegal
  Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly
  Roman Catholic)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%,
  Protestant 1%, other 11%

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian
  2.5%, other 4.1%

Sierra Leone
  Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Singapore
  Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,
  Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Slovakia
  Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%,
  Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Slovenia
  Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%,
  atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Solomon Islands
  Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United
  (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
  other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%

Somalia
  Sunni Muslim

South Africa
  Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about
  60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60%
  of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Spain
  Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka
  Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Sudan
  Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian
  5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Suriname
  Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant
  25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland
  Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral
  worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
  Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Sweden
  Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
  Jewish, Buddhist

Switzerland
  Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none
  8.9% (1990)

Syria
  Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
  Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
  Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan
  mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
  4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan
  Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Tanzania
  mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
  35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand
  Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism
  0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Togo
  indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Tokelau
  Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
  other 2%
  note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
  Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
  the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican
  10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Tunisia
  Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
  and Jews)

Turkmenistan
  Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%,
  Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu
  Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda
  Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
  beliefs 18%

Ukraine
  Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox
  - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian
  Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

United Arab Emirates
  Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and
  other 4%

United Kingdom
  Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5
  million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000,
  Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000

United States
  Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other
  4%, none 10% (1989)

Uruguay
  Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population
  attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing
  or other 31%

Uzbekistan
  Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu
  Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of
  Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Venezuela
  nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam
  Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman
  Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Virgin Islands
  Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
  other 7%

Wallis and Futuna
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank
  Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
  and other 8%

Western Sahara
  Muslim

World
  Christians 32.79% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%,
  Protestants 5.62%, Orthodox 3.51%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.6%,
  Hindus 13.31%, Buddhists 5.88%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, other
  religions 12.83%, non-religious 12.53%, atheists 2.44% (2001 est.)

Yemen
  Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small
  numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia
  Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
  beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe
  syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
  Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan
  NA; previously males 15-50 years of age

Albania
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Algeria
  18 years of age; universal

American Samoa
  18 years of age; universal

Andorra
  18 years of age; universal

Angola
  18 years of age; universal

Anguilla
  18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda
  18 years of age; universal

Argentina
  18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Armenia
  18 years of age; universal

Aruba
  18 years of age; universal

Australia
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria
  18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
  elections

Azerbaijan
  18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The
  18 years of age; universal

Bahrain
  18 years of age; universal

Bangladesh
  18 years of age; universal

Barbados
  18 years of age; universal

Belarus
  18 years of age; universal

Belgium
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize
  18 years of age; universal

Benin
  18 years of age; universal

Bermuda
  18 years of age; universal

Bhutan
  each family has one vote in village-level elections

Bolivia
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
  years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of
  age, universal

Botswana
  18 years of age; universal

Brazil
  voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
  compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

British Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Brunei
  none

Bulgaria
  18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso
  universal

Burma
  18 years of age; universal

Burundi
  NA years of age; universal adult

Cambodia
  18 years of age; universal

Cameroon
  20 years of age; universal

Canada
  18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde
  18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic
  21 years of age; universal

Chad
  18 years of age; universal

Chile
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China
  18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  18 years of age; universal

Comoros
  18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the
  18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands
  NA years of age; universal adult

Costa Rica
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age; universal

Croatia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba
  16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
  18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
  18 years of age; universal

Denmark
  18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
  18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica
  18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

East Timor
  17 years of age; universal

Ecuador
  18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
  ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
  18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
  18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea
  18 years of age; universal

Estonia
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
  18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Fiji
  21 years of age; universal

Finland
  18 years of age; universal

France
  18 years of age; universal

French Guiana
  18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
  18 years of age; universal

Gabon
  21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
  18 years of age; universal

Georgia
  18 years of age; universal

Germany
  18 years of age; universal

Ghana
  18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
  18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who
  have been residents six months or more

Greece
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
  18 years of age; universal

Grenada
  18 years of age; universal

Guadeloupe
  18 years of age; universal

Guam
  18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
  presidential elections

Guatemala
  18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the
  armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on
  election day)

Guernsey
  18 years of age; universal

Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
  18 years of age; universal

Guyana
  18 years of age; universal

Haiti
  18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
  direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
  residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
  years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of
  functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
  from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
  government bodies

Hungary
  18 years of age; universal

Iceland
  18 years of age; universal

India
  18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
  17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
  of age

Iran
  15 years of age; universal

Iraq
  formerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transition
  following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led
  coalition

Ireland
  18 years of age; universal

Israel
  18 years of age; universal

Italy
  18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
  where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
  18 years of age; universal

Japan
  20 years of age; universal

Jersey
  NA years of age; universal adult

Jordan
  18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age; universal

Kenya
  18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
  18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
  17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
  20 years of age; universal

Kuwait
  adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or
  have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants
  at age 21
  note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
  naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
  have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
  first time

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age; universal

Laos
  18 years of age; universal

Latvia
  18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
  21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
  women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho
  18 years of age; universal

Liberia
  18 years of age; universal

Libya
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein
  18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
  18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
  direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent
  residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect
  election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"
  (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee
  drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and
  central government bodies

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
  18 years of age; universal

Malawi
  18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
  21 years of age; universal

Maldives
  21 years of age; universal

Mali
  18 years of age; universal

Malta
  18 years of age; universal

Man, Isle of
  18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Martinique
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
  18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
  18 years of age; universal

Mexico
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  18 years of age; universal

Moldova
  18 years of age; universal

Monaco
  21 years of age; universal

Mongolia
  18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
  18 years of age; universal

Morocco
  18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
  18 years of age; universal

Namibia
  18 years of age; universal

Nauru
  20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
  18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
  18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
  18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
  16 years of age; universal

Niger
  18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
  18 years of age; universal

Niue
  18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
  18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway
  18 years of age; universal

Oman
  in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to
  approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in
  elections for the Majlis al-Shura

Pakistan
  18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
  parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
  18 years of age; universal

Panama
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
  18 years of age; universal

Philippines
  18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland
  18 years of age; universal

Portugal
  18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
  18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are
  US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
  18 years of age; universal

Reunion
  18 years of age; universal

Romania
  18 years of age; universal

Russia
  18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
  18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena
  NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  18 years of age; universal

Samoa
  21 years of age; universal

San Marino
  18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
  18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  18 years of age; universal

Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Seychelles
  17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
  18 years of age; universal

Singapore
  21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
  18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
  21 years of age; universal

Somalia
  18 years of age; universal

South Africa
  18 years of age; universal

Spain
  18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age; universal

Sudan
  17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname
  18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
  18 years of age

Sweden
  18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
  18 years of age; universal

Syria
  18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
  20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
  18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
  18 years of age; universal

Thailand
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo
  NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau
  21 years of age; universal

Tonga
  21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
  18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
  20 years of age; universal

Turkey
  18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
  18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
  18 years of age; universal

Uganda
  18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
  18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  18 years of age; universal

United States
  18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
  18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
  18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
  18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous
  inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
  elections

Wallis and Futuna
  18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
  none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
  not yet completed

Yemen
  18 years of age; universal

Zambia
  18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
  18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
  general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
  service
  domestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established between
  Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through
  satellite and microwave systems
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
  commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

Albania
  general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone
  service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100
  inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service
  domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for
  every village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communist
  government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used
  it to build fences
  international: inadequate; international traffic carried by
  microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

Algeria
  general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
  low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
  fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more
  than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;
  much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
  domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
  earth stations are planned)
  international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,
  France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and
  Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and
  1 Arabsat (1998)

American Samoa
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
  services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
  between exchanges
  international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Angola
  general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to
  government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
  military links
  domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
  tropospheric scatter
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Anguilla
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern internal telephone system
  international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
  (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica
  general assessment: local systems at some research
  stations
  domestic: NA
  international: via satellite from some research stations

Antigua and Barbuda
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good automatic telephone system
  international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba
  (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina
  general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
  market to competition and foreign investment with the
  "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
  encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;
  fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
  cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
  of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density
  is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
  available will take time
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
  satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
  more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
  use is rapidly expanding
  international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international
  gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Armenia
  general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
  owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
  domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
  are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
  international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe
  fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is
  available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the
  other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and
  through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest
  of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)

Aruba
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: more than adequate
  international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands
  Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

Australia
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
  areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
  telephones
  international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
  and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian
  Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean
  regions) (1998)

Austria
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
  optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
  services are available
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are
  about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Azerbaijan
  general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
  expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100
  persons is low (2002)
  domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
  industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
  telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
  switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
  international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still
  serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach
  about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected
  to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)

Bahamas, The
  general assessment: modern facilities
  domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
  international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida;
  3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Bahrain
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
  with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
  international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave
  radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and
  Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Bangladesh
  general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
  country
  domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
  include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
  fiber-optic cable in cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
  international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
  neighboring countries (2000)

Barbados
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Belarus
  general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications
  controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock
  company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly
  domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
  cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
  local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
  Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
  serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form
  synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
  systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
  international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL),
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the
  Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide
  connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide
  service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure;
  additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and
  Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium
  general assessment: highly developed, technologically
  advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
  telephone and telegraph facilities
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
  network; limited microwave radio relay network
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Belize
  general assessment: above-average system
  domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Benin
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
  cellular connections
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); submarine cable

Bermuda
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
  international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bhutan
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few
  telephones in use
  international: international telephone and telegraph service is by
  landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Bolivia
  general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
  difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
  cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
  domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
  digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
  cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph
  network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
  below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
  republics
  domestic: NA
  international: no satellite earth stations

Botswana
  general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
  of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
  domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
  cellular service is growing fast
  international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio
  relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil
  general assessment: good working system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 64 earth stations
  international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region
  east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3
  satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  general assessment: worldwide telephone
  service
  domestic: NA
  international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei
  general assessment: service throughout the country is
  excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and
  the US
  domestic: every service available
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the
  Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria
  general assessment: extensive but antiquated
  domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
  telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
  digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
  the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
  relay
  international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth
  stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat
  (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso
  general assessment: all services only fair
  domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
  communication stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma
  general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
  intercity service for business and government; international service
  is good
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Burundi
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia
  general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
  service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have
  little telephone service
  domestic: NA
  international: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service
  available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial
  cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean
  region)

Cameroon
  general assessment: available only to business and
  government
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Canada
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
  technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cape Verde
  general assessment: effective system, being improved
  domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog
  and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine
  fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003
  international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to
  Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic
  general assessment: fair system
  domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
  low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile
  general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
  radio relay facilities
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
  system with 3 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China
  general assessment: domestic and international services are
  increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
  domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
  many towns
  domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
  telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
  with 55 earth stations is in place
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and
  1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international
  fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and
  Germany (2000)

Christmas Island
  general assessment: service provided by the
  Australian network
  domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available
  international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station
  provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  general assessment: connected within
  Australia's telecommunication system
  domestic: NA
  international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with
  Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of
  NA type (2002)

Colombia
  general assessment: modern system in many respects
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
  satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
  50 cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3
  fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
  and HF radiotelephone communication stations
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and
  Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  general assessment: poor
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
  and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the
  general assessment: services barely adequate
  for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
  and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
  domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
  satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
  radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
  exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
  fiber-optic cable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
  general assessment: very good domestic telephone service
  domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
  fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
  available
  international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two
  submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
  general assessment: well developed by African
  standards but operating well below capacity
  domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Croatia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
  circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
  included in the plan for the main trunk
  international: digital international service is provided through the
  main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk
  connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka
  to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a
  joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)

Cuba
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial
  cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la
  Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old,
  US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet
  support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  Ocean region)

Cyprus
  general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and
  Turkish Cypriot areas
  domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic
  submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic
  general assessment: privatization and modernization
  of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
  advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
  is particularly vigorous
  domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
  systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
  (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
  trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1
  Globalstar

Denmark
  general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
  services
  domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
  trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
  international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with
  Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe
  Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat,
  10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note -
  the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
  share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for
  worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti
  general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
  Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections
  to outlying areas of the country
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles,
  Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio
  relay telephone network

Dominica
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fully automatic network
  international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
  Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
  Lucia

Dominican Republic
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
  radio relay network
  international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
  domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt
  general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
  upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
  cellular service are available
  domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
  Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
  and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine
  cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to
  Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project
  Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)

El Salvador
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Equatorial Guinea
  general assessment: poor system with adequate
  government services
  domestic: NA
  international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to
  African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea
  general assessment: inadequate
  domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
  is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: NA; note - international connections exist

Estonia
  general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
  business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
  fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
  the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of
  the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
  September 2000
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet
  services is available throughout the country
  international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and
  Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international
  switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia
  general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay
  system; adequate for government use
  domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
  the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
  the national trunk service
  international: open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio
  relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries

Faroe Islands
  general assessment: good international communications;
  good domestic facilities
  domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
  and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic
  submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands
  with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to
  Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
  general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
  international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
  telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
  communications center
  domestic: NA
  international: access to important cable links between US and Canada
  as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Finland
  general assessment: modern system with excellent service
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular
  net provide domestic needs
  international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access
  to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth
  station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
  Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
  countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
  general assessment: highly developed
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
  introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of
  5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone
  communications with more than 20 countries

French Guiana
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon
  general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
  improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
  domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
  domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002

Gambia, The
  general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
  network is available
  domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
  international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and
  Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
  system
  international: NA

Georgia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
  networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
  telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
  include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
  nationwide pager service is available
  international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line
  between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is
  available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow
  switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Germany
  general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
  technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
  intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
  backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
  World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
  western part
  domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
  telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
  cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
  satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
  expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
  countries
  international: Germany's international service is excellent
  worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
  facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
  EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
  general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
  many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
  underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
  been installed
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana
  to its neighbors

Gibraltar
  general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
  and adequate international facilities
  domestic: automatic exchange facilities
  international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
  areas; good mobile telephone and international service
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
  connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
  international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
  Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
  general assessment: adequate domestic and international
  service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
  totally digitalized in 1995
  domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
  international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2
  Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada
  general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
  domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
  international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago
  and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Guadeloupe
  general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and
  Martinique

Guam
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
  facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
  domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
  and local access to the Internet
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
  Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific
  communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the
  US and Asia)

Guatemala
  general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
  city of Guatemala
  domestic: NA
  international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guernsey
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
  general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
  small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
  relay system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
  general assessment: small system
  domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone, and cellular communications
  international: NA

Guyana
  general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
  domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
  international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
  general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
  international facilities slightly better
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  general assessment: automatic exchange
  domestic: tied into Italian system
  international: uses Italian system

Honduras
  general assessment: inadequate system
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Hong Kong
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
  domestic and international services
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
  network
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access
  to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN
  member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western
  Europe

Hungary
  general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
  and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
  service
  domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
  services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
  radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
  initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
  international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all
  neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian
  Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT)
  system of ground terminals

Iceland
  general assessment: extensive domestic service
  domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
  cables and microwave radio relay links
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
  Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
  countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India
  general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance
  service provided throughout all regions of the country, with
  services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective
  is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep
  pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady
  improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and
  private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two
  for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand
  for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very
  long time
  domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and
  manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in
  the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been
  introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance
  traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity
  microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has
  been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite
  system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided
  in four metropolitan cities
  international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges
  operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta),
  Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and
  Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to
  Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah,
  UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and
  Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with
  landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)

Indonesia
  general assessment: domestic service fair, international
  service good
  domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
  domestic satellite communications system
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
  general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized
  and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
  increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
  telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
  connected
  domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
  since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
  radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
  brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
  has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
  subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
  system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
  switches
  international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey,
  Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait,
  Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with
  access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
  through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
  to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
  4 Inmarsat

Iraq
  general assessment: an unknown number of telecommunication
  facilities were damaged during the March-April 2003 war
  domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio
  relay links
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region),
  and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
  to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably
  nonoperational

Ireland
  general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
  microwave radio relay
  domestic: microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Israel
  general assessment: most highly developed system in the
  Middle East although not the largest
  domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
  all systems are digital
  international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy
  general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
  automated telephone, telex, and data services
  domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total
  of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine
  cables

Jamaica
  general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
  every kind
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and
  1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to
  China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)

Jersey
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 3 submarine cables

Johnston Atoll
  general assessment: 33 commercial lines, 15 incoming
  and 18 outgoing; adequate telecommunications
  domestic: 60-channel submarine cable (broken in January 2002), 24
  DSN circuits by satellite, Automated Digital Network (AUTODIN) with
  standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military
  Affiliated Radio System (MARS) station (scheduled for
  decommissioning March 2003), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the
  Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite
  international: NA (2002)

Jordan
  general assessment: service has improved recently with the
  increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
  the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
  to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
  domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
  fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
  mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and
  29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi
  Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria;
  connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link
  Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links
  total about 4,000

Kazakhstan
  general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
  domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
  cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
  international: international traffic with other former Soviet
  republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay
  and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

Kenya
  general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
  except for service to business
  domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
  commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Kiribati
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
  note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative
  Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service

Korea, North
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections
  through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South
  general assessment: excellent domestic and
  international services
  domestic: NA
  international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the
  Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat
  (Pacific Ocean region)

Kuwait
  general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
  domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
  subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
  coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
  telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
  supplied with pay telephones
  international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi
  Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG)
  cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2
  Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan
  general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000
  unsatisfied applications for household telephones
  domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
  probably limited to Bishkek region
  international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or
  microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections
  with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite
  earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected
  internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos
  general assessment: service to general public is poor but
  improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an
  additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a
  radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
  domestic: radiotelephone communications
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean region)

Latvia
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
  provide an international capability independent of the Moscow
  international switch; more facilities are being installed for
  individual use
  domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
  rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
  subscriber applications
  international: international connections are now available via cable
  and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections
  for most calls (1998)

Lebanon
  general assessment: telecommunications system severely
  damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria;
  microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to
  Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho
  general assessment: rudimentary system
  domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay
  system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular
  mobile telephone system is growing
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via
  microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya
  general assessment: telecommunications system is being
  modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in
  1996
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
  tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat,
  and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave
  radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece;
  participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio
  relay

Lithuania
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
  provide an improved international capability and better residential
  access
  domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
  nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
  mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
  is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
  applications
  international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major
  international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by
  submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg
  general assessment: highly developed, completely
  automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
  international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable
  (Europe to North America)

Macau
  general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
  maintained for domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to
  international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
  China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Madagascar
  general assessment: system is above average for the region
  domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
  and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
  international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
  region)

Malawi
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and radiotelephone communications stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia
  general assessment: modern system; international service
  excellent
  domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
  mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
  relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
  satellite system with 2 earth stations
  international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
  Ocean) (2001)

Maldives
  general assessment: minimal domestic and international
  facilities
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
  inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
  international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
  provides only minimal service
  domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
  radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
  relay in progress
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta
  general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal
  requirements
  domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Man, Isle of
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
  international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
  earth station, submarine cable

Marshall Islands
  general assessment: digital switching equipment;
  modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international
  calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
  domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
  seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
  shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
  Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
  (2001)

Martinique
  general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and
  Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Mauritania
  general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
  lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
  communications stations (improvements being made)
  domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
  domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
  regional capitals
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius
  general assessment: small system with good service
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
  new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several
  countries

Mayotte
  general assessment: small system administered by French
  Department of Posts and Telecommunications
  domestic: NA
  international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone
  communications to Comoros (2001)

Mexico
  general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main
  lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
  competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development
  domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
  but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with
  120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
  considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile
  cellular service
  international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad
  (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America,
  and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications),
  numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American
  Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2
  fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands,
  Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova
  general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
  outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
  domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
  cellular telephone service being introduced
  international: service through Romania and Russia via landline;
  satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Monaco
  general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into
  the French communications system

Mongolia
  general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones
  for each thousand persons
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean Region)

Montserrat
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Morocco
  general assessment: modern system with all important
  capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines
  available for each 100 persons
  domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
  microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
  principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
  network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
  service employs microwave radio relay
  international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
  Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
  radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable
  link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique
  general assessment: fair system but not available
  generally (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000
  persons)
  domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
  connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
  international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
  Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia
  general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each
  100 persons
  domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
  relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
  by open wire; 100% digital
  international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio
  relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries;
  connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine
  cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
  (2002)

Nauru
  general assessment: adequate local and international
  radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal
  general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
  radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to
  India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Netherlands
  general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
  domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually
  being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular
  telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of
  the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third
  generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Netherlands Antilles
  general assessment: generally adequate
  facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

New Zealand
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  systems
  domestic: NA
  international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nicaragua
  general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by
  foreign investment
  domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
  expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Niger
  general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
  communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
  southwestern area of Niger
  domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
  relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Nigeria
  general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by
  poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been
  made
  domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
  radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
  earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
  facilities and the Internet are available
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South
  African Far East)

Niue
  domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
  island
  international: NA

Norfolk Island
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
  advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
  prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
  systems instead of fixed-wire systems
  international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine
  cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman
  general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
  microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
  coaxial cable
  domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
  domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Arabsat

Pakistan
  general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but
  improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in
  part because major businesses have established their own private
  systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the
  national telecommunications system on a priority basis,
  significantly increasing network capacity; despite major
  improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services
  are still not readily available to the majority of the rural
  population
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
  cellular, and satellite networks
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway
  exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay
  to neighboring countries (1999)

Palau
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Panama
  general assessment: domestic and international facilities
  well developed
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations -
  2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American
  Microwave System

Papua New Guinea
  general assessment: services are adequate and being
  improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal
  radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication
  services
  domestic: mostly radiotelephone
  international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio
  communication service

Paraguay
  general assessment: meager telephone service; principal
  switching center is Asuncion
  domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Peru
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Philippines
  general assessment: good international radiotelephone
  and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service
  adequate
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
  international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations -
  3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to
  Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Pitcairn Islands
  general assessment: only party line telephone
  service is available for this small, closely related community
  domestic: party line service only
  international: radiotelephone

Poland
  general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
  process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
  state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
  for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
  cellular telephone use
  domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
  networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region)

Portugal
  general assessment: undergoing rapid development in recent
  years, Portugal's telephone system, by the end of 1998, achieved a
  state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
  a main line telephone density of 53%
  domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
  radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
  international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
  tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Puerto Rico
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with that
  of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
  high-speed data capability
  domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable
  to US

Qatar
  general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
  domestic: NA
  international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio
  relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Reunion
  general assessment: adequate system; principal center is
  Saint-Denis
  domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
  international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France,
  Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Romania
  general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
  domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
  mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
  one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
  have no service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital,
  international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note -
  Romania is an active participant in several international
  telecommunication network projects (1999)

Russia
  general assessment: the telephone system has undergone
  significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000
  companies licensed to offer communication services; access to
  digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet
  and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward
  building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a
  market economy; however, a large demand for main line service
  remains unsatisfied
  domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
  Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
  telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
  infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
  available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
  still outdated, inadequate, and low density
  international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea
  fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more
  than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations
  provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and
  Orbita systems

Rwanda
  general assessment: telephone system primarily serves
  business and government
  domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
  prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
  telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
  radiotelephone
  international: international connections employ microwave radio
  relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more
  distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian
  Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Saint Helena
  general assessment: can communicate worldwide
  domestic: automatic network
  international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascensionm,
  which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South
  Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  general assessment: good interisland and
  international connections
  domestic: inter island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin
  (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF
  radiotelephone
  international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to
  Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to
  Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands
  Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Saint Lucia
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: system is automatically switched
  international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados;
  international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat
  from Martinique

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in
  the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
  radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
  Grenadines
  international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to
  Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia;
  access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Samoa
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino
  general assessment: adequate connections
  domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
  Italian system
  international: connected to Italian international network

Sao Tome and Principe
  general assessment: adequate facilities
  domestic: minimal system
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saudi Arabia
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
  fiber-optic cable systems
  international: microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait,
  Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan;
  submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth
  stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1
  Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Senegal
  general assessment: good system
  domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
  cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
  international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Serbia and Montenegro
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Seychelles
  general assessment: effective system
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
  archipelago
  international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent
  island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone
  general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph
  service
  domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
  Freetown to Bo and Kenema
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Singapore
  general assessment: major consideration given to serving
  business interests; excellent international service
  domestic: excellent domestic facilities
  international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular
  Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat
  (Pacific Ocean region)

Slovakia
  general assessment: a modernization and privatization
  program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing
  the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving
  service quality
  domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
  digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
  especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
  added
  international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and
  two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in
  several international telecommunications projects that will increase
  the availability of external services

Slovenia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: 100% digital (2000)
  international: NA

Solomon Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia
  general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
  almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
  private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
  charge the lowest international rates on the continent
  domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
  Mogadishu and in several other population centers
  international: international connections are available from
  Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa
  general assessment: the system is the best developed
  and most modern in Africa
  domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
  cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
  radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
  centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
  Elizabeth, and Pretoria
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain
  general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
  teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
  domestic: NA
  international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
  tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka
  general assessment: very inadequate domestic service,
  particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization
  of national telephone company and encouragement to private
  investment; good international service (1999)
  domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
  microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
  and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
  is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
  at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
  international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Sudan
  general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
  standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
  1996 and have expanded substantially
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
  communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
  system with 14 earth stations
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname
  general assessment: international facilities are good
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard
  general assessment: probably adequate
  domestic: local telephone service
  international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for
  communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland
  general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
  system
  domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
  low-capacity, microwave radio relay
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Sweden
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  facilities; automatic system
  domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
  traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
  additional telephone channels
  international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
  and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth
  station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
  and Norway)

Switzerland
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  services
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
  and Indian Ocean)

Syria
  general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
  significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
  technology
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable;
  coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
  and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan
  general assessment: provides telecommunications service for
  every business and private need
  domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa),
  Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia,
  Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Tajikistan
  general assessment: poorly developed and not well
  maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network
  domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
  international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other
  CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international
  gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway
  switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2
  Intelsat

Tanzania
  general assessment: fair system operating below capacity
  and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture
  terminal) system under construction
  domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
  relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
  made digital
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand
  general assessment: service to general public adequate, but
  investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
  service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and
  microwave radio relay network
  domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
  satellite system being developed
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Togo
  general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
  radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
  cellular system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
  system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Tokelau
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
  international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated
  telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations,
  established in 1997

Tonga
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
  (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
  general assessment: excellent international
  service; good local service
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Tunisia
  general assessment: above the African average and continuing
  to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;
  Internet access available
  domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
  cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave
  radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two
  international gateway digital switches

Turkey
  general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and
  expansion, especially with cellular telephones
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
  increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
  technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
  fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
  communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
  domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
  cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
  international: international service is provided by three submarine
  fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking
  Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia;
  also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite
  terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan
  general assessment: poorly developed
  domestic: NA
  international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other
  CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the
  Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from
  Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat
  switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Turks and Caicos Islands
  general assessment: fair cable and
  radiotelephone services
  domestic: NA
  international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu
  general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
  communications
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
  international: NA

Uganda
  general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular
  systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of
  main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
  domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
  systems for short-range traffic
  international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Ukraine
  general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development
  plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk
  lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system
  domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
  telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
  more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
  satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
  trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
  is expanding at a high rate
  international: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the
  fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links
  have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL)
  project which connects 18 countries; additional international
  service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR)
  fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat,
  Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

United Arab Emirates
  general assessment: modern system of microwave
  radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
  domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,
  Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
  and international system
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
  fiber-optic systems
  international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
  - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large
  international switching centers

United States
  general assessment: a very large, technologically
  advanced, multipurpose communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
  relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
  telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
  telephone traffic throughout the country
  international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth
  stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and
  Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Uruguay
  general assessment: fully digitalized
  domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
  nationwide microwave radio relay network
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
  need of modernization
  domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
  technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
  Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
  industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
  had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
  for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
  Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
  international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS
  member states and to other countries by leased connection via the
  Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the
  Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable,
  Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for
  international communications; Inmarsat also provides an
  international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth
  stations - NA (1998)

Vanuatu
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela
  general assessment: modern and expanding
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
  substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
  substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
  installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
  digital multimedia services
  international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with
  Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an
  international fiber-optic network

Vietnam
  general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
  into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system,
  but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern
  neighbors
  domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
  Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay networks; since 1991, main lines in use have
  been substantially increased and the use of mobile telephones is
  growing rapidly
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean region)

Virgin Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: submarine cable and satellite communications;
  satellite earth stations - NA

Wake Island
  general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN
  circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Wallis and Futuna
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

West Bank
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA
  note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
  responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Western Sahara
  general assessment: sparse and limited system
  domestic: NA
  international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

World
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Yemen
  general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have
  been made to create a national telecommunications network
  domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
  cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
  systems
  international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2
  Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia
  general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the
  best in Sub-Saharan Africa
  domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
  towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
  Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
  (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
  and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe
  general assessment: system was once one of the best in
  Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000
  outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number
  of installed but unused main lines
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
  installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
  connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
  and for some of the smaller ones
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two
  international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2125 Terrain

Afghanistan
  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria
  mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
  discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa
  five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
  coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra
  rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola
  narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla
  flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica
  about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,
  with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain
  ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include
  parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
  Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
  form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
  shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda
  mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,
  with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean
  central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
  icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure
  ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the
  Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the
  New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland
  and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the
  summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends
  to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50%
  continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
  remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
  (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina
  rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
  rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
  border

Armenia
  Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast
  flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba
  flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean
  surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,
  Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October
  to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of
  currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre
  in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the
  Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire
  Atlantic basin

Australia
  mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria
  in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
  eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan
  large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
  of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
  Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
  Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The
  long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain
  mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
  escarpment

Baker Island
  low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow
  fringing reef

Bangladesh
  mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Bassas da India
  volcanic rock

Belarus
  generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium
  flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
  rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize
  flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda
  low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan
  mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia
  rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
  hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  mountains and valleys

Botswana
  predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
  Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island
  volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil
  mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
  mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory
  flat and low (most areas do not
  exceed four meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands
  coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
  islands steep, hilly

Brunei
  flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
  in west

Bulgaria
  mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso
  mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
  west and southeast

Burma
  central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi
  hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
  plains

Cambodia
  mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon
  diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
  in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde
  steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands
  low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
  scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad
  broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
  northwest, lowlands in south

Chile
  low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
  east

China
  mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
  deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island
  steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
  plateau

Clipperton Island
  coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia
  flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
  Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
  hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  vast central basin is a low-lying
  plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the
  coastal plain, southern basin, central
  plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands
  low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
  south

Coral Sea Islands
  sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica
  coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including
  over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
  northwest

Croatia
  geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
  low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba
  mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
  in the southeast

Cyprus
  central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
  but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic
  Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
  hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
  consists of very hilly country

Denmark
  low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti
  coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

East Timor
  mountainous

Ecuador
  coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
  (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt
  vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
  plateau

Equatorial Guinea
  coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
  volcanic

Eritrea
  dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
  highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
  northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
  plains

Estonia
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia
  high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
  Rift Valley

Europa Island
  low and flat

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  rocky, hilly, mountainous with
  some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands
  rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
  coast

Fiji
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland
  mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
  and low hills

France
  mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
  remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana
  low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
  mountains

French Polynesia
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
  reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  volcanic

Gabon
  narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The
  flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia
  largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
  north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
  (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
  Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
  foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany
  lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana
  mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar
  a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
  low and flat

Greece
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
  peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland
  flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
  mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada
  volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
  mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
  seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Guam
  volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
  coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
  coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
  center, mountains in south

Guatemala
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
  limestone plateau (Peten)

Guernsey
  mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea
  generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau
  mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana
  mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti
  mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)
  low hill

Honduras
  mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Howland Island
  low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island
  surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Hungary
  mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
  the Slovakian border

Iceland
  mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
  coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India
  upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
  along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
  circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
  reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
  atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
  air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
  winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
  cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
  northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
  by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
  Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia
  mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
  mountains

Iran
  rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
  mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq
  mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
  south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
  and Turkey

Ireland
  mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
  hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Israel
  Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
  mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy
  mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica
  mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen
  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan
  mostly rugged and mountainous

Jarvis Island
  sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
  reef

Jersey
  gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Johnston Atoll
  mostly flat

Jordan
  mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
  Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Juan de Nova Island
  low and flat

Kazakhstan
  extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from
  the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Kenya
  low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
  Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kingman Reef
  low and nearly level

Kiribati
  mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North
  mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
  valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South
  mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
  and south

Kuwait
  flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan
  peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
  encompass entire nation

Laos
  mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia
  low plain

Lebanon
  narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
  Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia
  mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
  plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya
  mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein
  mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
  third

Lithuania
  lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg
  mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
  valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
  down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau
  generally flat

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar
  narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi
  narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
  some mountains

Malaysia
  coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
  in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta
  mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
  cliffs

Man, Isle of
  hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Marshall Islands
  low coral limestone and sand islands

Martinique
  mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Mauritania
  mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
  hills

Mauritius
  small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
  encircling central plateau

Mayotte
  generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
  peaks

Mexico
  high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
  desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Midway Islands
  low, nearly level

Moldova
  rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco
  hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia
  vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
  in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montserrat
  volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
  lowland

Morocco
  northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
  of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique
  mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
  in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
  Desert in east

Nauru
  sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
  with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island
  raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
  undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal
  Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
  region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands
  mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
  some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia
  coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand
  predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua
  extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
  interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
  volcanoes

Niger
  predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
  plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria
  southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
  mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue
  steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands
  southern islands are limestone with level
  terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway
  glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
  by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
  indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman
  central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean
  surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
  by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
  and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
  in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
  Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
  reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
  eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
  western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
  Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan
  flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
  Balochistan plateau in west

Palau
  varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
  Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
  reefs

Palmyra Atoll
  very low

Panama
  interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
  plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea
  mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
  foothills

Paracel Islands
  mostly low and flat

Paraguay
  grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
  Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
  river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru
  western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
  (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines
  mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
  lowlands

Pitcairn Islands
  rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with
  cliffs

Poland
  mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal
  mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
  south

Puerto Rico
  mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north;
  mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
  coastal areas

Qatar
  mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
  gravel

Reunion
  mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Romania
  central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
  Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from
  the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Russia
  broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous
  forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern
  border regions

Rwanda
  mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
  altitude declining from west to east

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered
  plateaus and plains
  note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia
  volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  volcanic, mountainous

Samoa
  narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in
  interior

San Marino
  rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe
  volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal
  generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in
  southeast

Serbia and Montenegro
  extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile
  plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast,
  ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high
  shoreline with no islands off the coast

Seychelles
  Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
  hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone
  coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
  upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore
  lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
  catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia
  rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
  lowlands in the south

Slovenia
  a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain
  region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys
  with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia
  mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa
  vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
  coastal plain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  most of the islands,
  rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South
  Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;
  the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active
  volcanoes

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters
  over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;
  the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually
  deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean
  is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum
  of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million
  square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in
  area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
  perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
  transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
  times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain
  large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
  Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands
  flat

Sri Lanka
  mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
  south-central interior

Sudan
  generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
  northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard
  wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
  coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
  north coasts

Swaziland
  mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland
  mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
  a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
  mountains in west

Taiwan
  eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
  rolling plains in west

Tajikistan
  Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
  Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania
  plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
  south

Thailand
  central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
  elsewhere

Togo
  gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
  plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau
  low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga
  most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
  formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago
  mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island
  low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia
  mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
  merges into the Sahara

Turkey
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
  several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan
  flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
  mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
  borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu
  very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda
  mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine
  most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
  plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
  and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates
  flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
  sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
  rolling plains in east and southeast

United States
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
  mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
  Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Uruguay
  mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
  flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
  Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
  surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
  Sea in west

Vanuatu
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Venezuela
  Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
  central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam
  low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
  hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands
  mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
  level land

Wake Island
  atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
  volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna
  volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank
  mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
  but barren in east

Western Sahara
  mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
  sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World
  the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
  the Pacific Ocean

Yemen
  narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
  mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
  desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia
  mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe
  mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
  veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan
  5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Albania
  2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Algeria
  2.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Andorra
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Angola
  6.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Argentina
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Armenia
  1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Aruba
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Australia
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Austria
  1.41 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  2.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Barbados
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belarus
  1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belgium
  1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Belize
  3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Benin
  6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  3.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Botswana
  3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Brazil
  2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Brunei
  2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  6.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burma
  2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Burundi
  5.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  3.58 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  4.63 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Canada
  1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Chad
  6.44 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Chile
  2.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

China
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Colombia
  2.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Comoros
  5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.69 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  3.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
  2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  5.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Croatia
  1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cuba
  1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  1.18 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Denmark
  1.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Dominica
  1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

East Timor
  3.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Egypt
  3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  3.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  4.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Estonia
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  5.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA children born/woman

Faroe Islands
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Fiji
  2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Finland
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

France
  1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gabon
  4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  6.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Georgia
  1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Germany
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ghana
  3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Greece
  1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Greenland
  2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Grenada
  2.45 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
  1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guam
  3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guatemala
  4.67 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guinea
  5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  5.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Guyana
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Haiti
  4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Honduras
  4.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hungary
  1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iceland
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

India
  2.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iran
  1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Iraq
  4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ireland
  1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Israel
  2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Italy
  1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Japan
  1.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jersey
  1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Jordan
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  2.16 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kenya
  3.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  3.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Laos
  4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Latvia
  1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Liberia
  6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Libya
  3.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Lithuania
  1.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Macau
  1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malawi
  6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Maldives
  5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mali
  6.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Malta
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  4.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Martinique
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mexico
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Moldova
  1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Monaco
  1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Morocco
  2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Namibia
  4.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nauru
  3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nepal
  4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Niger
  6.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  5.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Norway
  1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Oman
  5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  4.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Palau
  2.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Panama
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  4.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  4.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Peru
  2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Philippines
  3.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Poland
  1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Portugal
  1.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Qatar
  3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Reunion
  2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Romania
  1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Russia
  1.33 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1.95 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Samoa
  3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

San Marino
  1.31 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  5.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  6.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Senegal
  4.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  1.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Singapore
  1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Somalia
  6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

South Africa
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Spain
  1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sudan
  5.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Suriname
  2.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  3.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Sweden
  1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Syria
  3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
  4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Thailand
  1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Togo
  4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tonga
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turkey
  2.03 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
  3.05 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uganda
  6.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

United States
  2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  2.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  2.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

West Bank
  4.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

World
  2.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Yemen
  6.82 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Zambia
  5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  3.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2128 Government type

Afghanistan
  transitional

Albania
  emerging democracy

Algeria
  republic

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as
  its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the
  president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
  represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola
  republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
  presidential system

Anguilla
  NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Antigua and Barbuda
  constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Argentina
  republic

Armenia
  republic

Aruba
  parliamentary democracy

Australia
  democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
  monarch as sovereign

Austria
  federal republic

Azerbaijan
  republic

Bahamas, The
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain
  constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh
  parliamentary democracy

Barbados
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
  the Commonwealth

Belarus
  republic

Belgium
  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
  monarch

Belize
  parliamentary democracy

Benin
  republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
  Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
  1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Bermuda
  parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
  self-government

Bhutan
  monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia
  republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
  parliamentary republic

Brazil
  federative republic

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
  parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
  parliamentary republic

Burma
  military regime

Burundi
  republic

Cambodia
  multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
  established in September 1993

Cameroon
  unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
  (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
  note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada
  confederation with parliamentary democracy

Cape Verde
  republic

Cayman Islands
  British crown colony

Central African Republic
  republic

Chad
  republic

Chile
  republic

China
  Communist state

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
  independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the
  republic

Cook Islands
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
  democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
  republic; multiparty presidential regime established
  1960

Croatia
  presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
  Communist state

Cyprus
  republic
  note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
  island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
  separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
  July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish
  Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the
  only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983
  Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and
  the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC),
  recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement
  based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation
  (Turkish Cypriot position)

Czech Republic
  parliamentary democracy

Denmark
  constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  republic

Dominica
  parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic
  representative democracy

East Timor
  republic

Ecuador
  republic

Egypt
  republic

El Salvador
  republic

Equatorial Guinea
  republic

Eritrea
  transitional government
  note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
  Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
  Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
  Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
  Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
  constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
  transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
  did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
  elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place
  in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the
  sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
  (PFDJ)

Estonia
  parliamentary republic

Ethiopia
  federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  republic
  note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
  declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland
  republic

France
  republic

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
  legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia
  republic

Germany
  federal republic

Ghana
  constitutional democracy

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
  December 1974

Greenland
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  republic

Guinea-Bissau
  republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana
  republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti
  elected government

Holy See (Vatican City)
  ecclesiastical

Honduras
  democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong
  limited democracy

Hungary
  parliamentary democracy

Iceland
  constitutional republic

India
  federal republic

Indonesia
  republic

Iran
  theocratic republic

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  republic

Israel
  parliamentary democracy

Italy
  republic

Jamaica
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan
  republic

Kenya
  republic

Kiribati
  republic

Korea, North
  authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Korea, South
  republic

Kuwait
  nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan
  republic

Laos
  Communist state

Latvia
  parliamentary democracy

Lebanon
  republic

Lesotho
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia
  republic

Libya
  Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
  populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Liechtenstein
  hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
  parliamentary basis

Lithuania
  parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg
  constitutional monarchy

Macau
  limited democracy

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  parliamentary democracy

Madagascar
  republic

Malawi
  multiparty democracy

Malaysia
  constitutional monarchy
  note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
  1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
  formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);
  nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
  consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
  Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka,
  George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
  appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments
  are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the
  federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
  prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration
  controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with
  foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers
  delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House
  of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
  security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Maldives
  republic

Mali
  republic

Malta
  republic

Man, Isle of
  parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands
  constitutional government in free association with
  the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
  October 1986

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  republic

Mauritius
  parliamentary democracy

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated

Moldova
  republic

Monaco
  constitutional monarchy

Mongolia
  parliamentary

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  constitutional monarchy

Mozambique
  republic

Namibia
  republic

Nauru
  republic

Nepal
  parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Netherlands
  constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles
  parliamentary

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua
  republic

Niger
  republic

Nigeria
  republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Niue
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway
  constitutional monarchy

Oman
  monarchy

Pakistan
  federal republic

Palau
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama
  constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea
  constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Paraguay
  constitutional republic

Peru
  constitutional republic

Philippines
  republic

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  republic

Portugal
  parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico
  commonwealth

Qatar
  traditional monarchy

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  republic

Russia
  federation

Rwanda
  republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
  parliament

Saint Lucia
  Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa
  constitutional monarchy under native chief

San Marino
  independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe
  republic

Saudi Arabia
  monarchy

Senegal
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro
  republic

Seychelles
  republic

Sierra Leone
  constitutional democracy

Singapore
  parliamentary republic

Slovakia
  parliamentary democracy

Slovenia
  parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands
  parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Somalia
  no permanent national government; transitional,
  parliamentary national government

South Africa
  republic

Spain
  parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka
  republic

Sudan
  authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in
  1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the
  National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front
  (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Suriname
  constitutional democracy

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden
  constitutional monarchy

Switzerland
  federal republic

Syria
  republic under military regime since March 1963

Taiwan
  multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected
  president and unicameral legislature

Tajikistan
  republic

Tanzania
  republic

Thailand
  constitutional monarchy

Togo
  republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago
  parliamentary democracy

Tunisia
  republic

Turkey
  republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan
  republic

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
  debating republic status in 1992

Uganda
  republic

Ukraine
  republic

United Arab Emirates
  federation with specified powers delegated to
  the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
  emirates

United Kingdom
  constitutional monarchy

United States
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
  tradition

Uruguay
  constitutional republic

Uzbekistan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu
  parliamentary republic

Venezuela
  federal republic

Vietnam
  Communist state

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
  unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
  (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
  Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
  government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
  (SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned
  between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring
  northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario
  guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;
  Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since
  asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile
  was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
  sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
  September 1991

Yemen
  republic

Zambia
  republic

Zimbabwe
  parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  17% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)

Algeria
  31% (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  6% (2000)

Andorra
  0%

Angola
  extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more
  than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  6.7% (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  11% (2001 est.)

Argentina
  21.5% (37377)

Armenia
  20% (2001 est.)

Aruba
  0.6%

Australia
  6.3% (2002)

Austria
  4.8% (2002 est.)

Azerbaijan
  16% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  6.9% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  15% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Barbados
  10% (2001 est.)

Belarus
  2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large
  number of underemployed workers

Belgium
  7.2% (2002 est.)

Belize
  9.1% (2002)

Benin
  NA%

Bermuda
  4.5% (1993)

Bhutan
  NA%

Bolivia 7.6% note: widespread underemployment (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  40% (2002 est.)

Botswana
  40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Brazil
  6.4% (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  3% (1995)

Brunei
  10% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  18% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  NA%

Burma
  5.1% (2001 est.)

Burundi
  NA%

Cambodia
  2.8% (1999 est.)

Cameroon
  30% (2001 est.)

Canada
  7.6% (2002 est.)

Cape Verde
  21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.1% (1997)

Central African Republic
  8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad
  NA%

Chile
  9.2% (2002)

China
  urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and
  underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  60% (2000 est.)

Colombia
  17.4% (2002 est.)

Comoros
  20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  NA%

Cook Islands
  13% (1996)

Costa Rica
  6.3% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia
  21.7% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  4.1% (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 3.3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2002
  est.)

Czech Republic
  9.8% (2002)

Denmark
  5.1% (2002)

Djibouti
  50% (2000 est.)

Dominica
  23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
  14.5% (2002 est.)

East Timor
  50% (including underemployment)

Ecuador
  7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Egypt
  12% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  10% - but the economy has much underemployment. (2001
  est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
  NA%

Estonia
  12.4% (2001)

Ethiopia
  NA%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  full employment; labor shortage

Faroe Islands
  1% (October 2000)

Fiji
  7.6% (1999)

Finland
  8.5% (2002 est.)

France
  9.1% (2002 est.)

French Guiana
  22% (2001)

French Polynesia
  11.8% (1994)

Gabon
  21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The
  NA%

Gaza Strip
  50% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Georgia
  17% (2001 est.)

Germany
  9.8% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar
  2% (2001 est.)

Greece
  10.3% (2002 est.)

Greenland
  10% (2000 est.)

Grenada
  12.5% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  27.8% (1998)

Guam
  15% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  7.5% (1999 est.)

Guernsey
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  NA%

Guinea-Bissau
  NA%

Guyana
  9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti
  widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
  two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras
  28% (2002 est.)

Hong Kong
  7.5% (2002 est.)

Hungary
  5.8% (2002 est.)

Iceland
  2.8% (2002 est.)

India
  8.8% (2002)

Indonesia
  10.6% (2002 est.)

Iran
  16.3% (2003 est.)

Iraq
  NA%

Ireland
  4.3% (2002 est.)

Israel
  10.4% (2002 est.)

Italy
  9.1% (2002 est.)

Jamaica
  15.4% (2002 est.)

Japan
  5.4% (2002)

Jersey
  0.7% (1998 est.)

Jordan
  16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  8.8% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  3.1% (2002 est.)

Kuwait
  7% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  7.2% (1999 est.)

Laos
  5.7% (1997 est.)

Latvia
  7.6% (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  18% (1997 est.)

Lesotho
  45% (2002)

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  30% (2001)

Liechtenstein
  1.3% (37500)

Lithuania
  12.5% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Macau
  6.3% (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  37% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  5.9% (1998)

Malawi
  NA%

Malaysia
  3.8% (2002 est.)

Maldives
  NEGL%

Mali
  14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Malta
  7% (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0.7% (March 2003)

Marshall Islands
  30.9% (1999 est.)

Martinique
  27.2% (1998)

Mauritania
  21% (1999 est.)

Mauritius
  8.8% (2002 est.)

Mayotte
  38% (1999)

Mexico
  urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  16% (1999 est.)

Moldova
  8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed
  abroad) (2002 est.)

Monaco
  3.1% (1998)

Mongolia
  20% (2000)

Montserrat
  6% (1998 est.)

Morocco
  19% (2002 est.)

Mozambique
  21% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  35% (1998)

Nauru
  0%

Nepal
  47% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  3% (2002 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  15% (1998 est.)

New Caledonia
  19% (1996)

New Zealand
  5.3% (2002 est.)

Nicaragua
  24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)

Niger
  NA%

Nigeria
  28% (1992 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  3.9% (2002 est.)

Oman
  NA%

Pakistan
  7.8% plus substantial underemployment (2002 est.)

Palau
  2.3% (2000 est.)

Panama
  16% (2002 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA%

Paraguay
  18.2% (2002 est.)

Peru
  9.4%; widespread underemployment (2002 est.)

Philippines
  10.2% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  18.1% (2002)

Portugal
  4.7% (2002 est.)

Puerto Rico
  12% (2002)

Qatar
  2.7% (2001)

Reunion
  36% (1999 est.)

Romania
  8.3% (2002)

Russia
  7.9% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Rwanda
  NA%

Saint Helena
  14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia
  16.5% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  9.8% (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  22% (1997 est.)

Samoa
  NA%; note - substantial underemployment

San Marino
  2.6% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA%

Saudi Arabia
  25% (2002)

Senegal
  48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  32% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  NA%

Sierra Leone
  NA%

Singapore
  4.6% (2002 est.)

Slovakia
  17.2% (2002 est.)

Slovenia
  11% (2002 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  37% (includes workers no longer looking for employment)
  (2001 est.)

Spain
  11.3% (2002 est.)

Sri Lanka
  8% (2002)

Sudan
  18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname
  17% (2000)

Swaziland
  34% (2000 est.)

Sweden
  4% (2002 est.)

Switzerland
  1.9% (2002 est.)

Syria
  20% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  5.2% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  40% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  NA%

Thailand
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Togo
  NA%

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  13.3% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  10.8% (2002)

Tunisia
  15.4% (2002 est.)

Turkey
  10.8% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2002 est.)

Turkmenistan
  NA%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  NA%

Ukraine
  3.8% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
  underemployed workers (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  NA%

United Kingdom
  5.2% (2002 est.)

United States
  5.8% (2002)

Uruguay
  19.4% (2002)

Uzbekistan
  10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  17% (2002 est.)

Vietnam
  25% (1995 est.)

Virgin Islands
  4.9% (March 1999)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
  non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
  unemployment

Yemen
  30% (1995 est.)

Zambia
  50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
  70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2137 Military - note

American Samoa
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra
  defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica
  the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military
  nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
  fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
  testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
  personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
  peaceful purposes

Aruba
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
  Australian Air Force

Baker Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Bassas da India
  defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory
  defense is the responsibility of the
  UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia;
  the territory does have a five-person police force

Cook Islands
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
  consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia;
  visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has
  control over the activities of visitors

Cuba
  Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
  Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Europa Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Guiana
  defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia
  defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  defense is the responsibility of
  France

Georgia
  a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
  the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
  group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Glorioso Islands
  defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guadeloupe
  defense is the responsibility of France

Guam
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City) defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope

Hong Kong
  defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland
  defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force
  (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Jan Mayen
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
  is provided by Australia and NZ

Lesotho
  the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the
  future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
  considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
  in political affairs

Liechtenstein
  defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Man, Isle of
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Marshall Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Martinique
  defense is the responsibility of France

Mayotte
  defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of
  French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
  is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the
  US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Midway Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco
  defense is the responsibility of France

Montserrat
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru
  Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
  agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia
  defense is the responsibility of France

Niue
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau
  defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
  Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
  granted access to the islands for 50 years

Palmyra Atoll
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama
  on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
  abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
  creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
  Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
  the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
  temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
  "external aggression"

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Reunion
  defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa
  Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
  informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
  any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

South Africa
  with the end of Apartheid and the establishment of
  majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
  ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
  Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
  considered complete

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  defense is the
  responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands
  Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
  China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard
  demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Tokelau
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Turks and Caicos Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

United States
  note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based
  on projections that do not take into consideration the results of
  the 2000 census

Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Wallis and Futuna
  defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen
  establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has
  been delayed

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2138 Communications - note

Bouvet Island automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island
  1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands
  1 meteorological station

Juan de Nova Island
  1 meteorological station

Saint Helena
  Gough Island has a meteorological station

Tromelin Island
  important meteorological station

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2140 Government - note

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  The Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14
  December 1995, retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's exterior border and
  created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
  national government - based on proportional representation similar
  to that which existed in the former socialist regime - is charged
  with conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. The Dayton
  Agreement also recognized a second tier of government, comprised of
  two entities - a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska (RS) - each
  presiding over roughly one-half the territory. The Federation and RS
  governments are charged with overseeing internal functions. The
  Bosniak/Croat Federation is further divided into 10 cantons. The
  Dayton Agreement established the Office of the High Representative
  (OHR) to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the
  agreement.

Malawi
  the executive exerts considerable influence over the
  legislature

Somalia
  although an interim government was created in 2000 other
  governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and
  regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and
  traditional clan and faction strongholds

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2142 Country name

Afghanistan
  conventional long form: Transitional Islamic State of
  Afghanistan
  conventional short form: Afghanistan
  local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
  local short form: Afghanestan
  former: Republic of Afghanistan

Albania
  conventional long form: Republic of Albania
  conventional short form: Albania
  local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
  local short form: Shqiperia
  former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria
  conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
  Algeria
  conventional short form: Algeria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
  Sha'biyah
  local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa
  conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
  conventional short form: American Samoa
  abbreviation: AS

Andorra
  conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
  conventional short form: Andorra
  local long form: Principat d'Andorra
  local short form: Andorra

Angola
  conventional long form: Republic of Angola
  conventional short form: Angola
  local long form: Republica de Angola
  local short form: Angola
  former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
  conventional long form: Argentine Republic
  conventional short form: Argentina
  local long form: Republica Argentina
  local short form: Argentina

Armenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
  conventional short form: Armenia
  local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
  local short form: Hayastan
  former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional long form: Territory of
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
  conventional short form: Australia

Austria
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan
  conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
  conventional short form: Azerbaijan
  local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
  local short form: none
  former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
  conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
  conventional short form: Bahrain
  local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
  local short form: Al Bahrayn
  former: Dilmun

Baker Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh
  conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  conventional short form: Bangladesh
  former: East Pakistan

Barbados
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus
  conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
  conventional short form: Belarus
  local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
  local short form: none
  former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
  conventional short form: Belgium
  local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
  local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Belize
  former: British Honduras

Benin
  conventional long form: Republic of Benin
  conventional short form: Benin
  local long form: Republique du Benin
  local short form: Benin
  former: Dahomey

Bermuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bermuda
  former: Somers Islands

Bhutan
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan

Bolivia
  conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
  conventional short form: Bolivia
  local long form: Republica de Bolivia
  local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  local long form: none
  local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Botswana
  conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
  conventional short form: Botswana
  former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil
  conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
  conventional short form: Brazil
  local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
  local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional long form: British
  Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
  abbreviation: BVI

Brunei
  conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
  conventional short form: Brunei

Bulgaria
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria

Burkina Faso
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma
  conventional long form: Union of Burma
  conventional short form: Burma
  local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
  US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
  Myanmar)
  local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
  former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
  note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
  name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
  was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
  Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
  Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi
  conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
  conventional short form: Burundi
  local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
  local short form: Burundi
  former: Urundi

Cambodia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
  conventional short form: Cambodia
  local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
  local short form: Kampuchea
  former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic

Cameroon
  conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
  conventional short form: Cameroon
  former: French Cameroon

Canada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde
  conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
  conventional short form: Cape Verde
  local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
  local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic
  conventional long form: Central African
  Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
  local short form: none
  former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
  abbreviation: CAR

Chad
  conventional long form: Republic of Chad
  conventional short form: Chad
  local long form: Republique du Tchad
  local short form: Tchad

Chile
  conventional long form: Republic of Chile
  conventional short form: Chile
  local long form: Republica de Chile
  local short form: Chile

China
  conventional long form: People's Republic of China
  conventional short form: China
  local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
  local short form: Zhong Guo
  abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
  Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia
  conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
  conventional short form: Colombia
  local long form: Republica de Colombia
  local short form: Colombia

Comoros
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local long form: Union des Comores
  local short form: Comores

Congo, Democratic Republic of the conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC

Congo, Republic of the conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
  conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica
  conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
  conventional short form: Costa Rica
  local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
  local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
  local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  former: Ivory Coast

Croatia
  conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
  conventional short form: Croatia
  local long form: Republika Hrvatska
  local short form: Hrvatska

Cuba
  conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
  conventional short form: Cuba
  local long form: Republica de Cuba
  local short form: Cuba

Cyprus
  conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
  conventional short form: Cyprus
  note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish
  Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Czech Republic
  conventional long form: Czech Republic
  conventional short form: Czech Republic
  local long form: Ceska Republika
  local short form: Ceska Republika

Denmark
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
  conventional short form: Denmark
  local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
  local short form: Danmark

Djibouti
  conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
  conventional short form: Djibouti
  former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none

East Timor
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  conventional short form: East Timor
  local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
  Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  former: Portuguese Timor

Ecuador
  conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
  conventional short form: Ecuador
  local long form: Republica del Ecuador
  local short form: Ecuador

Egypt
  conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
  conventional short form: Egypt
  local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
  local short form: Misr
  former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador
  conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
  conventional short form: El Salvador
  local long form: Republica de El Salvador
  local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial
  Guinea
  conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
  local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
  local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
  former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  local short form: Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia
  conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
  conventional short form: Estonia
  local long form: Eesti Vabariik
  local short form: Eesti
  former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of
  Ethiopia
  conventional short form: Ethiopia
  local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
  local short form: Ityop'iya
  former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
  abbreviation: FDRE

Europa Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Europa Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Europa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Faroe Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Foroyar

Fiji
  conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
  conventional short form: Fiji

Finland
  conventional long form: Republic of Finland
  conventional short form: Finland
  local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
  local short form: Suomi

France
  conventional long form: French Republic
  conventional short form: France
  local long form: Republique Francaise
  local short form: France

French Guiana
  conventional long form: Department of Guiana
  conventional short form: French Guiana
  local long form: none
  local short form: Guyane

French Polynesia
  conventional long form: Territory of French
  Polynesia
  conventional short form: French Polynesia
  local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
  local short form: Polynesie Francaise
  former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional long form:
  Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
  Francaises
  local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Gabon
  conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
  conventional short form: Gabon
  local long form: Republique Gabonaise
  local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The
  conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
  conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gaza Strip
  local long form: none
  local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Georgia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Sak'art'velo
  former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
  conventional short form: Germany
  local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
  local short form: Deutschland
  former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana
  conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
  conventional short form: Ghana
  former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Greece
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Greenland
  local long form: none
  local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Grenada

Guadeloupe
  conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
  conventional short form: Guadeloupe
  local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
  local short form: Guadeloupe

Guam
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long form: Guahan

Guatemala
  conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
  conventional short form: Guatemala
  local long form: Republica de Guatemala
  local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  conventional short form: Guinea
  local long form: Republique de Guinee
  local short form: Guinee
  former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
  local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
  local short form: Guine-Bissau
  former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana
  conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
  conventional short form: Guyana
  former: British Guiana

Haiti
  conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
  conventional short form: Haiti
  local long form: Republique d'Haiti
  local short form: Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City) conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras
  conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
  conventional short form: Honduras
  local long form: Republica de Honduras
  local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative
  Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
  local short form: Xianggang
  abbreviation: HK

Howland Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Howland Island

Hungary
  conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
  conventional short form: Hungary
  local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
  local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland
  conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
  conventional short form: Iceland
  local long form: Lydhveldidh Island
  local short form: Island

India
  conventional long form: Republic of India
  conventional short form: India

Indonesia
  conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
  conventional short form: Indonesia
  local long form: Republik Indonesia
  local short form: Indonesia
  former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Iran
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
  conventional short form: Iran
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
  local short form: Iran
  former: Persia

Iraq
  conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
  conventional short form: Iraq
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
  local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ireland

Israel
  conventional long form: State of Israel
  conventional short form: Israel
  local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
  local short form: Yisra'el

Italy
  conventional long form: Italian Republic
  conventional short form: Italy
  local long form: Repubblica Italiana
  local short form: Italia
  former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Japan

Jarvis Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Jersey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
  conventional short form: Jersey

Johnston Atoll
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Jordan
  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  conventional short form: Jordan
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
  local short form: Al Urdun
  former: Transjordan

Juan de Nova Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Kazakhstan
  conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
  conventional short form: Kazakhstan
  local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya
  conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
  conventional short form: Kenya
  former: British East Africa

Kingman Reef
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Kiribati
  conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
  conventional short form: Kiribati
  note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
  former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North
  conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of
  Korea
  conventional short form: North Korea
  local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
  local short form: none
  note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South
  conventional long form: Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: South Korea
  local long form: Taehan-min'guk
  local short form: none
  note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: ROK

Kuwait
  conventional long form: State of Kuwait
  conventional short form: Kuwait
  local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
  local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan
  conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
  conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
  local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos
  conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
  conventional short form: Laos
  local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
  local short form: none

Latvia
  conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
  conventional short form: Latvia
  local long form: Latvijas Republika
  local short form: Latvija
  former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
  local short form: Lubnan

Lesotho
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland

Liberia
  conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
  conventional short form: Liberia

Libya
  conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
  Jamahiriya
  conventional short form: Libya
  local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
  al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
  local short form: none

Liechtenstein
  conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
  conventional short form: Liechtenstein
  local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
  local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
  conventional short form: Lithuania
  local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
  local short form: Lietuva
  former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg
  conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  conventional short form: Luxembourg
  local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
  local short form: Luxembourg

Macau
  conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Macau
  local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
  Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
  local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: none local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.

Madagascar
  conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
  conventional short form: Madagascar
  local long form: Republique de Madagascar
  local short form: Madagascar
  former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi
  conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
  conventional short form: Malawi
  former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
  Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Malaysia
  former: Federation of Malaysia

Maldives
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local long form: Republique de Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta
  conventional long form: Republic of Malta
  conventional short form: Malta
  local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
  local short form: Malta

Man, Isle of
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Isle of Man

Marshall Islands
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall
  Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Martinique
  conventional long form: Department of Martinique
  conventional short form: Martinique
  local long form: Departement de la Martinique
  local short form: Martinique

Mauritania
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  conventional short form: Mauritania
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
  local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius
  conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
  conventional short form: Mauritius

Mayotte
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
  conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico
  conventional long form: United Mexican States
  conventional short form: Mexico
  local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
  local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM

Midway Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Moldova
  conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
  conventional short form: Moldova
  local long form: Republica Moldova
  local short form: none
  former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Monaco
  conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
  conventional short form: Monaco
  local long form: Principaute de Monaco
  local short form: Monaco

Mongolia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Mongolia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Mongol Uls
  former: Outer Mongolia

Montserrat
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
  conventional short form: Morocco
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
  local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique
  conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
  conventional short form: Mozambique
  local long form: Republica de Mocambique
  local short form: Mocambique
  former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia
  conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
  conventional short form: Namibia
  former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru
  conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
  conventional short form: Nauru
  former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
  conventional short form: Nepal

Netherlands
  conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
  conventional short form: Netherlands
  local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
  local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
  former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia
  conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
  Dependencies
  conventional short form: New Caledonia
  local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
  local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: New Zealand
  abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua
  conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
  conventional short form: Nicaragua
  local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
  local short form: Nicaragua

Niger
  conventional long form: Republic of Niger
  conventional short form: Niger
  local long form: Republique du Niger
  local short form: Niger

Nigeria
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
  conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Niue
  former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of the
  Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
  former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Norway
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge
  local short form: Norge

Oman
  conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
  conventional short form: Oman
  local long form: Saltanat Uman
  local short form: Uman
  former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  conventional short form: Pakistan
  former: West Pakistan

Palau
  conventional long form: Republic of Palau
  conventional short form: Palau
  local long form: Beluu er a Belau
  local short form: Belau
  former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Palmyra Atoll
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Panama
  conventional long form: Republic of Panama
  conventional short form: Panama
  local long form: Republica de Panama
  local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea
  conventional long form: Independent State of Papua
  New Guinea
  conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
  former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
  abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay
  conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
  conventional short form: Paraguay
  local long form: Republica del Paraguay
  local short form: Paraguay

Peru
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Philippines
  conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
  conventional short form: Philippines
  local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
  local short form: Pilipinas

Pitcairn Islands
  conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,
  and Oeno Islands
  conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland
  conventional long form: Republic of Poland
  conventional short form: Poland
  local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
  local short form: Polska

Portugal
  conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
  conventional short form: Portugal
  local long form: Republica Portuguesa
  local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar
  conventional long form: State of Qatar
  conventional short form: Qatar
  local long form: Dawlat Qatar
  local short form: Qatar
  note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
  between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Reunion
  conventional long form: Department of Reunion
  conventional short form: Reunion
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile de la Reunion
  former: Bourbon Island

Romania
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Romania
  local long form: none
  local short form: Romania

Russia
  conventional long form: Russian Federation
  conventional short form: Russia
  local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
  local short form: Rossiya
  former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda
  conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
  conventional short form: Rwanda
  local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
  local short form: Rwanda
  former: Ruanda

Saint Helena conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
  conventional short form: Samoa
  former: Western Samoa

San Marino
  conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
  conventional short form: San Marino
  local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
  local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
  local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal
  conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
  conventional short form: Senegal
  local long form: Republique du Senegal
  local short form: Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro
  conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora
  local short form: none

Seychelles
  conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
  conventional short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore
  conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
  conventional short form: Singapore

Slovakia
  conventional long form: Slovak Republic
  conventional short form: Slovakia
  local long form: Slovenska Republika
  local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
  conventional short form: Slovenia
  local long form: Republika Slovenija
  local short form: Slovenija

Solomon Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Somalia
  former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa
  conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
  conventional short form: South Africa
  former: Union of South Africa
  abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional long form:
  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional short form: none

Spain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
  conventional short form: Spain
  local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka
  conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
  Sri Lanka
  conventional short form: Sri Lanka
  former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan
  conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
  conventional short form: Sudan
  local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
  local short form: As-Sudan
  former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname
  conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  conventional short form: Suriname
  local long form: Republiek Suriname
  local short form: Suriname
  former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
  Spitzbergen)

Swaziland
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
  conventional short form: Swaziland

Sweden
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
  conventional short form: Sweden
  local long form: Konungariket Sverige
  local short form: Sverige

Switzerland
  conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
  conventional short form: Switzerland
  local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
  Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
  local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
  (Italian)

Syria
  conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
  conventional short form: Syria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
  local short form: Suriyah
  former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Taiwan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Taiwan
  local long form: none
  local short form: T'ai-wan
  former: Formosa

Tajikistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
  conventional short form: Tajikistan
  local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
  local short form: Tojikiston
  former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania
  conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
  conventional short form: Tanzania
  former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  former: Siam

Togo
  conventional long form: Togolese Republic
  conventional short form: Togo
  local long form: Republique Togolaise
  local short form: none
  former: French Togoland

Tokelau
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
  conventional short form: Tonga
  former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago
  conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and
  Tobago
  conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tromelin Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Tromelin

Tunisia
  conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
  conventional short form: Tunisia
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
  local short form: Tunis

Turkey
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turkmenistan
  local long form: none
  local short form: Turkmenistan
  former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tuvalu
  former: Ellice Islands
  note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
  eight traditionally inhabited islands

Uganda
  conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
  conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ukraine
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ukrayina
  former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
  Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates
  conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
  local short form: none
  former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
  abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great
  Britain and Northern Ireland
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK

United States
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

Uruguay
  conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  conventional short form: Uruguay
  local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
  local short form: Uruguay
  former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
  conventional short form: Uzbekistan
  local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
  local short form: Ozbekiston
  former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu
  conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
  conventional short form: Vanuatu
  former: New Hebrides

Venezuela
  conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  conventional short form: Venezuela
  local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
  local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam
  conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  conventional short form: Vietnam
  local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
  local short form: Viet Nam
  abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
  conventional short form: Virgin Islands
  former: Danish West Indies

Wake Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna
  conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis
  and Futuna Islands
  conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
  local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
  local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Western Sahara
  former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen
  conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
  conventional short form: Yemen
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
  local short form: Al Yaman

Zambia
  conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
  conventional short form: Zambia
  former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe
  conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
  conventional short form: Zimbabwe
  former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2144 Location

Afghanistan
  Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Albania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian
  Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Algeria
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Morocco and Tunisia

American Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Andorra
  Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Angola
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Antarctica
  continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Antigua and Barbuda
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Arctic Ocean
  body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America,
  mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Argentina
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Armenia
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Aruba
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian
  Ocean, northwest of Australia, south of the Indonesian half of Timor
  island

Atlantic Ocean
  body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern
  Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Australia
  Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
  Pacific Ocean

Austria
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Azerbaijan
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
  Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus
  range

Bahamas, The
  Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Bahrain
  Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
  Arabia

Baker Island
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and Australia

Bangladesh
  Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
  and India

Barbados
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
  Venezuela

Bassas da India
  Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
  Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Belarus
  Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Belgium
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
  the Netherlands

Belize
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Mexico

Benin
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria
  and Togo

Bermuda
  North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of North Carolina (US)

Bhutan
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Bolivia
  Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
  Sea and Croatia

Botswana
  Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Bouvet Island
  island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the
  Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Brazil
  Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

British Indian Ocean Territory
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean,
  south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

British Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Brunei
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Bulgaria
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Romania and Turkey

Burkina Faso
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Burma
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Burundi
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
  Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Cameroon
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
  Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Canada
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on
  the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on
  the north, north of the conterminous US

Cape Verde
  Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, west of Senegal

Cayman Islands
  Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly
  one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Central African Republic
  Central Africa, north of Democratic
  Republic of the Congo

Chad
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Chile
  Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Argentina and Peru

China
  Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow
  Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Christmas Island
  Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean,
  south of Indonesia

Clipperton Island
  Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean,
  1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the
  Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia
  to Sri Lanka

Colombia
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,
  between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Ecuador and Panama

Comoros
  Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of
  the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
  Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo, Republic of the
  Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Cook Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of
  Australia

Costa Rica
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Cote d'Ivoire
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Ghana and Liberia

Croatia
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Cuba
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Cyprus
  Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Czech Republic
  Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Denmark
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
  islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Djibouti
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,
  between Eritrea and Somalia

Dominica
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to
  Trinidad and Tobago

Dominican Republic
  Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
  Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of Haiti

East Timor
  Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser
  Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note
  - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
  Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
  Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Ecuador
  Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
  Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Egypt
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and
  includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

El Salvador
  Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Guatemala and Honduras

Equatorial Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra,
  between Cameroon and Gabon

Eritrea
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and
  Sudan

Estonia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
  Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Ethiopia
  Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Europa Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel,
  about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern
  Mozambique

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Southern South America, islands in
  the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Faroe Islands
  Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian
  Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from
  Iceland to Norway

Fiji
  Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Finland
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

France
  Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
  Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering
  the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
  Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

French Polynesia
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  southeast of Africa, islands in
  the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa,
  Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic
  Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles
  Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the
  French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not
  recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Gabon
  Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
  between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Gambia, The
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
  Senegal

Gaza Strip
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Israel

Georgia
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
  and Russia

Germany
  Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Ghana
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
  d'Ivoire and Togo

Gibraltar
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,
  which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on
  the southern coast of Spain

Glorioso Islands
  Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian
  Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Greece
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and
  the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Greenland
  Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean
  and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Grenada
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Guadeloupe
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Guam
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Guatemala
  Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
  El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras
  (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Guernsey
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest
  of France

Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Senegal

Guyana
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Suriname and Venezuela

Haiti
  Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,
  between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
  Dominican Republic

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  islands in the Indian Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Honduras
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North
  Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Hong Kong
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Howland Island
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  half way between Hawaii and Australia

Hungary
  Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Iceland
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

India
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Indian Ocean
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  and Australia

Indonesia
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean
  and the Pacific Ocean

Iran
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and
  the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Iraq
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Ireland
  Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of
  Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Israel
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
  and Lebanon

Italy
  Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
  Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Jamaica
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Jan Mayen
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Japan
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
  the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Jarvis Island
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Jersey
  Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of
  France

Johnston Atoll
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM
  (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way
  from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Jordan
  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Juan de Nova Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique
  Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Kazakhstan
  Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of
  the Ural River in eastern-most Europe

Kenya
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia
  and Tanzania

Kingman Reef
  Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Kiribati
  Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean,
  straddling the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the
  way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati
  proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as
  its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands
  and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of
  the International Date Line

Korea, North
  Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
  South Korea

Korea, South
  Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Kuwait
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
  Saudi Arabia

Kyrgyzstan
  Central Asia, west of China

Laos
  Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Latvia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
  Lithuania

Lebanon
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel
  and Syria

Lesotho
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Liberia
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Libya
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Tunisia

Liechtenstein
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia
  and Russia

Luxembourg
  Western Europe, between France and Germany

Macau
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Southeastern Europe,
  north of Greece

Madagascar
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Mozambique

Malawi
  Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Malaysia
  Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the
  island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south
  of Vietnam

Maldives
  Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
  south-southwest of India

Mali
  Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Malta
  Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
  Sicily (Italy)

Man, Isle of
  Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
  Britain and Ireland

Marshall Islands
  Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North
  Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Martinique
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Mauritania
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Senegal and Western Sahara

Mauritius
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Mayotte
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
  one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Mexico
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of
  Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific
  Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania, island group in the North
  Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to
  Indonesia

Midway Islands
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Moldova
  Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Monaco
  Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the
  southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Mongolia
  Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Montserrat
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of
  Puerto Rico

Morocco
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Mozambique
  South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel,
  between South Africa and Tanzania

Namibia
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Angola and South Africa

Nauru
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
  Marshall Islands

Navassa Island
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about
  one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Nepal
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Netherlands
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium
  and Germany

Netherlands Antilles
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean
  Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other
  is east of the Virgin Islands

New Caledonia
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

New Zealand
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
  of Australia

Nicaragua
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Niger
  Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Nigeria
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin
  and Cameroon

Niue
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Norfolk Island
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania, islands in the North Pacific
  Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Norway
  Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Oman
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and
  Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Pacific Ocean
  body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Pakistan
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on
  the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Palau
  Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
  southeast of the Philippines

Palmyra Atoll
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Panama
  Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania, group of islands including the eastern
  half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South
  Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Paracel Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs
  in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central
  Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Paraguay
  Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Peru
  Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Chile and Ecuador

Philippines
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine
  Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  midway between Peru and New Zealand

Poland
  Central Europe, east of Germany

Portugal
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  west of Spain

Puerto Rico
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Qatar
  Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
  Arabia

Reunion
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Romania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Bulgaria and Ukraine

Russia
  Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
  Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
  Pacific Ocean

Rwanda
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway
  between South America and Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
  one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Lucia
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Northern North America, islands in the
  North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Caribbean, islands between the
  Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

San Marino
  Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,
  straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red
  Sea, north of Yemen

Senegal
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Serbia and Montenegro
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
  Sea, between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Seychelles
  Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
  northeast of Madagascar

Sierra Leone
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Liberia

Singapore
  Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Slovakia
  Central Europe, south of Poland

Slovenia
  Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea,
  between Austria and Croatia

Solomon Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific
  Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Somalia
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
  Ocean, east of Ethiopia

South Africa
  Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent
  of Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Southern South America,
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Southern Ocean
  body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and
  Antarctica

Spain
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,
  Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,
  southwest of France

Spratly Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the
  South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam
  to the southern Philippines

Sri Lanka
  Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Sudan
  Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and
  Eritrea

Suriname
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between French Guiana and Guyana

Svalbard
  Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents
  Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Swaziland
  Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Sweden
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Switzerland
  Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Syria
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
  and Turkey

Taiwan
  Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
  Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
  Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Tajikistan
  Central Asia, west of China

Tanzania
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya
  and Mozambique

Thailand
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf
  of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Togo
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
  Ghana

Tokelau
  Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Tonga
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Trinidad and Tobago
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Tromelin Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Tunisia
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Algeria and Libya

Turkey
  southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of
  Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe),
  bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering
  the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Turkmenistan
  Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran
  and Kazakhstan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caribbean, two island groups in the North
  Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Tuvalu
  Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the
  South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
  Australia

Uganda
  Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Ukraine
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and
  Russia

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the
  Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
  Western Europe, islands including the northern
  one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Sea, northwest of France

United States
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Uruguay
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
  between Argentina and Brazil

Uzbekistan
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Vanuatu
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Venezuela
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Vietnam
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of
  Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Wake Island
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

West Bank
  Middle East, west of Jordan

Western Sahara
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Mauritania and Morocco

Yemen
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red
  Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Zambia
  Southern Africa, east of Angola

Zimbabwe
  Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2145 Map references

Afghanistan
  Asia

Albania
  Europe

Algeria
  Africa

American Samoa
  Oceania

Andorra
  Europe

Angola
  Africa

Anguilla
  Central America and the Caribbean

Antarctica
  Antarctic Region

Antigua and Barbuda
  Central America and the Caribbean

Arctic Ocean
  Arctic Region

Argentina
  South America

Armenia
  Asia

Aruba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeast Asia

Atlantic Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Australia
  Oceania

Austria
  Europe

Azerbaijan
  Asia

Bahamas, The
  Central America and the Caribbean

Bahrain
  Middle East

Baker Island
  Oceania

Bangladesh
  Asia

Barbados
  Central America and the Caribbean

Bassas da India
  Africa

Belarus
  Europe

Belgium
  Europe

Belize
  Central America and the Caribbean

Benin
  Africa

Bermuda
  North America

Bhutan
  Asia

Bolivia
  South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Europe

Botswana
  Africa

Bouvet Island
  Antarctic Region

Brazil
  South America

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Political Map of the World

British Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Brunei
  Southeast Asia

Bulgaria
  Europe

Burkina Faso
  Africa

Burma
  Southeast Asia

Burundi
  Africa

Cambodia
  Southeast Asia

Cameroon
  Africa

Canada
  North America

Cape Verde
  Political Map of the World

Cayman Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Central African Republic
  Africa

Chad
  Africa

Chile
  South America

China
  Asia

Christmas Island
  Southeast Asia

Clipperton Island
  Political Map of the World

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeast Asia

Colombia
  South America

Comoros
  Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Africa

Congo, Republic of the
  Africa

Cook Islands
  Oceania

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania

Costa Rica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cote d'Ivoire
  Africa

Croatia
  Europe

Cuba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cyprus
  Middle East

Czech Republic
  Europe

Denmark
  Europe

Djibouti
  Africa

Dominica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Dominican Republic
  Central America and the Caribbean

East Timor
  Southeast Asia

Ecuador
  South America

Egypt
  Africa

El Salvador
  Central America and the Caribbean

Equatorial Guinea
  Africa

Eritrea
  Africa

Estonia
  Europe

Ethiopia
  Africa

Europa Island
  Africa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  South America

Faroe Islands
  Europe

Fiji
  Oceania

Finland
  Europe

France
  Europe

French Guiana
  South America

French Polynesia
  Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Antarctic Region

Gabon
  Africa

Gambia, The
  Africa

Gaza Strip
  Middle East

Georgia
  Asia

Germany
  Europe

Ghana
  Africa

Gibraltar
  Europe

Glorioso Islands
  Africa

Greece
  Europe

Greenland
  Arctic Region

Grenada
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guadeloupe
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guam
  Oceania

Guatemala
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guernsey
  Europe

Guinea
  Africa

Guinea-Bissau
  Africa

Guyana
  South America

Haiti
  Central America and the Caribbean

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Antarctic Region

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Europe

Honduras
  Central America and the Caribbean

Hong Kong
  Southeast Asia

Howland Island
  Oceania

Hungary
  Europe

Iceland
  Arctic Region

India
  Asia

Indian Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Indonesia
  Southeast Asia

Iran
  Middle East

Iraq
  Middle East

Ireland
  Europe

Israel
  Middle East

Italy
  Europe

Jamaica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Jan Mayen
  Arctic Region

Japan
  Asia

Jarvis Island
  Oceania

Jersey
  Europe

Johnston Atoll
  Oceania

Jordan
  Middle East

Juan de Nova Island
  Africa

Kazakhstan
  Asia

Kenya
  Africa

Kingman Reef
  Oceania

Kiribati
  Oceania

Korea, North
  Asia

Korea, South
  Asia

Kuwait
  Middle East

Kyrgyzstan
  Asia

Laos
  Southeast Asia

Latvia
  Europe

Lebanon
  Middle East

Lesotho
  Africa

Liberia
  Africa

Libya
  Africa

Liechtenstein
  Europe

Lithuania
  Europe

Luxembourg
  Europe

Macau
  Southeast Asia

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  Europe

Madagascar
  Africa

Malawi
  Africa

Malaysia
  Southeast Asia

Maldives
  Asia

Mali
  Africa

Malta
  Europe

Man, Isle of
  Europe

Marshall Islands
  Oceania

Martinique
  Central America and the Caribbean

Mauritania
  Africa

Mauritius
  Political Map of the World

Mayotte
  Africa

Mexico
  North America

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania

Midway Islands
  Oceania

Moldova
  Europe

Monaco
  Europe

Mongolia
  Asia

Montserrat
  Central America and the Caribbean

Morocco
  Africa

Mozambique
  Africa

Namibia
  Africa

Nauru
  Oceania

Navassa Island
  Central America and the Caribbean

Nepal
  Asia

Netherlands
  Europe

Netherlands Antilles
  Central America and the Caribbean

New Caledonia
  Oceania

New Zealand
  Oceania

Nicaragua
  Central America and the Caribbean

Niger
  Africa

Nigeria
  Africa

Niue
  Oceania

Norfolk Island
  Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania

Norway
  Europe

Oman
  Middle East

Pacific Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Pakistan
  Asia

Palau
  Oceania

Palmyra Atoll
  Oceania

Panama
  Central America and the Caribbean

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania

Paracel Islands
  Southeast Asia

Paraguay
  South America

Peru
  South America

Philippines
  Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania

Poland
  Europe

Portugal
  Europe

Puerto Rico
  Central America and the Caribbean

Qatar
  Middle East

Reunion
  World

Romania
  Europe

Russia
  Asia

Rwanda
  Africa

Saint Helena
  Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Lucia
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Central America and the Caribbean

Samoa
  Oceania

San Marino
  Europe

Sao Tome and Principe
  Africa

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East

Senegal
  Africa

Serbia and Montenegro
  Europe

Seychelles
  Africa

Sierra Leone
  Africa

Singapore
  Southeast Asia

Slovakia
  Europe

Slovenia
  Europe

Solomon Islands
  Oceania

Somalia
  Africa

South Africa
  Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Antarctic Region

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Region

Spain
  Europe

Spratly Islands
  Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka
  Asia

Sudan
  Africa

Suriname
  South America

Svalbard
  Arctic Region

Swaziland
  Africa

Sweden
  Europe

Switzerland
  Europe

Syria
  Middle East

Taiwan
  Southeast Asia

Tajikistan
  Asia

Tanzania
  Africa

Thailand
  Southeast Asia

Togo
  Africa

Tokelau
  Oceania

Tonga
  Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tromelin Island
  Africa

Tunisia
  Africa

Turkey
  Middle East

Turkmenistan
  Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tuvalu
  Oceania

Uganda
  Africa

Ukraine
  Asia, Europe

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East

United Kingdom
  Europe

United States
  North America

Uruguay
  South America

Uzbekistan
  Asia

Vanuatu
  Oceania

Venezuela
  South America

Vietnam
  Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Wake Island
  Oceania

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania

West Bank
  Middle East

Western Sahara
  Africa

World
  Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,
  Standard Time Zones of the World

Yemen
  Middle East

Zambia
  Africa

Zimbabwe
  Africa

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2146 Irrigated land (sq km)

Afghanistan
  23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Albania
  3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Algeria
  5,600 sq km (1998 est.)

American Samoa
  NA sq km

Andorra
  NA sq km

Angola
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  NA sq km

Antarctica
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA sq km

Argentina
  15,610 sq km (1998 est.)

Armenia
  2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

Aruba
  0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Australia
  24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Austria
  457 sq km (2000 est.)

Azerbaijan
  14,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA sq km

Bahrain
  50 sq km (1998 est.)

Baker Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Barbados
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bassas da India
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Belarus
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Belgium
  40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Belize
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Benin
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Bermuda
  NA sq km

Bhutan
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Bolivia
  1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Botswana
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bouvet Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Brazil
  26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA sq km

Brunei
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bulgaria
  8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Burma
  15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Burundi
  740 sq km (1998 est.)

Cambodia
  2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Cameroon
  330 sq km (1998 est.)

Canada
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Cape Verde
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA sq km

Central African Republic
  NA sq km

Chad
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Chile
  18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

China
  525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA sq km

Clipperton Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA sq km

Colombia
  8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Comoros
  NA sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA sq km

Coral Sea Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Costa Rica
  1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  730 sq km (1998 est.)

Croatia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cuba
  870 sq km (1998 est.)

Cyprus
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Czech Republic
  240 sq km (1998 est.)

Denmark
  4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Djibouti
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Dominica
  NA sq km

Dominican Republic
  2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

East Timor
  1,065 sq km (est.)

Ecuador
  8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Egypt
  33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

El Salvador
  360 sq km (1998 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA sq km

Eritrea
  220 sq km (1998 est.)

Estonia
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Ethiopia
  1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Europa Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA sq km

Faroe Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Fiji
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Finland
  640 sq km (1998 est.)

France
  20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

French Guiana
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Gabon
  150 sq km (1998 est.)

Gambia, The
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Gaza Strip
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Georgia
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Germany
  4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Ghana
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA sq km

Glorioso Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Greece
  14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Greenland
  NA sq km

Grenada
  NA sq km

Guadeloupe
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Guam
  NA sq km

Guatemala
  1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Guernsey
  NA sq km

Guinea
  950 sq km (1998 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  170 sq km (1998 est.)

Guyana
  1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Haiti
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Honduras
  760 sq km (1998 est.)

Hong Kong
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Howland Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Hungary
  2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Iceland
  NA sq km

India
  590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Indonesia
  48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Iran
  75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Iraq
  35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Ireland
  NA sq km

Israel
  1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Italy
  26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Jamaica
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Jan Mayen
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Japan
  26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Jarvis Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jersey
  NA sq km

Johnston Atoll
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jordan
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kazakhstan
  23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Kenya
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Kingman Reef
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kiribati
  NA sq km

Korea, North
  14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Korea, South
  11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Kuwait
  60 sq km (1998 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Laos
  1,640 sq km
  note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Latvia
  200 sq km
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
  irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
  has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Lebanon
  1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Lesotho
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Liberia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Libya
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA sq km

Lithuania
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Luxembourg
  40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Macau
  NA sq km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  550 sq km (1998 est.)

Madagascar
  10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Malawi
  280 sq km (1998 est.)

Malaysia
  3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Maldives
  NA sq km

Mali
  1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Malta
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Marshall Islands
  0 sq km

Martinique
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritania
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritius
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Mayotte
  NA sq km

Mexico
  65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA sq km

Midway Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Moldova
  3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Monaco
  NA sq km

Mongolia
  840 sq km (1998 est.)

Montserrat
  NA sq km

Morocco
  12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Mozambique
  1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Namibia
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Nauru
  NA sq km

Navassa Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Nepal
  11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands
  5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA sq km

New Caledonia
  160 sq km (1991)

New Zealand
  2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Nicaragua
  880 sq km (1998 est.)

Niger
  660 sq km (1998 est.)

Nigeria
  2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Niue
  NA sq km

Norfolk Island
  NA sq km

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA sq km

Norway
  1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Oman
  620 sq km (1998 est.)

Pakistan
  180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Palau
  NA sq km

Palmyra Atoll
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Panama
  320 sq km (1998 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA sq km

Paracel Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Paraguay
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Peru
  11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Philippines
  15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA sq km

Poland
  1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Portugal
  6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Puerto Rico
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Qatar
  130 sq km (1998 est.)

Reunion
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Romania
  28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Russia
  46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Rwanda
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA sq km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA sq km

Saint Lucia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA sq km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Samoa
  NA sq km

San Marino
  NA sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
  100 sq km (1998 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Senegal
  710 sq km (1998 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  570 sq km

Seychelles
  NA sq km

Sierra Leone
  290 sq km (1998 est.)

Singapore
  NA sq km

Slovakia
  1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Slovenia
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA sq km

Somalia
  2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

South Africa
  13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Spain
  36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Spratly Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Sudan
  19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Suriname
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Svalbard
  NA sq km

Swaziland
  690 sq km (1998 est.)

Sweden
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Switzerland
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Syria
  12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Taiwan
  NA sq km

Tajikistan
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Tanzania
  1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Thailand
  47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Togo
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Tokelau
  NA sq km

Tonga
  NA sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Tromelin Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Tunisia
  3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkey
  42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkmenistan
  17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA sq km

Tuvalu
  NA sq km

Uganda
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Ukraine
  24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  720 sq km (1998 est.)

United Kingdom
  1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

United States
  214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Uruguay
  1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Uzbekistan
  42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA sq km

Venezuela
  540 sq km (1998 est.)

Vietnam
  30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA sq km

Wake Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA sq km

West Bank
  NA sq km

Western Sahara
  NA sq km

World
  2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Yemen
  4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Zambia
  460 sq km (1998 est.)

Zimbabwe
  1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2147 Area (sq km)

Afghanistan
  total: 647,500 sq km
  land: 647,500 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Albania
  total: 28,748 sq km
  land: 27,398 sq km
  water: 1,350 sq km

Algeria
  total: 2,381,740 sq km
  land: 2,381,740 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

American Samoa total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Andorra
  total: 468 sq km
  land: 468 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Angola
  total: 1,246,700 sq km
  land: 1,246,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Anguilla
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Antarctica
  total: 14 million sq km
  land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
  ice-covered) (est.)
  note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
  America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
  subcontinent of Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161
  sq km)
  land: 443 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Arctic Ocean
  total: 14.056 million sq km
  note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
  East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
  Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Argentina
  total: 2,766,890 sq km
  land: 2,736,690 sq km
  water: 30,200 sq km

Armenia
  total: 29,800 sq km
  land: 28,400 sq km
  water: 1,400 sq km

Aruba
  total: 193 sq km
  land: 193 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  total: 5 sq km
  land: 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
  Cartier Island

Atlantic Ocean
  total: 76.762 million sq km
  note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
  Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
  Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
  Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Australia
  total: 7,686,850 sq km
  land: 7,617,930 sq km
  water: 68,920 sq km
  note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Austria
  total: 83,858 sq km
  land: 82,738 sq km
  water: 1,120 sq km

Azerbaijan
  total: 86,600 sq km
  land: 86,100 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
  Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Bahamas, The
  total: 13,940 sq km
  land: 10,070 sq km
  water: 3,870 sq km

Bahrain
  total: 665 sq km
  land: 665 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Baker Island
  total: 1.4 sq km
  land: 1.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bangladesh
  total: 144,000 sq km
  land: 133,910 sq km
  water: 10,090 sq km

Barbados
  total: 431 sq km
  land: 431 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bassas da India
  total: 0.2 sq km
  land: 0.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Belarus
  total: 207,600 sq km
  land: 207,600 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Belgium
  total: 30,510 sq km
  land: 30,230 sq km
  water: 280 sq km

Belize
  total: 22,966 sq km
  land: 22,806 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Benin
  total: 112,620 sq km
  land: 110,620 sq km
  water: 2,000 sq km

Bermuda
  total: 53.3 sq km
  land: 53.3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bhutan
  total: 47,000 sq km
  land: 47,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bolivia
  total: 1,098,580 sq km
  land: 1,084,390 sq km
  water: 14,190 sq km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 51,129 sq km
  land: 51,129 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Botswana
  total: 600,370 sq km
  land: 585,370 sq km
  water: 15,000 sq km

Bouvet Island
  total: 58.5 sq km
  land: 58.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Brazil
  total: 8,511,965 sq km
  land: 8,456,510 sq km
  water: 55,455 sq km
  note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
  Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
  Paulo

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

British Virgin Islands total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada

Brunei
  total: 5,770 sq km
  land: 5,270 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Bulgaria
  total: 110,910 sq km
  land: 110,550 sq km
  water: 360 sq km

Burkina Faso
  total: 274,200 sq km
  land: 273,800 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Burma
  total: 678,500 sq km
  land: 657,740 sq km
  water: 20,760 sq km

Burundi
  total: 27,830 sq km
  land: 25,650 sq km
  water: 2,180 sq km

Cambodia
  total: 181,040 sq km
  land: 176,520 sq km
  water: 4,520 sq km

Cameroon
  total: 475,440 sq km
  land: 469,440 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Canada
  total: 9,984,670 sq km
  land: 9,093,507 sq km
  water: 891,163 sq km

Cape Verde
  total: 4,033 sq km
  land: 4,033 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cayman Islands
  total: 262 sq km
  land: 262 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Central African Republic
  total: 622,984 sq km
  land: 622,984 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Chad
  total: 1.284 million sq km
  land: 1,259,200 sq km
  water: 24,800 sq km

Chile
  total: 756,950 sq km
  land: 748,800 sq km
  water: 8,150 sq km
  note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

China
  total: 9,596,960 sq km
  land: 9,326,410 sq km
  water: 270,550 sq km

Christmas Island
  total: 135 sq km
  land: 135 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Clipperton Island
  total: 6 sq km
  land: 6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Colombia
  total: 1,138,910 sq km
  land: 1,038,700 sq km
  water: 100,210 sq km
  note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
  Serranilla Bank

Comoros
  total: 2,170 sq km
  land: 2,170 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 2,345,410 sq km
  land: 2,267,600 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 342,000 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Cook Islands
  total: 240 sq km
  land: 240 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Coral Sea Islands
  total: less than 3 sq km
  land: less than 3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
  area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
  important

Costa Rica total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 322,460 sq km
  land: 318,000 sq km
  water: 4,460 sq km

Croatia
  total: 56,542 sq km
  land: 56,414 sq km
  water: 128 sq km

Cuba
  total: 110,860 sq km
  land: 110,860 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cyprus
  total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish
  Cypriot area)
  land: 9,240 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Czech Republic
  total: 78,866 sq km
  land: 77,276 sq km
  water: 1,590 sq km

Denmark
  total: 43,094 sq km
  land: 42,394 sq km
  water: 700 sq km
  note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
  of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
  islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
  Greenland

Djibouti
  total: 23,000 sq km
  land: 22,980 sq km
  water: 20 sq km

Dominica
  total: 754 sq km
  land: 754 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Dominican Republic
  total: 48,730 sq km
  land: 48,380 sq km
  water: 350 sq km

East Timor
  total: 15,007 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km

Ecuador
  total: 283,560 sq km
  land: 276,840 sq km
  water: 6,720 sq km
  note: includes Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  total: 1,001,450 sq km
  land: 995,450 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

El Salvador
  total: 21,040 sq km
  land: 20,720 sq km
  water: 320 sq km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 28,051 sq km
  land: 28,051 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Eritrea
  total: 121,320 sq km
  land: 121,320 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Estonia
  total: 45,226 sq km
  land: 43,211 sq km
  water: 2,015 sq km
  note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Ethiopia
  total: 1,127,127 sq km
  land: 1,119,683 sq km
  water: 7,444 sq km

Europa Island
  total: 28 sq km
  land: 28 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Faroe Islands
  total: 1,399 sq km
  land: 1,399 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Fiji
  total: 18,270 sq km
  land: 18,270 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Finland
  total: 337,030 sq km
  land: 305,470 sq km
  water: 31,560 sq km

France
  total: 547,030 sq km
  land: 545,630 sq km
  water: 1,400 sq km
  note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
  administrative divisions

French Guiana
  total: 91,000 sq km
  land: 89,150 sq km
  water: 1,850 sq km

French Polynesia
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
  land: 3,660 sq km
  water: 507 sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  total: 7,829 sq km
  land: 7,829 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
  Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
  Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  total: 267,667 sq km
  land: 257,667 sq km
  water: 10,000 sq km

Gambia, The
  total: 11,300 sq km
  land: 10,000 sq km
  water: 1,300 sq km

Gaza Strip
  total: 360 sq km
  land: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Georgia
  total: 69,700 sq km
  land: 69,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Germany
  total: 357,021 sq km
  land: 349,223 sq km
  water: 7,798 sq km

Ghana
  total: 239,460 sq km
  land: 230,940 sq km
  water: 8,520 sq km

Gibraltar
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Greece
  total: 131,940 sq km
  land: 130,800 sq km
  water: 1,140 sq km

Greenland
  total: 2,166,086 sq km
  land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
  ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Grenada
  total: 344 sq km
  land: 344 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guadeloupe
  total: 1,780 sq km
  land: 1,706 sq km
  water: 74 sq km
  note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
  including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
  Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
  Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)

Guam
  total: 549 sq km
  land: 549 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guatemala
  total: 108,890 sq km
  land: 108,430 sq km
  water: 460 sq km

Guernsey
  total: 78 sq km
  land: 78 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
  smaller islands

Guinea
  total: 245,857 sq km
  land: 245,857 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 36,120 sq km
  land: 28,000 sq km
  water: 8,120 sq km

Guyana
  total: 214,970 sq km
  land: 196,850 sq km
  water: 18,120 sq km

Haiti
  total: 27,750 sq km
  land: 27,560 sq km
  water: 190 sq km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  total: 412 sq km
  land: 412 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 0.44 sq km
  land: 0.44 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Honduras
  total: 112,090 sq km
  land: 111,890 sq km
  water: 200 sq km

Hong Kong
  total: 1,092 sq km
  land: 1,042 sq km
  water: 50 sq km

Howland Island
  total: 1.6 sq km
  land: 1.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Hungary
  total: 93,030 sq km
  land: 92,340 sq km
  water: 690 sq km

Iceland
  total: 103,000 sq km
  land: 100,250 sq km
  water: 2,750 sq km

India
  total: 3,287,590 sq km
  land: 2,973,190 sq km
  water: 314,400 sq km

Indian Ocean
  total: 68.556 million sq km
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
  Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
  Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
  Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Indonesia
  total: 1,919,440 sq km
  land: 1,826,440 sq km
  water: 93,000 sq km

Iran
  total: 1.648 million sq km
  land: 1.636 million sq km
  water: 12,000 sq km

Iraq
  total: 437,072 sq km
  land: 432,162 sq km
  water: 4,910 sq km

Ireland
  total: 70,280 sq km
  land: 68,890 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Israel
  total: 20,770 sq km
  land: 20,330 sq km
  water: 440 sq km

Italy
  total: 301,230 sq km
  land: 294,020 sq km
  water: 7,210 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Jamaica
  total: 10,991 sq km
  land: 10,831 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Jan Mayen
  total: 373 sq km
  land: 373 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Japan
  total: 377,835 sq km
  land: 374,744 sq km
  water: 3,091 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
  Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
  Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Jarvis Island
  total: 4.5 sq km
  land: 4.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Jersey
  total: 116 sq km
  land: 116 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Johnston Atoll
  total: 2.8 sq km
  land: 2.8 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Jordan
  total: 92,300 sq km
  land: 91,971 sq km
  water: 329 sq km

Juan de Nova Island
  total: 4.4 sq km
  land: 4.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kazakhstan
  total: 2,717,300 sq km
  land: 2,669,800 sq km
  water: 47,500 sq km

Kenya
  total: 582,650 sq km
  land: 569,250 sq km
  water: 13,400 sq km

Kingman Reef
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kiribati
  total: 811 sq km
  land: 811 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
  Phoenix Islands

Korea, North
  total: 120,540 sq km
  land: 120,410 sq km
  water: 130 sq km

Korea, South
  total: 98,480 sq km
  land: 98,190 sq km
  water: 290 sq km

Kuwait
  total: 17,820 sq km
  land: 17,820 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 198,500 sq km
  land: 191,300 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km

Laos
  total: 236,800 sq km
  land: 230,800 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Latvia
  total: 64,589 sq km
  land: 63,589 sq km
  water: 1,000 sq km

Lebanon
  total: 10,400 sq km
  land: 10,230 sq km
  water: 170 sq km

Lesotho
  total: 30,355 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liberia
  total: 111,370 sq km
  land: 96,320 sq km
  water: 15,050 sq km

Libya
  total: 1,759,540 sq km
  land: 1,759,540 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liechtenstein
  total: 160 sq km
  land: 160 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Lithuania
  total: 65,200 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km

Luxembourg
  total: 2,586 sq km
  land: 2,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macau
  total: 25.4 sq km
  land: 25.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 25,333 sq km
  land: 24,856 sq km
  water: 477 sq km

Madagascar
  total: 587,040 sq km
  land: 581,540 sq km
  water: 5,500 sq km

Malawi
  total: 118,480 sq km
  land: 94,080 sq km
  water: 24,400 sq km

Malaysia
  total: 329,750 sq km
  land: 328,550 sq km
  water: 1,200 sq km

Maldives
  total: 300 sq km
  land: 300 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mali
  total: 1.24 million sq km
  land: 1.22 million sq km
  water: 20,000 sq km

Malta
  total: 316 sq km
  land: 316 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Man, Isle of
  total: 572 sq km
  land: 572 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Marshall Islands total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

Martinique
  total: 1,100 sq km
  land: 1,060 sq km
  water: 40 sq km

Mauritania
  total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,400 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Mauritius
  total: 2,040 sq km
  land: 2,030 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
  Brandon), and Rodrigues

Mayotte
  total: 374 sq km
  land: 374 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mexico
  total: 1,972,550 sq km
  land: 1,923,040 sq km
  water: 49,510 sq km

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Midway Islands total: 6.2 sq km land: 6.2 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

Moldova
  total: 33,843 sq km
  land: 33,371 sq km
  water: 472 sq km

Monaco
  total: 1.95 sq km
  land: 1.95 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mongolia
  total: 1.565 million sq km
  land: 1,555,400 sq km
  water: 9,600 sq km

Montserrat
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Morocco
  total: 446,550 sq km
  land: 446,300 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Mozambique
  total: 801,590 sq km
  land: 784,090 sq km
  water: 17,500 sq km

Namibia
  total: 825,418 sq km
  land: 825,418 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Nauru
  total: 21 sq km
  land: 21 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Navassa Island
  total: 5.2 sq km
  land: 5.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Nepal
  total: 140,800 sq km
  land: 136,800 sq km
  water: 4,000 sq km

Netherlands
  total: 41,526 sq km
  land: 33,883 sq km
  water: 7,643 sq km

Netherlands Antilles total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

New Caledonia total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

New Zealand
  total: 268,680 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km
  note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
  Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Nicaragua
  total: 129,494 sq km
  land: 120,254 sq km
  water: 9,240 sq km

Niger
  total: 1.267 million sq km
  land: 1,266,700 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Nigeria
  total: 923,768 sq km
  land: 910,768 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km

Niue
  total: 260 sq km
  land: 260 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Norfolk Island
  total: 34.6 sq km
  land: 34.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Northern Mariana Islands total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Norway
  total: 324,220 sq km
  land: 307,860 sq km
  water: 16,360 sq km

Oman
  total: 212,460 sq km
  land: 212,460 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Pacific Ocean
  total: 155.557 million sq km
  note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
  China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
  Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
  tributary water bodies

Pakistan
  total: 803,940 sq km
  land: 778,720 sq km
  water: 25,220 sq km

Palau
  total: 458 sq km
  land: 458 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Palmyra Atoll
  total: 11.9 sq km
  land: 11.9 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Panama
  total: 78,200 sq km
  land: 75,990 sq km
  water: 2,210 sq km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 462,840 sq km
  land: 452,860 sq km
  water: 9,980 sq km

Paracel Islands
  total: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Paraguay
  total: 406,750 sq km
  land: 397,300 sq km
  water: 9,450 sq km

Peru
  total: 1,285,220 sq km
  land: 1.28 million sq km
  water: 5,220 sq km

Philippines
  total: 300,000 sq km
  land: 298,170 sq km
  water: 1,830 sq km

Pitcairn Islands
  total: 47 sq km
  land: 47 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Poland
  total: 312,685 sq km
  land: 304,465 sq km
  water: 8,220 sq km

Portugal
  total: 92,391 sq km
  land: 91,951 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Puerto Rico
  total: 9,104 sq km
  land: 8,959 sq km
  water: 145 sq km

Qatar
  total: 11,437 sq km
  land: 11,437 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Reunion
  total: 2,517 sq km
  land: 2,507 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Romania
  total: 237,500 sq km
  land: 230,340 sq km
  water: 7,160 sq km

Russia
  total: 17,075,200 sq km
  land: 16,995,800 sq km
  water: 79,400 sq km

Rwanda
  total: 26,338 sq km
  land: 24,948 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Saint Helena
  total: 410 sq km
  land: 410 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
  of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
  Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis
  93 sq km)
  land: 261 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saint Lucia total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344
  sq km)
  land: 389 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Samoa
  total: 2,944 sq km
  land: 2,934 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

San Marino
  total: 61.2 sq km
  land: 61.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 1,001 sq km
  land: 1,001 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 1,960,582 sq km
  land: 1,960,582 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Senegal
  total: 196,190 sq km
  land: 192,000 sq km
  water: 4,190 sq km

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 102,350 sq km
  land: 102,136 sq km
  water: 214 sq km

Seychelles
  total: 455 sq km
  land: 455 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sierra Leone
  total: 71,740 sq km
  land: 71,620 sq km
  water: 120 sq km

Singapore
  total: 692.7 sq km
  land: 682.7 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Slovakia
  total: 48,845 sq km
  land: 48,800 sq km
  water: 45 sq km

Slovenia
  total: 20,273 sq km
  land: 20,151 sq km
  water: 122 sq km

Solomon Islands
  total: 28,450 sq km
  land: 27,540 sq km
  water: 910 sq km

Somalia
  total: 637,657 sq km
  land: 627,337 sq km
  water: 10,320 sq km

South Africa
  total: 1,219,912 sq km
  land: 1,219,912 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
  Edward Island)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  total: 3,903 sq km
  land: 3,903 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
  Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
  of some nine islands

Southern Ocean
  total: 20.327 million sq km
  note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
  Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
  other tributary water bodies

Spain
  total: 504,782 sq km
  land: 499,542 sq km
  water: 5,240 sq km
  note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
  and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
  coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
  de Velez de la Gomera

Spratly Islands
  total: less than 5 sq km
  land: less than 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
  scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
  China Sea

Sri Lanka
  total: 65,610 sq km
  land: 64,740 sq km
  water: 870 sq km

Sudan
  total: 2,505,810 sq km
  land: 2.376 million sq km
  water: 129,810 sq km

Suriname
  total: 163,270 sq km
  land: 161,470 sq km
  water: 1,800 sq km

Svalbard
  total: 62,049 sq km
  land: 62,049 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Swaziland
  total: 17,363 sq km
  land: 17,203 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Sweden
  total: 449,964 sq km
  land: 410,934 sq km
  water: 39,030 sq km

Switzerland
  total: 41,290 sq km
  land: 39,770 sq km
  water: 1,520 sq km

Syria
  total: 185,180 sq km
  land: 184,050 sq km
  water: 1,130 sq km
  note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Taiwan
  total: 35,980 sq km
  land: 32,260 sq km
  water: 3,720 sq km
  note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Tajikistan
  total: 143,100 sq km
  land: 142,700 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Tanzania
  total: 945,087 sq km
  land: 886,037 sq km
  water: 59,050 sq km
  note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Thailand
  total: 514,000 sq km
  land: 511,770 sq km
  water: 2,230 sq km

Togo
  total: 56,785 sq km
  land: 54,385 sq km
  water: 2,400 sq km

Tokelau
  total: 10 sq km
  land: 10 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tonga
  total: 748 sq km
  land: 718 sq km
  water: 30 sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 5,128 sq km
  land: 5,128 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tromelin Island
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tunisia
  total: 163,610 sq km
  land: 155,360 sq km
  water: 8,250 sq km

Turkey
  total: 780,580 sq km
  land: 770,760 sq km
  water: 9,820 sq km

Turkmenistan
  total: 488,100 sq km
  land: 488,100 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 430 sq km
  land: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tuvalu
  total: 26 sq km
  land: 26 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Uganda
  total: 236,040 sq km
  land: 199,710 sq km
  water: 36,330 sq km

Ukraine
  total: 603,700 sq km
  land: 603,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 82,880 sq km
  land: 82,880 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

United Kingdom
  total: 244,820 sq km
  land: 241,590 sq km
  water: 3,230 sq km
  note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

United States
  total: 9,629,091 sq km
  land: 9,158,960 sq km
  water: 470,131 sq km
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Uruguay
  total: 176,220 sq km
  land: 173,620 sq km
  water: 2,600 sq km

Uzbekistan
  total: 447,400 sq km
  land: 425,400 sq km
  water: 22,000 sq km

Vanuatu
  total: 12,200 sq km
  land: 12,200 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes more than 80 islands

Venezuela
  total: 912,050 sq km
  land: 882,050 sq km
  water: 30,000 sq km

Vietnam
  total: 329,560 sq km
  land: 325,360 sq km
  water: 4,200 sq km

Virgin Islands
  total: 352 sq km
  land: 349 sq km
  water: 3 sq km

Wake Island
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

West Bank
  total: 5,860 sq km
  land: 5,640 sq km
  water: 220 sq km
  note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
  of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
  Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
  depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Western Sahara
  total: 266,000 sq km
  land: 266,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

World
  total: 510.072 million sq km
  land: 148.94 million sq km
  water: 361.132 million sq km
  note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Yemen
  total: 527,970 sq km
  land: 527,970 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
  or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
  Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Zambia
  total: 752,614 sq km
  land: 740,724 sq km
  water: 11,890 sq km

Zimbabwe
  total: 390,580 sq km
  land: 386,670 sq km
  water: 3,910 sq km

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2149 Diplomatic representation in the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: ambassador Seyyed Tayeb JAWAD
  chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: 202-483-6410
  FAX: 202-483-6487
  consulate(s) general: New York

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
  chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
  FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY
  chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA
  chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
  FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI
  chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
  consulate(s) general: Houston and New York

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON
  chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSSIAN
  chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Aruba
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
  chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV
  chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS
  chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL
  KHALIFA
  chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
  chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 339-9201
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
  chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
  consulate(s) general: New York

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
  chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
  chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
  chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN;
  address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017;
  telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has
  consular jurisdiction in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
  chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Washington, DC

Bosnia and Herzegovina chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: New York

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
  chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA; note -
  Ambassador-Designate Roberto ABDENUR expected to arrive March 2004
  chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
  FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York, and San Francisco

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
  chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
  consulate(s): New York

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Burma
  chief of mission: Ambassador LINN MYAING
  chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
  consulate(s) general: New York

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
  chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROLAND ENG
  chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
  chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
  Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
  FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
  consulate(s) general: Boston

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel
  TOUABOY
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat
  SOUBIANE
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
  chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
  FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
  chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
  chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
  Washington, DC
  consulate(s): Atlanta

Comoros
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to
  the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
  chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
  the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
  NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
  FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Faida
  MITIFU
  chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
  chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein
  chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North
  Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
  Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa
  consulate(s): Austin

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA
  chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan GRDESIC
  chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Cuba
  none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera
  (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss
  Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1]
  (202) 797-8518

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
  chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
  consulate(s) general: New York
  consulate(s): New York
  note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Osman
  ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1]
  (202) 887-6198

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
  chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL
  chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
  chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Dominica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
  consulate(s) general: New York

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury
  chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez
  (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San
  Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

East Timor
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: 202 965-1515
  FAX: 202 965-1517
  consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
  (2003)

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira
  chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
  chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
  chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles,
  Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
  chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
  chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
  consulate(s) general: New York

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele
  chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anare JALE
  chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
  chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
  chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas territory of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
  chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
  consulate(s): New York

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires
  Lena Manga Sagnia SECK
  chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
  chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
  20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
  FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER
  chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston,
  Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
  chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
  consulate(s) general: New York

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
  none (possession of France)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
  chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
  chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468
  consulate(s) general: New York

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio Fernando ARENALES
  Forno
  chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York, and San Francisco

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
  chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA
  chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
  FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
  chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
  consulate(s) general: New York

Haiti
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Harry
  Frantz LEO
  chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
  (Puerto Rico)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio
  Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
  chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI
  chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2604
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
  Tampa
  honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
  chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
  chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
  consulate(s) general: New York

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lalit MANSINGH
  chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
  Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
  chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco

Iran
  none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
  Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
  Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
  965-4990

Iraq
  in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
  regime by US-led coalition

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY; note - FAHEY has
  announced that he will leave
  chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON
  chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO
  chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los
  Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Detroit

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS
  chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
  Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri),
  Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San
  Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
  chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Juan de Nova Island
  none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
  chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
  consulate(s): New York

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO
  chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
  consulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York are
  closed; mission to the UN remains open

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an
  honorary consulate in Honolulu

Korea, North
  none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the
  UN in New York

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo)
  chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
  Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam)

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sheikh SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir
  Al Sabah
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
  chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
  FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
  consulate(s): New York

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
  chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
  chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
  consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires
  Aaron B. KOLLIE
  chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
  FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
  consulate(s) general: New York

Libya
  Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Liechtenstein
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
  chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
  FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
  chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
  chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
  consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063 FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 consulate(s) general: New York

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
  chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
  consulate(s) general: New York

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
  chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul
  Khalid
  chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
  FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Maldives
  Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have
  a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative
  is Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
  chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
  chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
  consulate(s): New York

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
  chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
  consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL
  chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
  chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino
  chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
  Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
  (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas
  (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis
  (Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha,
  Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),
  Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San
  Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)

Micronesia, Federated States of chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI
  chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Monaco
  Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
  chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
  consulate(s) general: New York

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
  chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
  chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
  FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
  chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Nauru
  Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN
  office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017;
  telephone: (212) 937-0074
  consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA
  chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
  consulate(s) general: New York

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
  chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  consulate(s): Boston

Netherlands Antilles
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the
  Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD
  chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5
  December 2003)
  chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
  chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
  FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU
  chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
  chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
  Francisco

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani
  AL-KHUSSAIBY
  chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir QAZI
  chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6205
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, and Sunnyvale
  (California)

Palau
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
  chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
  consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ALFARO Estripeaut
  chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
  chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
  20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Paraguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES
  chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
  consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
  Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington
  (DC)

Philippines
  chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
  chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
  consulate(s): San Diego

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI
  chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves
  CATARINO
  chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
  consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
  Francisco
  consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
  (Rhode Island)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
  chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
  consulate(s) general: Houston

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU
  chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV
  chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735
  consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
  chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Saint Lucia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Samoa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Feturi ELISAIA
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
  FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

San Marino
  San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
  honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
  honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy
  in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by
  First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park
  Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd
  al-Aziz Al Saud
  chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
  chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
  consulate(s) general: New York

Serbia and Montenegro
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
  chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
  consulate(s) general: Chicago

Seychelles
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
  FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
  chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
  chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
  FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco
  consulate(s): New York

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
  chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN
  chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
  consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland

Solomon Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Colin BECK
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Somalia
  Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased
  operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have
  representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima
  MASEKELA
  chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas
  territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubio
  chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
  FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE
  chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Sudan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affairs, Ad
  Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
  chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
  chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
  consulate(s) general: Miami

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
  chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
  chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
  FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
  chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Boston

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador (acting) Imad MUSTAFA
  chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Taiwan
  none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
  people of the US are maintained through an unofficial
  instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
  Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field
  offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOV
  chancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
  chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Thailand
  chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP Krairiksh
  chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
  chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
  chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136
  FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Trinidad and Tobago chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE (as of February 2003) chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH
  chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
  FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU
  chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
  chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's
  only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN
  office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York
  10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA
  chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Sergiy KORSUNSKYI
  chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad
  al-DHAHIRI
  chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
  FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING
  chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
  chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
  chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
  FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
  consulate(s) general: New York

Vanuatu
  Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does,
  however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
  chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN
  chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
  FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI
  chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
  chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
  chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2150 Telephones - main lines in use

Afghanistan
  29,000 (1998)

Albania
  120,000 (2001)

Algeria
  2.3 million (1998)

American Samoa
  13,000 (1997)

Andorra
  32,946 (December 1998)

Angola
  72,000 (1998)

Anguilla
  4,974 (2000)

Antarctica
  0
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  28,000 (1996)

Argentina
  7.5 million (1998)

Armenia
  600,000 (2002)

Aruba
  33,000 (1997)

Australia
  10.05 million (2000)

Austria
  4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus
  400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in
  addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)

Azerbaijan
  865,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  96,000 (1997)

Bahrain
  152,000 (1997)

Bangladesh
  500,000 (2000)

Barbados
  108,000 (1997)

Belarus
  2.313 million (1997)

Belgium
  4.769 million (1997)

Belize
  31,000 (1997)

Benin
  51,000 (2000)

Bermuda
  52,000 (1997)

Bhutan
  6,000 (1997)

Bolivia
  327,600 (1996)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  303,000 (1997)

Botswana
  131,000 (September 2001)

Brazil
  17.039 million (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  10,000 (1996)

Brunei
  79,000 (1996)

Bulgaria
  3,186,731 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  53,200 (2000)

Burma
  250,000 (2000)

Burundi
  18,000 (2002)

Cambodia
  21,800 (mid-1998)

Cameroon
  95,000 (2001)

Canada
  20,802,900 (1999)

Cape Verde
  60,935 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  19,000 (1995)

Central African Republic
  9,500 (2000)

Chad
  9,700 (1999)

Chile
  2.603 million (1998)

China
  135 million (2000)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  287 (1992)

Colombia
  5,433,565 (December 1997)

Comoros
  7,000 (2000)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  20,000 (2000)

Congo, Republic of the
  22,000 (1998)

Cook Islands
  5,000 (1997)

Costa Rica
  450,000 (1998)
  note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use
  in 1998

Cote d'Ivoire
  263,700 (2000)

Croatia
  1,721,139 (2000)

Cuba
  473,031 (2000)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998);; Turkish Cypriot area:
  83,162 (1998)

Czech Republic
  3.869 million (2000)

Denmark
  4.785 million (1997)

Djibouti
  10,000 (2002)

Dominica
  19,000 (1996)

Dominican Republic
  709,000 (1997)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  1,115,272 (1999)

Egypt
  3,971,500 (December 1998)

El Salvador
  380,000 (1998)

Equatorial Guinea
  6,000 (1998)

Eritrea
  30,000 (2001)

Estonia
  501,691 (2000)

Ethiopia
  231,900 (2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  24,851 (1999)

Fiji
  80,901 (1999)

Finland
  2,847,900 (2001)

France
  34.86 million (yearend 1998)

French Guiana
  47,000 (1997)

French Polynesia
  52,000 (1997)

Gabon
  39,000 (1998)

Gambia, The
  31,900 (2000)

Gaza Strip
  95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Georgia
  620,000 (1997)

Germany
  50.9 million (March 2001)

Ghana
  240,000 (2001)

Gibraltar
  19,000 (1997)

Greece
  5.431 million (1997)

Greenland
  25,617 (yearend 1999)

Grenada
  27,000 (1997)

Guadeloupe
  171,000 (1996)

Guam
  84,134 (1998)

Guatemala
  665,061 (June 2000)

Guernsey
  44,000 (1996)

Guinea
  37,000 (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
  10,000 (2001)

Guyana
  70,000 (2000)

Haiti
  60,000 (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  234,000 (1997)

Hong Kong
  3.839 million (1999)

Hungary
  3.095 million (1997)

Iceland
  196,984 (2001)

India
  27.7 million (October 2000)

Indonesia
  5,588,310 (1998)

Iran
  6.313 million (1997)

Iraq
  675,000 (1997); note - an unknown number of telephone lines
  were damaged or destroyed during the March-April war

Ireland
  1.6 million (2002)

Israel
  2.8 million (1999)

Italy
  25 million (1999)

Jamaica
  353,000 (1996)

Japan
  60.381 million (1997)

Jersey
  65,500 (1997)

Jordan
  403,000 (1997)

Kazakhstan
  1.92 million (2001)

Kenya
  310,000 (2001)

Kiribati
  3,800 (1999)

Korea, North
  1.1 million (1997)

Korea, South
  24 million (2000)

Kuwait
  412,000 (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  351,000 (1997)

Laos
  25,000 (1997)

Latvia
  734,693 (2000)

Lebanon
  700,000 (1999)

Lesotho
  22,200 (2000)

Liberia
  6,700 (2000)

Libya
  500,000 (1998)

Liechtenstein
  20,072 (2000)

Lithuania
  1.142 million (2001)

Luxembourg
  314,700 (1999)

Macau
  176,902 (November 2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  408,000 (1997)

Madagascar
  55,000 (2000)

Malawi
  45,000 (2000)

Malaysia
  4.6 million (2000)

Maldives
  21,000 (1999)

Mali
  45,000 (2000)

Malta
  187,000 (1997)

Man, Isle of
  51,000 (1999)

Marshall Islands
  4,186 (2001)

Martinique
  170,000 (1997)

Mauritania
  26,500 (2001)

Mauritius
  280,900 (2000)

Mayotte
  12,000 (1998)

Mexico
  12.332 million (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  11,000 (2001)

Moldova
  627,000 (1997)

Monaco
  31,027 (1995)

Mongolia
  104,100 (1999)

Montserrat
  4,000 (1997)

Morocco
  1.391 million (1998)

Mozambique
  90,000 (2001)

Namibia
  110,200 (2000)

Nauru
  2,000 (1996)

Nepal
  236,816 (January 2000)

Netherlands
  9,132,400 (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  76,000 (1995)

New Caledonia
  47,000 (1997)

New Zealand
  1.92 million (2000)

Nicaragua
  140,000 (1996)

Niger
  20,000 (2001)

Nigeria
  500,000 (2000 est.)

Niue
  376 (1991)

Norfolk Island
  1,087 (1983)

Northern Mariana Islands
  21,000 (1996)

Norway
  2.735 million (1998)

Oman
  201,000 (1997)

Pakistan
  2.861 million (March 1999)

Palau
  6,700 (2002)

Panama
  396,000 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  61,152 (1999)

Paraguay
  290,475 (2001)

Peru
  1.8 million (2000)

Philippines
  6.98 million (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
  1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)

Poland
  8.07 million (1998)

Portugal
  5.3 million (yearend 1998)

Puerto Rico
  1.322 million (1997)

Qatar
  142,000 (1997)

Reunion
  268,500 (1999)

Romania
  3.777 million (1997)

Russia
  30 million (1998)

Rwanda
  600,000 note - 90% in Kigali (2002)

Saint Helena
  2,000 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  17,000 (1997)

Saint Lucia
  37,000 (1997)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4,000 (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  20,500 (1998)

Samoa
  8,183 (1998)

San Marino
  18,000 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe
  4,600 (2000)

Saudi Arabia
  3.9 million (2002 est.)

Senegal
  234,916 (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  2.017 million (1995)

Seychelles
  19,635 (1997)

Sierra Leone
  25,000 (2001)

Singapore
  1.95 million (2000)

Slovakia
  1,934,558 (1998)

Slovenia
  722,000 (1997)

Solomon Islands
  8,000 (1997)

Somalia
  15,000 (2000)

South Africa
  more than 5 million (2001)

Spain
  17.336 million (1999)

Sri Lanka
  494,509 (1998)

Sudan
  400,000 (2000)

Suriname
  64,000 (1997)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  38,500 (2001)

Sweden
  6.017 million (December 1998)

Switzerland
  4.82 million (1998)

Syria
  1.313 million (1997)

Taiwan
  12.49 million (September 2000)

Tajikistan
  363,000 (1997)

Tanzania
  127,000 (1998)

Thailand
  5.6 million (2000)

Togo
  25,000 (1997)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  8,000 (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
  252,000 (1999)

Tunisia
  654,000 (1997)

Turkey
  19.5 million (1999)

Turkmenistan
  363,000 (1997)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  3,000 (1994)

Tuvalu
  1,000 (1997)

Uganda
  50,074; however, 80,868 main lines have been installed (1998)

Ukraine
  9.45 million (April 1999)

United Arab Emirates
  915,223 (1998)

United Kingdom
  34.878 million (1997)

United States
  194 million (1997)

Uruguay
  929,141 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  1.98 million (1999)

Vanuatu
  5,500 (1998)

Venezuela
  2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998)

Vietnam
  2.6 million (2000)

Virgin Islands
  65,000 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
  1,125 (1994)

West Bank
  95,729 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (1997)

Western Sahara
  about 2,000 (1999 est.)

World
  NA

Yemen
  291,359 (1999)

Zambia
  130,000 (including approximately 40,000 fixed telephones in
  wireless local loop connections) (2002)

Zimbabwe
  212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed
  telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2151 Telephones - mobile cellular

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  250,000 (2001)

Algeria
  33,500 (1999)

American Samoa
  2,550 (1997)

Andorra
  14,117 (December 1998)

Angola
  25,800 (2000)

Anguilla
  1,629 (2000)

Antarctica
  NA; Iridium system in use

Antigua and Barbuda
  1,300 (1996)

Argentina
  3 million (December 1999)

Armenia
  50,000 (2002)

Aruba
  3,402 (1997)

Australia
  8.6 million (2000)

Austria
  6 million (2001)

Azerbaijan
  800,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  6,152 (1997)

Bahrain
  58,543 (1997)

Bangladesh
  283,000 (2000)

Barbados
  8,013 (1997)

Belarus
  8,167 (1997)

Belgium
  974,494 (1997)

Belize
  3,023 (1997)

Benin
  55,500 (2000)

Bermuda
  7,980 (1996)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  116,000 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  9,000 (1997)

Botswana
  270,000 (September 2001)

Brazil
  4.4 million (1997)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  43,524 (1996)

Bulgaria
  1.054 million (2001)

Burkina Faso
  25,200 (2000)

Burma
  8,492 (1997)

Burundi
  30,000 (2002)

Cambodia
  80,000 (2000)

Cameroon
  300,000 (2002)

Canada
  8,751,300 (1997)

Cape Verde
  28,119 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  2,534 (1995)

Central African Republic
  710 (1998)

Chad
  5,500 (2000)

Chile
  944,225 (1998)

China
  65 million (January 2001)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  1,800,229 (December 1998)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  15,000 (2000)

Congo, Republic of the
  3,300 (1998)

Cook Islands
  0 (1994)

Costa Rica
  143,000 (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  450,000 (2000)

Croatia
  1.3 million (2001)

Cuba
  2,994 (1997)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area:
  70,000 (1999)

Czech Republic
  4.346 million (2000)

Denmark
  1,444,016 (1997)

Djibouti
  5,000 (2002)

Dominica
  461 (1996)

Dominican Republic
  130,149 (1997)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  384,000 (1999)

Egypt
  380,000 (1999)

El Salvador
  40,163 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
  300 (1998)

Eritrea
  NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001

Estonia
  711,000 (yearend 2001)

Ethiopia
  17,800 (2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  10,761 (1999)

Fiji
  5,200 (1997)

Finland
  3,728,600 (2001)

France
  11.078 million (yearend 1998)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  5,427 (1997)

Gabon
  120,000 (2000)

Gambia, The
  5,624 (2000)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  185,500 (2000)

Germany
  55.3 million (June 2001)

Ghana
  150,000 (2001)

Gibraltar
  1,620 (1997)

Greece
  937,700 (1997)

Greenland
  12,676 (yearend 1999)

Grenada
  976 (1997)

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  55,000 (1998)

Guatemala
  663,296 (September 2000)

Guernsey
  12,000 (1997)

Guinea
  21,567 (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 (2001)

Guyana
  6,100 (2000)

Haiti
  over 180,000 (January 2003)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  14,427 (1997)

Hong Kong
  3.7 million (December 1999)

Hungary
  1.269 million (July 1999)

Iceland
  248,131 (221,231 GSM, 26,900 NMT) (2001)

India
  2.93 million (November 2000)

Indonesia
  1.07 million (1998)

Iran
  265,000 (August 1998)

Iraq
  NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)

Ireland
  3 million (2002)

Israel
  2.5 million (1999)

Italy
  20.5 million (1999)

Jamaica
  54,640 (1996)

Japan
  63.88 million (2000)

Jersey
  4,400 (1997)

Jordan
  11,500 (1995)

Kazakhstan
  400,000 (2001)

Kenya
  540,000 (2001)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  28 million (September 2000)

Kuwait
  210,000 (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  4,915 (1997)

Latvia
  401,263 (2000)

Lebanon
  580,000 (1999)

Lesotho
  21,600 (2000)

Liberia
  0 (1998)

Libya
  20,000 (1998)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  500,000 (2001)

Luxembourg
  215,741 (2000)

Macau
  158,251 (November 2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  12,362 (1997)

Madagascar
  63,100 (2000)

Malawi
  49,000 (2000)

Malaysia
  5 million (2000)

Maldives
  1,290 (1997)

Mali
  40,000 (2001)

Malta
  17,691 (1997)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  489 (2001)

Martinique
  15,000 (1997)

Mauritania
  35,000 (2001)

Mauritius
  180,000 (2000)

Mayotte
  0 (2000)

Mexico
  2.02 million (1998)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

Moldova
  2,200 (1997)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  110,000 (2001)

Montserrat
  70 (1994)

Morocco
  116,645 (1998)

Mozambique
  287,000 (2002)

Namibia
  82,000 (2000 est.)

Nauru
  450 (1994)

Nepal
  NA

Netherlands
  4,081,891 (April 1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  13,977 (1996)

New Caledonia
  13,040 (1998)

New Zealand
  2.2 million (2000)

Nicaragua
  7,911 (1997)

Niger
  6,700 (2002)

Nigeria
  200,000 (2001)

Niue
  0 (1991)

Norfolk Island
  0 (1983)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1,200 (1995)

Norway
  2,080,408 (1998)

Oman
  59,822 (1997)

Pakistan
  158,000 (1998)

Palau
  1,000 (2002)

Panama
  17,000 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  3,053 (1996)

Paraguay
  510,000 (2001)

Peru
  504,995 (1998)

Philippines
  11.35 million (2001)

Poland
  13 million (2002)

Portugal
  3,074,194 (1999)

Puerto Rico
  169,265 (1996)

Qatar
  43,476 (1997)

Reunion
  197,000 (September 2000)

Romania
  645,500 (1999)

Russia
  19 million (January 2003)

Rwanda
  81,000 (2001)
  note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
  prefecture capitals (2002)

Saint Helena
  0 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  205 (1997)

Saint Lucia
  1,600 (1997)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (1994)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  1,545 (February 1998)

San Marino
  3,010 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe
  6,942 (1997)

Saudi Arabia
  2.9 million (2002 est.)

Senegal
  373,965 (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  87,000 (1997)

Seychelles
  16,316 (1999)

Sierra Leone
  30,000 (2001)

Singapore
  2.74 million (2000)

Slovakia
  736,662 (April 1999)

Slovenia
  1 million (2000)

Solomon Islands
  658 (1997)

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  7.06 million (2001)

Spain
  8.394 million (1999)

Sri Lanka
  228,604 (1999)

Sudan
  20,000 (2000)

Suriname
  4,090 (1997)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  45,000 (2001)

Sweden
  3.835 million (October 1998)

Switzerland
  1.967 million (1999)

Syria
  NA

Taiwan
  16 million (September 2000)

Tajikistan
  2,500 (1997)

Tanzania
  30,000 (1999)

Thailand
  3.1 million (2002)

Togo
  2,995 (1997)

Tokelau
  0 (2001)

Tonga
  302 (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
  17,411 (1997)

Tunisia
  50,000 (1998)

Turkey
  17.1 million (2001)

Turkmenistan
  4,300 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 (1994)

Tuvalu
  0 (1994)

Uganda
  9,000 (1998)

Ukraine
  236,000 (1998)

United Arab Emirates
  1 million (1999)

United Kingdom
  43.5 million (yearend 1998)

United States
  69.209 million (1998)

Uruguay
  350,000 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  130,000 (2003)

Vanuatu
  310 (2000)

Venezuela
  2 million (1998)

Vietnam
  730,155 (2000)

Virgin Islands
  2,000 (1992)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 (1994)

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  0 (1999)

World
  NA

Yemen
  32,042 (2000)

Zambia
  90,000 (2002)

Zimbabwe
  111,000 (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2152 Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Afghanistan
  1 (2000)

Albania
  10 (2001)

Algeria
  2 (2000)

American Samoa
  1 (2000)

Andorra
  1 (2000)

Angola
  1 (2000)

Anguilla
  16 (2000)

Antarctica
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  16 (2000)

Argentina
  33 (2000)

Armenia
  9 (2001)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  571 (2002)

Austria
  37 (2000)

Azerbaijan
  2 (2000)

Bahamas, The
  19 (2000)

Bahrain
  1 (2000)

Bangladesh
  10 (2000)

Barbados
  19 (2000)

Belarus
  23 (2002)

Belgium
  61 (2000)

Belize
  2 (2000)

Benin
  4 (2002)

Bermuda
  20 (2000)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  9 (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3 (2000)

Botswana
  11 (2001)

Brazil
  50 (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  16 (2000)

Brunei
  2 (2000)

Bulgaria
  200 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  1 (2002)

Burma
  1
  note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for
  the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Burundi
  1 (2000)

Cambodia
  2 (2000)

Cameroon
  1 (2002)

Canada
  760 (2000 est.)

Cape Verde
  1 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  16 (2000)

Central African Republic
  1 (2002)

Chad
  1 (2002)

Chile
  7 (2000)

China
  3 (2000)

Christmas Island
  2 (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  2 (2000)

Colombia
  18 (2000)

Comoros
  1 (2000)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  1 (2000)

Cook Islands
  3 (2000)

Costa Rica
  3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  5 (2001)

Croatia
  9 (2000)

Cuba
  5 (2001)

Cyprus
  6 (2000)

Czech Republic
  more than 300 (2000)

Denmark
  13 (2000)

Djibouti
  1 (2000)

Dominica
  16 (2000)

Dominican Republic
  24 (2000)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  31 (2001)

Egypt
  50 (2000)

El Salvador
  4 (2000)

Equatorial Guinea
  1 (2002)

Eritrea
  5 (2001)

Estonia
  38 (2001)

Ethiopia
  1 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2 (2000)

Faroe Islands
  2 (2000)

Fiji
  2 (2000)

Finland
  3 (2002)

France
  62 (2000)

French Guiana
  2 (2000)

French Polynesia
  2 (2000)

Gabon
  1 (2001)

Gambia, The
  2 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  3 (1999)

Georgia
  6 (2000)

Germany
  200 (2001)

Ghana
  12 (2000)

Gibraltar
  2 (2000)

Greece
  27 (2000)

Greenland
  1 (2000)

Grenada
  14 (2000)

Guadeloupe
  3 (2000)

Guam
  20 (2000)

Guatemala
  5 (2000)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  4 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  2 (2002)

Guyana
  3 (2000)

Haiti
  3 (2000)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  8 (2000)

Hong Kong
  17 (2000)

Hungary
  16 (2000)

Iceland
  20 (2001)

India
  43 (2000)

Indonesia
  24 (2000)

Iran
  100 (2002)

Iraq
  1 (2000)

Ireland
  22 (2000)

Israel
  21 (2000)

Italy
  93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Jamaica
  21 (2000)

Jan Mayen
  13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Japan
  73 (2000)

Jersey
  NA

Johnston Atoll
  1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run
  Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002)

Jordan
  5 (2000)

Kazakhstan
  10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Kenya
  65 (2001)

Kiribati
  1 (2000)

Korea, North
  1 (2000)

Korea, South
  11 (2000)

Kuwait
  3 (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  1 (2000)

Latvia
  41 (2001)

Lebanon
  22 (2000)

Lesotho
  1 (2000)

Liberia
  2 (2001)

Libya
  1 (2002)

Liechtenstein
  44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Lithuania
  32 (2001)

Luxembourg
  8 (2000)

Macau
  1 (2000)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  6 (2000)

Madagascar
  2 (2000)

Malawi
  3 (2002)

Malaysia
  7 (2000)

Maldives
  1 (2000)

Mali
  13 (2001)

Malta
  6 (2002)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  1 (2002)

Martinique
  2 (2000)

Mauritania
  5 (2001)

Mauritius
  2 (2000)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  51 (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1 (2000)

Moldova
  2 (1999)

Monaco
  2 (2000)

Mongolia
  5 (2001)

Montserrat
  17 (2000)

Morocco
  8 (2000)

Mozambique
  11 (2002)

Namibia
  2 (2000)

Nauru
  1 (2000)

Nepal
  6 (2000)

Netherlands
  52 (2000)

Netherlands Antilles
  6

New Caledonia
  1 (2000)

New Zealand
  36 (2000)

Nicaragua
  3 (2000)

Niger
  1 (2002)

Nigeria
  11 (2000)

Niue
  1 (2000)

Norfolk Island
  2 (2000)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (2001)

Norway
  13 (2000)

Oman
  1 (2000)

Pakistan
  30 (2000)

Palau
  1 (2002)

Panama
  6 (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  3 (2000)

Paraguay
  4 (2000)

Peru
  10 (2000)

Philippines
  33 (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  19 (2000)

Portugal
  16 (2000)

Puerto Rico
  76 (2000)

Qatar
  1 (2000)

Reunion
  1 (2000)

Romania
  38 (2000)

Russia
  300 (June 2000)

Rwanda
  2 (2002)

Saint Helena
  1 (2000)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  16 (2000)

Saint Lucia
  15 (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1 (2000)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  15 (2000)

Samoa
  2 (2000)

San Marino
  2 (2000)

Sao Tome and Principe
  1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  22 (2003)

Senegal
  1 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  9 (2000)

Seychelles
  1 (2000)

Sierra Leone
  1 (2001)

Singapore
  9 (2000)

Slovakia
  6 (2000)

Slovenia
  11 (2000)

Solomon Islands
  1 (2000)

Somalia
  3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

South Africa
  150 (2001)

Spain
  56 (2000)

Sri Lanka
  5 (2000)

Sudan
  2 (2002)

Suriname
  2 (2000)

Svalbard
  13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Swaziland
  5 (2002)

Sweden
  29 (2000)

Switzerland
  44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Syria
  1 (2000)

Taiwan
  8 (2000)

Tajikistan
  4 (2002)

Tanzania
  6 (2000)

Thailand
  15 (2000)

Togo
  3 (2001)

Tokelau
  1 (2000)

Tonga
  2 (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  17 (2000)

Tunisia
  1 (2000)

Turkey
  50 (2001)

Turkmenistan
  1

Turks and Caicos Islands
  14 (2000)

Tuvalu
  1 (2000)

Uganda
  2 (2000)

Ukraine
  260 (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  1 (2000)

United Kingdom
  more than 400 (2000)

United States
  7,000 (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  14 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  42 (2000)

Vanuatu
  1 (2000)

Venezuela
  16 (2000)

Vietnam
  5 (2000)

Virgin Islands
  50 (2000)

Wallis and Futuna
  1 (2000)

West Bank
  8 (1999)

Western Sahara
  1 (2000)

World
  10,350 (2000 est.)

Yemen
  1 (2000)

Zambia
  5 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  6 (2000)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2153 Internet users

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  12,000 (2001)

Algeria
  180,000 (2001)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  24,500 (2001)

Angola
  60,000 (2002)

Anguilla
  919 (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  5,000 (2001)

Argentina
  3.88 million (2001)

Armenia
  30,000 (2001)

Aruba
  24,000 (2002)

Australia
  10.63 million (2002)

Austria
  3.7 million (2002)

Azerbaijan
  25,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  16,900 (2002)

Bahrain
  140,200 (2002)

Bangladesh
  150,000 (2002)

Barbados
  6,000 (2000)

Belarus
  422,000 (2002)

Belgium
  3.76 million (2002)

Belize
  18,000 (2002)

Benin
  25,000 (2002)

Bermuda
  25,000 (2000)

Bhutan
  2,500 (2002)

Bolivia
  78,000 (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  45,000 (2002)

Botswana
  33,000 (2001)

Brazil
  13.98 million (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  35,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
  585,000 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  25,000 (2002)

Burma
  10,000 (2002)

Burundi
  6,000 (2002)

Cambodia
  10,000 (2002)

Cameroon
  45,000
  note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001 (December
  2001)

Canada
  16.84 million (2002)

Cape Verde
  12,000 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  2,000 (2002)

Chad
  4,000 (2002)

Chile
  3.1 million (2002)

China
  45.8 million (2002)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  1.15 million (2002)

Comoros
  2,500 (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  6,000 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  500 (2001)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  384,000 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  70,000 (2002)

Croatia
  480,000 (2001)

Cuba
  120,000 (2002)

Cyprus
  150,000 (2002)

Czech Republic
  2.69 million (2001)

Denmark
  3.37 million (2002)

Djibouti
  3,300 (2002)

Dominica
  2,000 (2000)

Dominican Republic
  186,000 (2002)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  328,000 (2002)

Egypt
  600,000 (2002)

El Salvador
  40,000 (2000)

Equatorial Guinea
  900 (2002)

Eritrea
  10,000 (2002)

Estonia
  429,700 (2002)

Ethiopia
  20,000 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA; however one-half of all
  households are reported to have internet access (2002)

Faroe Islands
  3,000 (2000)

Fiji
  15,000 (2002)

Finland
  2.69 million (2002)

France
  16.97 million (2002)

French Guiana
  2,000 (2000)

French Polynesia
  16,000 (2002)

Gabon
  18,000 (2002)

Gambia, The
  5,000 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Georgia
  25,000 (2002)

Germany
  32.1 million (2002)

Ghana
  200,000 (2002)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  1.4 million (2002)

Greenland
  20,000 (2002)

Grenada
  5,200 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  4,000 (2000)

Guam
  5,000 (2000)

Guatemala
  200,000 (2002)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  15,000 (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  4,000 (2002)

Guyana
  95,000 (2002)

Haiti
  30,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  40,000 (2000)

Hong Kong
  4.35 million (2002)

Hungary
  1.2 million (2001)

Iceland
  220,000 (2002)

India
  7 million (2002)

Indonesia
  4.4 million (2002)

Iran
  1.326 million (2002 est.)

Iraq
  12,500 (2001)

Ireland
  1.31 million (2002)

Israel
  1.94 million (2001)

Italy
  19.25 million (2001)

Jamaica
  100,000 (2002)

Japan
  56 million (2002)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  212,000 (2002)

Kazakhstan
  100,000 (2002)

Kenya
  500,000 (2002)

Kiribati
  1,000 (2000)

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  25.6 million (2002)

Kuwait
  200,000 (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  51,600 (2001)

Laos
  10,000 (2002)

Latvia
  312,000 (2001)

Lebanon
  300,000 (2001)

Lesotho
  5,000 (2002)

Liberia
  500 (2000)

Libya
  20,000 (2001)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  341,000 (2001)

Luxembourg
  100,000 (2001)

Macau
  101,000 (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  100,000 (2001)

Madagascar
  35,000 (2002)

Malawi
  35,000 (2002)

Malaysia
  5.7 million (2002)

Maldives
  6,000 (2001)

Mali
  30,000 (2002)

Malta
  59,000 (2002)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  900 (2002)

Martinique
  5,000 (2000)

Mauritania
  7,500 (2001)

Mauritius
  158,000 (2002)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  3.5 million (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  2,000 (2000)

Moldova
  15,000 (2000)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  40,000 (2002)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  400,000 (2002)

Mozambique
  22,500 (2000)

Namibia
  45,000 (2002)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  60,000 (2002)

Netherlands
  9.73 million (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  2,000 (2000)

New Caledonia
  24,000 (2001)

New Zealand
  2.06 million (2002)

Nicaragua
  20,000 (2000)

Niger
  12,000 (2002)

Nigeria
  100,000 (2000)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  2.68 million (2002)

Oman
  120,000 (2002)

Pakistan
  1.2 million (2000)

Panama
  45,000 (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  135,000 (2001)

Paraguay
  20,000 (2000)

Peru
  3 million (2002)

Philippines
  4.5 million (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  6.4 million (2001)

Portugal
  4.4 million (2002)

Puerto Rico
  600,000 (2002)

Qatar
  75,000 (2001)

Reunion
  10,000 (2000)

Romania
  1 million (2002)

Russia
  18 million (2002)

Rwanda
  20,000 (2002)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2,000 (2000)

Saint Lucia
  3,000 (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  3,500 (2001)

Samoa
  3,000 (2002)

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  9,000 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  1.453 million (2002)

Senegal
  100,000 (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  400,000 (2001)

Seychelles
  9,000 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  20,000 (2001)

Singapore
  2.31 million (2002)

Slovakia
  700,000 (2000)

Slovenia
  600,000 (2001)

Solomon Islands
  8,400 (2002)

Somalia
  200 (2000)

South Africa
  3.068 million (2002)

Spain
  7.89 million (2002)

Sri Lanka
  121,500 (2001)

Sudan
  56,000 (2002)

Suriname
  14,500 (2002)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  7,000 (2002)

Sweden
  6.02 million (2002)

Switzerland
  3.85 million (2002)

Syria
  60,000 (2002)

Taiwan
  11.6 million (2001)

Tajikistan
  5,000 (2002)

Tanzania
  300,000 (2002)

Thailand
  1.2 million (2001)

Togo
  50,000 (2002)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  1,000 (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  120,000 (2002)

Tunisia
  400,000 (2002)

Turkey
  2.5 million (2002)

Turkmenistan
  2,000 (2000)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  60,000 (2002)

Ukraine
  750,000 (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  900,000 (2002)

United Kingdom
  34.3 million (2002)

United States
  165.75 million (2002)

Uruguay
  400,000 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  100,000 (2002)

Vanuatu
  3,000 (2000)

Venezuela
  1.3 million (2002)

Vietnam
  400,000 (2002)

Virgin Islands
  12,000 (2000)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  60,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2001)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Yemen
  17,000 (2002)

Zambia
  25,000 (2002)

Zimbabwe
  100,000 (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2154 Internet country code

Afghanistan
  .af

Albania
  .al

Algeria
  .dz

American Samoa
  .as

Andorra
  .ad

Angola
  .ao

Anguilla
  .ai

Antarctica
  .aq

Antigua and Barbuda
  .ag

Argentina
  .ar

Armenia
  .am

Aruba
  .aw

Australia
  .au

Austria
  .at

Azerbaijan
  .az

Bahamas, The
  .bs

Bahrain
  .bh

Bangladesh
  .bd

Barbados
  .bb

Belarus
  .by

Belgium
  .be

Belize
  .bz

Benin
  .bj

Bermuda
  .bm

Bhutan
  .bt

Bolivia
  .bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  .ba

Botswana
  .bw

Bouvet Island
  .bv

Brazil
  .br

British Indian Ocean Territory
  .io

British Virgin Islands
  .vg

Brunei
  .bn

Bulgaria
  .bg

Burkina Faso
  .bf

Burma
  .mm

Burundi
  .bi

Cambodia
  .kh

Cameroon
  .cm

Canada
  .ca

Cape Verde
  .cv

Cayman Islands
  .ky

Central African Republic
  .cf

Chad
  .td

Chile
  .cl

China
  .cn

Christmas Island
  .cx

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  .cc

Colombia
  .co

Comoros
  .km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  .cd

Congo, Republic of the
  .cg

Cook Islands
  .ck

Costa Rica
  .cr

Cote d'Ivoire
  .ci

Croatia
  .hr

Cuba
  .cu

Cyprus
  .cy

Czech Republic
  .cz

Denmark
  .dk

Djibouti
  .dj

Dominica
  .dm

Dominican Republic
  .do

East Timor
  .tp

Ecuador
  .ec

Egypt
  .eg

El Salvador
  .sv

Equatorial Guinea
  .gq

Eritrea
  .er

Estonia
  .ee

Ethiopia
  .et

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  .fk

Faroe Islands
  .fo

Fiji
  .fj

Finland
  .fi

France
  .fr

French Guiana
  .gf

French Polynesia
  .pf

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  .tf

Gabon
  .ga

Gambia, The
  .gm

Georgia
  .ge

Germany
  .de

Ghana
  .gh

Gibraltar
  .gi

Greece
  .gr

Greenland
  .gl

Grenada
  .gd

Guadeloupe
  .gp

Guam
  .gu

Guatemala
  .gt

Guernsey
  .gg

Guinea
  .gn

Guinea-Bissau
  .gw

Guyana
  .gy

Haiti
  .ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  .hm

Holy See (Vatican City)
  .va

Honduras
  .hn

Hong Kong
  .hk

Hungary
  .hu

Iceland
  .is

India
  .in

Indonesia
  .id

Iran
  .ir

Iraq
  .iq

Ireland
  .ie

Israel
  .il

Italy
  .it

Jamaica
  .jm

Japan
  .jp

Jersey
  .je

Jordan
  .jo

Kazakhstan
  .kz

Kenya
  .ke

Kiribati
  .ki

Korea, North
  .kp

Korea, South
  .kr

Kuwait
  .kw

Kyrgyzstan
  .kg

Laos
  .la

Latvia
  .lv

Lebanon
  .lb

Lesotho
  .ls

Liberia
  .lr

Libya
  .ly

Liechtenstein
  .li

Lithuania
  .lt

Luxembourg
  .lu

Macau
  .mo

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  .mk

Madagascar
  .mg

Malawi
  .mw

Malaysia
  .my

Maldives
  .mv

Mali
  .ml

Malta
  .mt

Man, Isle of
  .im

Marshall Islands
  .mh

Martinique
  .mq

Mauritania
  .mr

Mauritius
  .mu

Mayotte
  .yt

Mexico
  .mx

Micronesia, Federated States of
  .fm

Moldova
  .md

Monaco
  .mc

Mongolia
  .mn

Montserrat
  .ms

Morocco
  .ma

Mozambique
  .mz

Namibia
  .na

Nauru
  .nr

Nepal
  .np

Netherlands
  .nl

Netherlands Antilles
  .an

New Caledonia
  .nc

New Zealand
  .nz

Nicaragua
  .ni

Niger
  .ne

Nigeria
  .ng

Niue
  .nu

Norfolk Island
  .nf

Northern Mariana Islands
  .mp

Norway
  .no

Oman
  .om

Pakistan
  .pk

Palau
  .pw

Panama
  .pa

Papua New Guinea
  .pg

Paraguay
  .py

Peru
  .pe

Philippines
  .ph

Pitcairn Islands
  .pn

Poland
  .pl

Portugal
  .pt

Puerto Rico
  .pr

Qatar
  .qa

Reunion
  .re

Romania
  .ro

Russia
  .ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su"
  that was allocated to the Soviet Union, its legal status and
  ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
  several Russian commercial entities

Rwanda
  .rw

Saint Helena
  .sh

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  .kn

Saint Lucia
  .lc

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  .pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  .vc

Samoa
  .ws

San Marino
  .sm

Sao Tome and Principe
  .st

Saudi Arabia
  .sa

Senegal
  .sn

Serbia and Montenegro
  .yu

Seychelles
  .sc

Sierra Leone
  .sl

Singapore
  .sg

Slovakia
  .sk

Slovenia
  .si

Solomon Islands
  .sb

Somalia
  .so

South Africa
  .za

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  .gs

Spain
  .es

Sri Lanka
  .lk

Sudan
  .sd

Suriname
  .sr

Svalbard
  .sj

Swaziland
  .sz

Sweden
  .se

Switzerland
  .ch

Syria
  .sy

Taiwan
  .tw

Tajikistan
  .tj

Tanzania
  .tz

Thailand
  .th

Togo
  .tg

Tokelau
  .tk

Tonga
  .to

Trinidad and Tobago
  .tt

Tunisia
  .tn

Turkey
  .tr

Turkmenistan
  .tm

Turks and Caicos Islands
  .tc

Tuvalu
  .tv

Uganda
  .ug

Ukraine
  .ua

United Arab Emirates
  .ae

United Kingdom
  .uk

United States
  .us

Uruguay
  .uy

Uzbekistan
  .uz

Vanuatu
  .vu

Venezuela
  .ve

Vietnam
  .vn

Virgin Islands
  .vi

Wallis and Futuna
  .wf

Western Sahara
  .eh

Yemen
  .ye

Zambia
  .zm

Zimbabwe
  .zw

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)

Afghanistan
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  5.5% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  NA%

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA%

Argentina
  0.7% (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Aruba
  NA%

Australia
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Austria
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1.2% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Belarus
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Belgium
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Belize
  2% (2001 est.)

Benin
  3.6% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA%

Bhutan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana
  38.8% (2001 est.)

Brazil
  0.7% (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided
  (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  6.5% (2001 est.)

Burma
  1.99% (2001 est.)

Burundi
  8.3% (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  2.7% (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  11.8% (2001 est.)

Canada
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.04% (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  12.9% (2001 est.)

Chad
  3.6% 5%-7% (2001 est.)

Chile
  0.3% (2001 est.)

China
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Comoros
  0.12% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4.9% (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  7.2% (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA%

Costa Rica
  0.6% (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  9.7% (2001 est.)

Croatia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Cuba
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Denmark
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  11.75% (2001 est.)

Dominica
  NA%

Dominican Republic
  2.5% (2001 est.)

East Timor
  NA%

Ecuador
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  0.6% (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  3.4% (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Estonia
  1% (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  6.4% (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Finland
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

France
  0.3% (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  9% (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  1.6% (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA%

Georgia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Germany
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Ghana
  3% (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  NA%

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA%

Guatemala
  1% (2001 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  1.54% (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Guyana
  2.7% (2001 est.)

Haiti
  6.1% (2001 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA%

Honduras
  1.6% (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Hungary
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Iceland
  0.2% (2001 est.)

India
  0.8% (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Iran
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Iraq
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Ireland
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Israel
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Italy
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  1.2% (2001 est.)

Japan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  15% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  NA%

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  0.12% (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Laos
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  0.09% (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  31% (2001 est.)

Liberia
  9% (2001 est.)

Libya
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Macau
  NA%

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Malawi
  15% (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Maldives
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mali
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Malta
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA%

Moldova
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  13% 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001 est.)

Namibia
  22.5% (2001 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Niger
  4% (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  5.8% (2001 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Oman
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  1.5% (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0.7% (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  0.11% (2001 est.)

Peru
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Philippines
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA%

Poland
  0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  0.09% (2001 est.)

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Russia
  0.9% (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  8.9% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA%

Samoa
  NA%

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA%

Saudi Arabia
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Senegal
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  NA%

Sierra Leone
  7% (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  1% (2001 est.)

South Africa
  20.1% (2001 est.)

Spain
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Sudan
  2.6% (2001 est.)

Suriname
  1.2% (2001 est.)

Svalbard
  0% (2001)

Swaziland
  33.4% (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Syria
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  7.8% (2001 est.)

Thailand
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Togo
  6% (2001 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  NA%

Trinidad and Tobago
  2.5% (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  0.04% (2001 est.)

Turkey
  less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided
  (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  5% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  1% (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0.18% (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.1% (2001 est.)

United States
  0.6% (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  0.5% - note: no country specific models provided (2001
  est.)

Vietnam
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  NA%

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  NA%

Yemen
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Zambia
  21.5% (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  33.7% (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  NA

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  350,000 (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  130,000 (2001 est.)

Armenia
  less than 2,400 (2001 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Austria
  9,900 (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 1,400 (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  6,200 (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  less than 1,000

Bangladesh
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1,800 (2001 est.)

Belarus
  15,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
  8,500 (2001 est.)

Belize
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Benin
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Bolivia
  4,600 (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  330,000 (2001 est.)

Brazil
  610,000 (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  346 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  440,000 (2001 est.)

Burma
  530,000 (2001 est.)

Burundi
  390,000 (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  920,000 (2001 est.)

Canada
  55,000 (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  775 (2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  250,000 (2001 est.)

Chad
  150,000 (2001 est.)

Chile
  20,000 (2001 est.)

China
  850,000 (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  140,000 (2001 est.)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.3 million (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  110,000 (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  770,000 (2001 est.)

Croatia
  200 (2001 est.)

Cuba
  3,200 (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

Czech Republic
  500 (2001 est.)

Denmark
  3,800 (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  37,000 (2001 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  130,000 (2001 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  20,000 (2001 est.)

Egypt
  8,000 (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  24,000 (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  5,900 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  55,000 (2001 est.)

Estonia
  less than 7,700 (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  300 (2001 est.)

Finland
  1,200 (2001 est.)

France
  100,000 (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  23,000 (1999 est.)

Gambia, The
  8,400 (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  less than 900 (2001 est.)

Germany
  41,000 (2001 est.)

Ghana
  360,000 (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  8,800 (2001 est.)

Greenland
  100 (1999)

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  67,000 (2001 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  55,000 (1999 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  17,000 (2001 est.)

Guyana
  18,000 (2001 est.)

Haiti
  250,000 (2001 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  57,000 (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  2,600 (2001 est.)

Hungary
  2,800 (2001 est.)

Iceland
  220 (2001 est.)

India
  3.97 million (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Iran
  20,000 (2001 est.)

Iraq
  less than 1,000

Ireland
  2,400 (2001 est.)

Israel
  2,400 (1999 est.)

Italy
  100,000 (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  20,000 (2001 est.)

Japan
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  less than 1,000

Kazakhstan
  6,000 (2001 est.)

Kenya
  2.5 million (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  4,000 (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  over 500 (2001 est.)

Laos
  1,400 (2001 est.)

Latvia
  5,000 (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  360,000 (2001 est.)

Liberia
  125,000 (2001 est.)

Libya
  7,000 (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  less than 1,300 (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  NA

Macau
  NA

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Madagascar
  22,000 (2001 est.)

Malawi
  850,000 (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  42,000 (2001 est.)

Maldives
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mali
  110,000 (2001 est.)

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  6,600 (1999 est.)

Mauritius
  700 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  150,000 (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  5,500 (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  1.1 million (2001 est.)

Namibia
  230,000 (2001 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  58,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  17,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  5,800 (2001 est.)

Niger
  NA

Nigeria
  3.5 million (2001 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  1,800 (2001 est.)

Oman
  1,300 (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  78,000 (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  25,000 (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  17,000 (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  3,000 (1999 est.)

Peru
  53,000 (2001 est.)

Philippines
  9,400 (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  NA

Portugal
  27,000 (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7,397 (1997)

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  6,500 (2001 est.)

Russia
  700,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  500,000 (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  12

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  27,000 (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  10,000 (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
  3,400 (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Slovenia
  280 (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  43,000 (2001 est.)

South Africa
  5 million (2001 est.)

Spain
  130,000 (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  4,800 (2001 est.)

Sudan
  450,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname
  3,700 (2001 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Sweden
  3,300 (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  19,000 (2001 est.)

Syria
  NA

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 200 (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  1.5 million (2001 est.)

Thailand
  670,000 (2001 est.)

Togo
  150,000 (2001 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  17,000 (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  NA

Turkmenistan
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  600,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  250,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  34,000 (2001 est.)

United States
  900,000 (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  6,300 (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 740 (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  62,000 (1999 est.)

Vietnam
  130,000 (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  9,900 (2001 est.)

Zambia
  1.2 million (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  2.3 million (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  NA

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  24,000 (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  1,800 (2001 est.)

Armenia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Austria
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  610 (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  NA

Bangladesh
  650 (2001 est.)

Barbados
  250 (2001 est.)

Belarus
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Belize
  300 (2001 est.)

Benin
  8,100 (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  290 (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  100 (2001 est.)

Botswana
  26,000 (2001 est.)

Brazil
  8,400 (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  100 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  44,000 (2001 est.)

Burma
  65,000 (2001 est.)

Burundi
  40,000 (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  53,000 (2001 est.)

Canada
  less than 500 (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  225 (as of 2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  22,000 (2001 est.)

Chad
  14,000 (confirmed AIDS cases, actual number far higher but
  difficult to estimate) (2001 est.)

Chile
  220 (2001 est.)

China
  30,000 (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  5,600 (2001 est.)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  890 (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  75,000 (2001 est.)

Croatia
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Cuba
  120 (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  NA

Czech Republic
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Denmark
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  2,000 (2001 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  7,800 (2001 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  1,700 (2001 est.)

Egypt
  NA

El Salvador
  2,100 (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  370 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  350 (2001 est.)

Estonia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  160,000 (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

France
  800 (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  3,000 (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  400 (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Germany
  660 (2001 est.)

Ghana
  28,000 (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  5,200 (2001 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Guyana
  1,300 (2001 est.)

Haiti
  30,000 (2001 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  3,300 (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Hungary
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Iceland
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

India
  310,000 (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  4,600 (2001 est.)

Iran
  290 (2001 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Israel
  100 (2001 est.)

Italy
  1,100 (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  980 (2001 est.)

Japan
  430 (2001 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  NA

Kazakhstan
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Kenya
  190,000 (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  220 (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Laos
  less than 150 (2001 est.)

Latvia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  25,000 (2001 est.)

Liberia
  5,000 (2001 est.)

Libya
  NA

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  870 (2001 est.)

Malawi
  80,000 (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Malta
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  610 (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  4,200 (2001 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  NA

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  60,000 (2001 est.)

Namibia
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  2,400 (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  110 (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  400 (2001 est.)

Niger
  6,000 (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Oman
  NA

Pakistan
  4,500 (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  1,900 (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  880 (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  220 (2001 est.)

Peru
  3,900 (2001 est.)

Philippines
  720 (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  100 (2001 est.)

Portugal
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  350 (2001 est.)

Russia
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  49,000 (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  3

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
  140 (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  360,000 (2001 est.)

Spain
  2,300 (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  250 (2001 est.)

Sudan
  23,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname
  330 (2001 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Sweden
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Syria
  NA

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  140,000 (2001 est.)

Thailand
  55,000 (2001 est.)

Togo
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  NA

Turkmenistan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  84,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  11,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  460 (2001 est.)

United States
  15,000 (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  less than 500 (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  2,000 (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  6,600 (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  120,000 (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  200,000 (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2158 Currency code

Afghanistan
  AFA

Albania
  ALL

Algeria
  DZD

American Samoa
  USD

Andorra
  EUR

Angola
  AOA

Anguilla
  XCD

Antigua and Barbuda
  XCD

Argentina
  ARS

Armenia
  AMD

Aruba
  AWG

Australia
  AUD

Austria
  EUR

Azerbaijan
  AZM

Bahamas, The
  BSD

Bahrain
  BHD

Bangladesh
  BDT

Barbados
  BBD

Belarus
  BYB/BYR

Belgium
  EUR

Belize
  BZD

Benin
  XOF

Bermuda
  BMD

Bhutan
  BTN; INR

Bolivia
  BOB

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BAM

Botswana
  BWP

Brazil
  BRL

British Virgin Islands
  USD

Brunei
  BND

Bulgaria
  BGN

Burkina Faso
  XOF

Burma
  MMK

Burundi
  BIF

Cambodia
  KHR

Cameroon
  XAF

Canada
  CAD

Cape Verde
  CVE

Cayman Islands
  KYD

Central African Republic
  XAF

Chad
  XAF

Chile
  CLP

China
  CNY

Christmas Island
  AUD

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AUD

Colombia
  COP

Comoros
  KMF

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  CDF

Congo, Republic of the
  XAF

Cook Islands
  NZD

Costa Rica
  CRC

Cote d'Ivoire
  XOF

Croatia
  HRK

Cuba
  CUP

Cyprus
  CYP; TRL

Czech Republic
  CZK

Denmark
  DKK

Djibouti
  DJF

Dominica
  XCD

Dominican Republic
  DOP

East Timor
  IDR

Ecuador
  USD

Egypt
  EGP

El Salvador
  USD

Equatorial Guinea
  XAF

Eritrea
  ERN

Estonia
  EEK

Ethiopia
  ETB

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  FKP

Faroe Islands
  DKK

Fiji
  FJD

Finland
  EUR

France
  EUR

French Guiana
  EUR; FRF

French Polynesia
  XPF

Gabon
  XAF

Gambia, The
  GMD

Gaza Strip
  ILS

Georgia
  GEL

Germany
  EUR

Ghana
  GHC

Gibraltar
  GIP

Greece
  EUR

Greenland
  DKK

Grenada
  XCD

Guadeloupe
  EUR; FRF

Guam
  USD

Guatemala
  GTQ; USD

Guernsey
  GBP

Guinea
  GNF

Guinea-Bissau
  XOF; GWP

Guyana
  GYD

Haiti
  HTG

Holy See (Vatican City)
  EUR

Honduras
  HNL

Hong Kong
  HKD

Hungary
  HUF

Iceland
  ISK

India
  INR

Indonesia
  IDR

Iran
  IRR

Iraq
  IQD

Ireland
  EUR

Israel
  ILS

Italy
  EUR

Jamaica
  JMD

Japan
  JPY

Jersey
  GBP

Jordan
  JOD

Kazakhstan
  KZT

Kenya
  KES

Kiribati
  AUD

Korea, North
  KPW

Korea, South
  KRW

Kuwait
  KWD

Kyrgyzstan
  KGS

Laos
  LAK

Latvia
  LVL

Lebanon
  LBP

Lesotho
  LSL; ZAR

Liberia
  LRD

Libya
  LYD

Liechtenstein
  CHF

Lithuania
  LTL

Luxembourg
  EUR

Macau
  MOP

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  MKD

Madagascar
  MGF

Malawi
  MWK

Malaysia
  MYR

Maldives
  MVR

Mali
  XOF

Malta
  MTL

Man, Isle of
  GBP

Marshall Islands
  USD

Martinique
  EUR

Mauritania
  MRO

Mauritius
  MUR

Mayotte
  EUR

Mexico
  MXN

Micronesia, Federated States of
  USD

Moldova
  MDL

Monaco
  EUR

Mongolia
  MNT

Montserrat
  XCD

Morocco
  MAD

Mozambique
  MZM

Namibia
  NAD; ZAR

Nauru
  AUD

Nepal
  NPR

Netherlands
  EUR

Netherlands Antilles
  ANG

New Caledonia
  XPF

New Zealand
  NZD

Nicaragua
  NIO

Niger
  XOF

Nigeria
  NGN

Niue
  NZD

Norfolk Island
  AUD

Northern Mariana Islands
  USD

Norway
  NOK

Oman
  OMR

Pakistan
  PKR

Palau
  USD

Panama
  PAB; USD

Papua New Guinea
  PGK

Paraguay
  PYG

Peru
  PEN

Philippines
  PHP

Pitcairn Islands
  NZD

Poland
  PLN

Portugal
  EUR

Puerto Rico
  USD

Qatar
  QAR

Reunion
  EUR

Romania
  ROL

Russia
  RUR

Rwanda
  RWF

Saint Helena
  SHP

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  XCD

Saint Lucia
  XCD

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  EUR

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  XCD

Samoa
  SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

San Marino
  EUR

Sao Tome and Principe
  STD

Saudi Arabia
  SAR

Senegal
  XOF

Serbia and Montenegro
  YUM

Seychelles
  SCR

Sierra Leone
  SLL

Singapore
  SGD

Slovakia
  SKK

Slovenia
  SIT

Solomon Islands
  SBD

Somalia
  SOS

South Africa
  ZAR

Spain
  EUR

Sri Lanka
  LKR

Sudan
  SDD

Suriname
  SRG

Svalbard
  NOK

Swaziland
  SZL

Sweden
  SEK

Switzerland
  CHF

Syria
  SYP

Taiwan
  TWD

Tajikistan
  TJS

Tanzania
  TZS

Thailand
  THB

Togo
  XOF

Tokelau
  NZD

Tonga
  TOP

Trinidad and Tobago
  TTD

Tunisia
  TND

Turkey
  TRL

Turkmenistan
  TMM

Turks and Caicos Islands
  USD

Tuvalu
  AUD

Uganda
  UGX

Ukraine
  UAH

United Arab Emirates
  AED

United Kingdom
  GBP

United States
  USD

Uruguay
  UYU

Uzbekistan
  UZS

Vanuatu
  VUV

Venezuela
  VEB

Vietnam
  VND

Virgin Islands
  USD

Wallis and Futuna
  XPF

West Bank
  ILS; JOD

Western Sahara
  MAD

Yemen
  YER

Zambia
  ZMK

Zimbabwe
  ZWD

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index

Algeria
  35.3 (1995)

Armenia
  44.4 (1996)

Australia
  35.2 (1994)

Austria
  31 (1995)

Azerbaijan
  36 (1995)

Bangladesh
  33.6 (FY 95/96)

Belarus
  21.7 (1998)

Belgium
  28.7 (1996)

Bolivia
  58.9 (1997)

Brazil
  60.7 (1998)

Bulgaria
  26.4 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  48.2 (1994)

Burundi
  42.5 (1998)

Cambodia
  40.4 (1997)

Cameroon
  47.7 (1996)

Canada
  31.5 (1994)

Central African Republic
  61.3 (1993)

Chile
  56.7 (1998)

China
  40 (2001)

Colombia
  57.1 (1996)

Costa Rica
  45.9 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  36.7 (1995)

Croatia
  29 (1998)

Czech Republic
  25.4 (1996)

Denmark
  24.7 (1992)

Dominican Republic
  47.4 (1998)

East Timor
  38 (2002 est.)

Ecuador
  43.7 (1995)

Egypt
  28.9 (1995)

El Salvador
  52.2 (1998)

Estonia
  37 (1999)

Ethiopia
  40 (1995)

Finland
  25.6 (1991)

France
  32.7 (1995)

Georgia
  37.1 (1996)

Germany
  30 (1994)

Ghana
  40.7 (1999)

Greece
  32.7 (1993)

Guatemala
  55.8 (1998)

Guinea
  40.3 (1994)

Honduras
  56.3 (1998)

Hungary
  24.4 (1998)

India
  37.8 (1997)

Indonesia
  31.7 (1999)

Ireland
  35.9 (1987)

Israel
  35.5 (2001)

Italy
  27.3 (1995)

Jamaica
  37.9 (2000)

Japan
  24.9 (1993)

Jordan
  36.4 (1997)

Kazakhstan
  35.4 (1996)

Kenya
  44.9 (1997)

Korea, South
  31.6 (1993)

Kyrgyzstan
  34.6 (1999)

Laos
  37 (1997)

Latvia
  32 (1999)

Lesotho
  56 (1986-87)

Lithuania
  34 (1999)

Madagascar
  38.1 (1999)

Malaysia
  49.2 (1997)

Mali
  50.5 (1994)

Mauritania
  37.3 (1995)

Mauritius
  37 (1987 est.)

Mexico
  53.1 (1998)

Moldova
  40.6 (1997)

Mongolia
  33.2 (1995)

Morocco
  39.5 (1998-99)

Mozambique
  39.6 (1996-97)

Nepal
  36.7 (FY 95/96)

Netherlands
  32.6 (1994)

Nicaragua
  60.3 (1998)

Niger
  50.5 (1995)

Nigeria
  50.6 (1996-97)

Norway
  25.8 (1995)

Pakistan
  41 (FY98/99)

Panama
  48.5 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  50.9 (1996)

Paraguay
  57.7 (1998)

Peru
  46.2 (1996)

Philippines
  46.2 (1997)

Poland
  31.6 (1998)

Portugal
  35.6 (1994-95)

Romania
  31.1 (1998)

Russia
  39.9 (2001)

Rwanda
  28.9 (1985)

Senegal
  41.3 (1995)

Sierra Leone
  62.9 (1989)

Slovakia
  26.3 (1996)

Slovenia
  28.4 (1998)

South Africa
  59.3 (1993-94)

Spain
  32.5 (1990)

Sri Lanka
  34.4 (1995)

Sweden
  25 (1992)

Switzerland
  33.1 (1992)

Taiwan
  32.6 (2000)

Tajikistan
  34.7 (1998)

Tanzania
  38.2 (1993)

Thailand
  41.4 (1998)

Tunisia
  41.7 (1995)

Turkey
  41.5 (1994)

Turkmenistan
  40.8 (1998)

Uganda
  37.4 (1996)

Ukraine
  29 (1999)

United Kingdom
  36.8 (1995)

United States
  40.8 (1997)

Uruguay
  42.3 (1989)

Uzbekistan
  44.7 (1998)

Venezuela
  49.5 (1998)

Vietnam
  36.1 (1998)

Yemen
  33.4 (1998)

Zambia
  52.6 (1998)

Zimbabwe
  50.1 (1995)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2173 Oil - production (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
  5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Algeria
  1.52 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
  742,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
  828,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
  731,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Austria
  20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  307,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  43,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belgium
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  44,340 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
  1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
  217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
  14,170 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burundi
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  76,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Canada
  2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chile
  13,640 bbl/day (2001 est.)

China
  3.3 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Colombia
  614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Comoros
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Croatia
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cuba
  50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
  346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  421,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Egypt
  816,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
  5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
  34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
  301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
  85,860 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ghana
  7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
  5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hungary
  41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
  732,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  1.451 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iran
  3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iraq
  2.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.); note - production was
  disrupted as a result of the March-April 2003 war (2001 est.)

Ireland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
  80 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
  79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
  17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
  40 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  798,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kenya
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  2.117 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Liberia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
  1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  729,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Maldives
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Martinique
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
  3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Moldova
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niger
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
  3.408 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oman
  963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  62,870 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Panama
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  67,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
  95,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Philippines
  8,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Poland
  17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
  864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Reunion
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
  127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Russia
  7.286 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  8.711 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Senegal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
  196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
  7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
  209,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Suriname
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Swaziland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
  522,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  1,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
  173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Togo
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  125,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
  48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)

Uganda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.541 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United States
  8.054 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  142,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  3.08 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  356,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
  75.46 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
  438,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zambia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
  22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Algeria
  209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
  486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Armenia
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
  796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Austria
  262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
  10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
  230,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belgium
  595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
  11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
  1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
  2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burundi
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Canada
  1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
  1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chile
  241,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

China
  4.975 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Colombia
  252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Comoros
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Croatia
  89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cuba
  163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
  218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Egypt
  562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
  4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
  211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
  2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
  4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
  31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
  2.813 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ghana
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
  405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
  3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea
  8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hungary
  140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
  16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
  2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  1.045 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iran
  1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iraq
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ireland
  174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
  260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
  1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
  5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
  103,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  195,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kenya
  57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  273,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
  44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Liberia
  3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
  216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
  5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  472,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Maldives
  3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Martinique
  13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
  1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Moldova
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Montserrat
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
  167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niger
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niue
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
  171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oman
  53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  365,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Panama
  52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
  161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Philippines
  343,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Poland
  424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
  339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Reunion
  18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
  215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Russia
  2.595 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Senegal
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
  700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
  1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
  50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Suriname
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Swaziland
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
  328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
  265,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
  785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Togo
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
  619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uganda
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.71 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United States
  19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  505,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
  76.21 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
  74,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zambia
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  NA (2001)

Albania
  NA (2001)

Algeria
  NA (2001)

American Samoa
  NA (2001)

Angola
  NA (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA (2001)

Argentina
  NA (2001)

Armenia
  NA (2001)

Aruba
  NA (2001)

Australia
  530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
  262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
  NA (2001)

Bahamas, The
  NA (2001)

Bahrain
  NA (2001)

Bangladesh
  NA (2001)

Barbados
  NA (2001)

Belarus
  NA (2001)

Belgium
  1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Belize
  NA (2001)

Benin
  NA (2001)

Bermuda
  NA (2001)

Bhutan
  NA (2001)

Bolivia
  NA (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA (2001)

Botswana
  NA (2001)

Brazil
  NA (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  NA (2001)

Brunei
  NA (2001)

Bulgaria
  NA (2001)

Burkina Faso
  NA (2001)

Burma
  NA (2001)

Burundi
  NA (2001)

Cambodia
  NA (2001)

Cameroon
  NA (2001)

Canada
  1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Cape Verde
  NA (2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA (2001)

Central African Republic
  NA (2001)

Chad
  NA (2001)

Chile
  NA (2001)

China
  NA (2001)

Colombia
  NA (2001)

Comoros
  NA (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA (2001)

Cook Islands
  NA (2001)

Costa Rica
  NA (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA (2001)

Croatia
  NA (2001)

Cuba
  NA (2001)

Cyprus
  NA (2001)

Czech Republic
  192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
  195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
  NA (2001)

Dominica
  NA (2001)

Dominican Republic
  NA (2001)

Ecuador
  NA (2001)

Egypt
  NA (2001)

El Salvador
  NA (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA (2001)

Eritrea
  NA (2001)

Estonia
  NA (2001)

Ethiopia
  NA (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA (2001)

Faroe Islands
  NA (2001)

Fiji
  NA (2001)

Finland
  318,300 bbl/day (2001)

France
  2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
  NA (2001)

French Polynesia
  NA (2001)

Gabon
  NA (2001)

Gambia, The
  NA (2001)

Georgia
  NA (2001)

Germany
  3.081 million bbl/day (2001)

Ghana
  NA (2001)

Gibraltar
  NA (2001)

Greece
  468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
  NA (2001)

Grenada
  NA (2001)

Guadeloupe
  NA (2001)

Guam
  NA (2001)

Guatemala
  NA (2001)

Guinea
  NA (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA (2001)

Guyana
  NA (2001)

Haiti
  NA (2001)

Honduras
  NA (2001)

Hong Kong
  NA (2001)

Hungary
  136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
  15,470 bbl/day (2001)

India
  NA (2001)

Indonesia
  NA (2001)

Iran
  NA (2001)

Iraq
  NA (2001)

Ireland
  178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
  NA (2001)

Italy
  2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
  NA (2001)

Japan
  5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
  NA (2001)

Kazakhstan
  NA (2001)

Kenya
  NA (2001)

Kiribati
  NA (2001)

Korea, North
  NA (2001)

Korea, South
  2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Kuwait
  NA (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA (2001)

Laos
  NA (2001)

Latvia
  NA (2001)

Lebanon
  NA (2001)

Lesotho
  NA (2001)

Liberia
  NA (2001)

Libya
  NA (2001)

Lithuania
  NA (2001)

Luxembourg
  50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
  NA (2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  NA (2001)

Madagascar
  NA (2001)

Malawi
  NA (2001)

Malaysia
  NA (2001)

Maldives
  NA (2001)

Mali
  NA (2001)

Malta
  NA (2001)

Martinique
  NA (2001)

Mauritania
  NA (2001)

Mauritius
  NA (2001)

Mexico
  374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Moldova
  NA (2001)

Mongolia
  NA (2001)

Montserrat
  NA (2001)

Morocco
  NA (2001)

Mozambique
  NA (2001)

Namibia
  NA (2001)

Nauru
  NA (2001)

Nepal
  NA (2001)

Netherlands
  2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA (2001)

New Caledonia
  NA (2001)

New Zealand
  119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
  NA (2001)

Niger
  NA (2001)

Nigeria
  NA (2001)

Niue
  NA (2001)

Norway
  88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oman
  NA (2001)

Pakistan
  NA (2001)

Panama
  NA (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  NA (2001)

Paraguay
  NA (2001)

Peru
  NA (2001)

Philippines
  NA (2001)

Poland
  413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
  357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
  NA (2001)

Qatar
  NA (2001)

Reunion
  NA (2001)

Romania
  NA (2001)

Russia
  NA (2001)

Rwanda
  NA (2001)

Saint Helena
  NA (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA (2001)

Saint Lucia
  NA (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA (2001)

Samoa
  NA (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  NA (2001)

Senegal
  NA (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA (2001)

Seychelles
  NA (2001)

Sierra Leone
  NA (2001)

Singapore
  NA (2001)

Slovakia
  NA (2001)

Slovenia
  NA (2001)

Solomon Islands
  NA (2001)

Somalia
  NA (2001)

South Africa
  NA (2001)

Spain
  1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
  NA (2001)

Sudan
  NA (2001)

Suriname
  NA (2001)

Swaziland
  NA (2001)

Sweden
  553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
  289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
  NA (2001)

Taiwan
  NA (2001)

Tajikistan
  NA (2001)

Tanzania
  NA (2001)

Thailand
  NA (2001)

Togo
  NA (2001)

Tonga
  NA (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  NA (2001)

Tunisia
  NA (2001)

Turkey
  616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
  NA (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA (2001)

Uganda
  NA (2001)

Ukraine
  NA (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  NA (2001)

United Kingdom
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

United States
  NA (2001)

Uruguay
  NA (2001)

Uzbekistan
  NA (2001)

Vanuatu
  NA (2001)

Venezuela
  NA (2001)

Vietnam
  NA (2001)

Virgin Islands
  NA (2001)

Western Sahara
  NA (2001)

Yemen
  NA (2001)

Zambia
  NA (2001)

Zimbabwe
  NA (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  NA (2001)

Albania
  NA (2001)

Algeria
  NA (2001)

American Samoa
  NA (2001)

Angola
  NA (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA (2001)

Argentina
  NA (2001)

Armenia
  NA (2001)

Aruba
  NA (2001)

Australia
  523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
  35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
  NA (2001)

Bahamas, The
  NA (2001)

Bahrain
  NA (2001)

Bangladesh
  NA (2001)

Barbados
  NA (2001)

Belarus
  NA (2001)

Belgium
  450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Belize
  NA (2001)

Benin
  NA (2001)

Bermuda
  NA (2001)

Bhutan
  NA (2001)

Bolivia
  NA (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA (2001)

Botswana
  NA (2001)

Brazil
  NA (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  NA (2001)

Brunei
  NA (2001)

Bulgaria
  NA (2001)

Burkina Faso
  NA (2001)

Burma
  NA (2001)

Burundi
  NA (2001)

Cambodia
  NA (2001)

Cameroon
  NA (2001)

Canada
  2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Cape Verde
  NA (2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA (2001)

Central African Republic
  NA (2001)

Chad
  NA (2001)

Chile
  NA (2001)

China
  NA (2001)

Colombia
  NA (2001)

Comoros
  NA (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA (2001)

Cook Islands
  NA (2001)

Costa Rica
  NA (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA (2001)

Croatia
  NA (2001)

Cuba
  NA (2001)

Cyprus
  NA (2001)

Czech Republic
  26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
  332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
  NA (2001)

Dominica
  NA (2001)

Dominican Republic
  NA (2001)

Ecuador
  NA (2001)

Egypt
  NA (2001)

El Salvador
  NA (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA (2001)

Eritrea
  NA (2001)

Estonia
  NA (2001)

Ethiopia
  NA (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA (2001)

Faroe Islands
  NA (2001)

Fiji
  NA (2001)

Finland
  101,000 bbl/day (2001)

France
  409,600 bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
  NA (2001)

French Polynesia
  NA (2001)

Gabon
  NA (2001)

Gambia, The
  NA (2001)

Georgia
  NA (2001)

Germany
  404,300 bbl/day (2001)

Ghana
  NA (2001)

Gibraltar
  NA (2001)

Greece
  84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
  NA (2001)

Grenada
  NA (2001)

Guadeloupe
  NA (2001)

Guam
  NA (2001)

Guatemala
  NA (2001)

Guinea
  NA (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA (2001)

Guyana
  NA (2001)

Haiti
  NA (2001)

Honduras
  NA (2001)

Hong Kong
  NA (2001)

Hungary
  47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
  0 bbl/day (2001)

India
  NA (2001)

Indonesia
  NA (2001)

Iran
  NA (2001)

Iraq
  NA (2001)

Ireland
  27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
  NA (2001)

Italy
  456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
  NA (2001)

Japan
  93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
  NA (2001)

Kazakhstan
  NA (2001)

Kenya
  NA (2001)

Kiribati
  NA (2001)

Korea, North
  NA (2001)

Korea, South
  804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Kuwait
  NA (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA (2001)

Laos
  NA (2001)

Latvia
  NA (2001)

Lebanon
  NA (2001)

Lesotho
  NA (2001)

Liberia
  NA (2001)

Libya
  NA (2001)

Lithuania
  NA (2001)

Luxembourg
  634 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
  NA (2001)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  NA (2001)

Madagascar
  NA (2001)

Malawi
  NA (2001)

Malaysia
  NA (2001)

Maldives
  NA (2001)

Mali
  NA (2001)

Malta
  NA (2001)

Martinique
  NA (2001)

Mauritania
  NA (2001)

Mauritius
  NA (2001)

Mexico
  1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Moldova
  NA (2001)

Mongolia
  NA (2001)

Montserrat
  NA (2001)

Morocco
  NA (2001)

Mozambique
  NA (2001)

Namibia
  NA (2001)

Nauru
  NA (2001)

Nepal
  NA (2001)

Netherlands
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA (2001)

New Caledonia
  NA (2001)

New Zealand
  30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
  NA (2001)

Niger
  NA (2001)

Nigeria
  NA (2001)

Niue
  NA (2001)

Norway
  3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oman
  NA (2001)

Pakistan
  NA (2001)

Panama
  NA (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  NA (2001)

Paraguay
  NA (2001)

Peru
  NA (2001)

Philippines
  NA (2001)

Poland
  53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
  28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
  NA (2001)

Qatar
  NA (2001)

Reunion
  NA (2001)

Romania
  NA (2001)

Russia
  NA (2001)

Rwanda
  NA (2001)

Saint Helena
  NA (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA (2001)

Saint Lucia
  NA (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA (2001)

Samoa
  NA (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  NA (2001)

Senegal
  NA (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA (2001)

Seychelles
  NA (2001)

Sierra Leone
  NA (2001)

Singapore
  NA (2001)

Slovakia
  NA (2001)

Slovenia
  NA (2001)

Solomon Islands
  NA (2001)

Somalia
  NA (2001)

South Africa
  NA (2001)

Spain
  135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
  NA (2001)

Sudan
  NA (2001)

Suriname
  NA (2001)

Swaziland
  NA (2001)

Sweden
  203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
  10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
  NA (2001)

Taiwan
  NA (2001)

Tajikistan
  NA (2001)

Tanzania
  NA (2001)

Thailand
  NA (2001)

Togo
  NA (2001)

Tonga
  NA (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  NA (2001)

Tunisia
  NA (2001)

Turkey
  46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
  NA (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA (2001)

Uganda
  NA (2001)

Ukraine
  NA (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  NA (2001)

United Kingdom
  2.205 million bbl/day (2001)

United States
  NA (2001)

Uruguay
  NA (2001)

Uzbekistan
  NA (2001)

Vanuatu
  NA (2001)

Venezuela
  NA (2001)

Vietnam
  NA (2001)

Virgin Islands
  NA (2001)

Western Sahara
  NA (2001)

Yemen
  NA (2001)

Zambia
  NA (2001)

Zimbabwe
  NA (2001)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2177 Median age (years)

Afghanistan
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 19.1 years
  female: 18.7 years (2002)

Albania
  total: 26.5 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 28.1 years (2002)

Algeria
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 22.3 years
  female: 22.6 years (2002)

American Samoa
  total: 21.6 years
  male: 21.1 years
  female: 22.2 years (2002)

Andorra
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 39.4 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Angola
  total: 18.2 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.2 years (2002)

Anguilla
  total: 30 years
  male: 30 years
  female: 29.9 years (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 29.1 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 29.6 years (2002)

Argentina
  total: 29 years
  male: 28 years
  female: 29.9 years (2002)

Armenia
  total: 32.3 years
  male: 30.6 years
  female: 34.1 years (2002)

Aruba
  total: 37.1 years
  male: 35.3 years
  female: 38.5 years (2002)

Australia
  total: 36 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 36.8 years (2002)

Austria
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 38.2 years
  female: 40.7 years (2002)

Azerbaijan
  total: 27.1 years
  male: 25.7 years
  female: 28.6 years (2002)

Bahamas, The
  total: 27 years
  male: 26.2 years
  female: 27.7 years (2002)

Bahrain
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 31.6 years
  female: 25.1 years (2002)

Bangladesh
  total: 21.2 years
  male: 21.2 years
  female: 21.1 years (2002)

Barbados
  total: 33.3 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 34.4 years (2002)

Belarus
  total: 36.7 years
  male: 34.1 years
  female: 39.3 years (2002)

Belgium
  total: 40 years
  male: 38.7 years
  female: 41.3 years (2002)

Belize
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 18.8 years
  female: 19 years (2002)

Benin
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 15.9 years
  female: 16.9 years (2002)

Bermuda
  total: 38.7 years
  male: 37.8 years
  female: 39.6 years (2002)

Bhutan
  total: 20.1 years
  male: 19.9 years
  female: 20.3 years (2002)

Bolivia
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 20.1 years
  female: 21.5 years (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 35.5 years
  male: 35.1 years
  female: 35.9 years (2002)

Botswana
  total: 19.1 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 19.8 years (2002)

Brazil
  total: 27 years
  male: 26.2 years
  female: 27.7 years (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 30.7 years
  male: 31 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

Brunei
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 27 years
  female: 25.7 years (2002)

Bulgaria
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 38.4 years
  female: 42.4 years (2002)

Burkina Faso
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 17.2 years (2002)

Burma
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 25.9 years (2002)

Burundi
  total: 16.3 years
  male: 15.9 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Cambodia
  total: 19.2 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Cameroon
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Canada
  total: 37.8 years
  male: 36.9 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Cape Verde
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 17.9 years
  female: 19.6 years (2002)

Cayman Islands
  total: 36.1 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 36.4 years (2002)

Central African Republic
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Chad
  total: 16 years
  male: 15.2 years
  female: 16.8 years (2002)

Chile
  total: 29.5 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

China
  total: 31.5 years
  male: 31.2 years
  female: 31.7 years (2002)

Colombia
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 26.4 years (2002)

Comoros
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 15.8 years
  male: 15.4 years
  female: 16.1 years (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 20.2 years
  male: 19.8 years
  female: 20.7 years (2002)

Costa Rica
  total: 25.4 years
  male: 24.9 years
  female: 25.8 years (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 17 years
  male: 17.3 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Croatia
  total: 38.9 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 40.7 years (2002)

Cuba
  total: 34.5 years
  male: 33.9 years
  female: 35.1 years (2002)

Cyprus
  total: 34.2 years
  male: 33.1 years
  female: 35.2 years (2002)

Czech Republic
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 36.6 years
  female: 40.2 years (2002)

Denmark
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 38.1 years
  female: 40.1 years (2002)

Djibouti
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Dominica
  total: 28.4 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 28.8 years (2002)

Dominican Republic
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 23.7 years (2002)

East Timor
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.8 years
  female: 19.6 years (2002)

Ecuador
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 23 years (2002)

Egypt
  total: 23.1 years
  male: 22.8 years
  female: 23.5 years (2002)

El Salvador
  total: 21.1 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 22.2 years (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 19.3 years (2002)

Eritrea
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Estonia
  total: 38.1 years
  male: 34.7 years
  female: 41.3 years (2002)

Ethiopia
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 17.3 years
  female: 17.4 years (2002)

Faroe Islands
  total: 35.1 years
  male: 34.5 years
  female: 35.8 years (2002)

Fiji
  total: 23.7 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 24.2 years (2002)

Finland
  total: 40.3 years
  male: 38.8 years
  female: 41.8 years (2002)

France
  total: 38.3 years
  male: 36.8 years
  female: 39.8 years (2002)

French Guiana
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 29.2 years
  female: 27.1 years (2002)

French Polynesia
  total: 26.7 years
  male: 27.1 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Gabon
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 18.7 years (2002)

Gambia, The
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17.3 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

Gaza Strip
  total: 15.3 years
  male: 15.1 years
  female: 15.5 years (2002)

Georgia
  total: 34.8 years
  male: 32.6 years
  female: 37 years (2002)

Germany
  total: 41.3 years
  male: 39.9 years
  female: 42.8 years (2002)

Ghana
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.5 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Gibraltar
  total: 38.8 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 39 years (2002)

Greece
  total: 39.8 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 41 years (2002)

Greenland
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 31.7 years (2002)

Grenada
  total: 20.5 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Guadeloupe
  total: 31 years
  male: 30.2 years
  female: 31.9 years (2002)

Guam
  total: 25.2 years
  male: 25.6 years
  female: 24.9 years (2002)

Guatemala
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Guernsey
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.1 years (2002)

Guinea
  total: 17.7 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 17.9 years (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 19.4 years (2002)

Guyana
  total: 25.7 years
  male: 25.2 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Haiti
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Honduras
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 19.2 years (2002)

Hong Kong
  total: 37.5 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 37.7 years (2002)

Hungary
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 35.7 years
  female: 41.1 years (2002)

Iceland
  total: 34 years
  male: 33.2 years
  female: 34.7 years (2002)

India
  total: 24.1 years
  male: 24.1 years
  female: 24.2 years (2002)

Indonesia
  total: 25.8 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 26.2 years (2002)

Iran
  total: 22.9 years
  male: 22.7 years
  female: 23.2 years (2002)

Iraq
  total: 19 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 19.1 years (2002)

Ireland
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 34 years (2002)

Israel
  total: 28.9 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 29.8 years (2002)

Italy
  total: 41 years
  male: 39.4 years
  female: 42.6 years (2002)

Jamaica
  total: 26.5 years
  male: 25.8 years
  female: 27.2 years (2002)

Japan
  total: 42 years
  male: 40.3 years
  female: 43.8 years (2002)

Jersey
  total: 39.8 years
  male: 39.1 years
  female: 40.6 years (2002)

Jordan
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 22.4 years
  female: 21.1 years (2002)

Kazakhstan
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 26.6 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Kenya
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.5 years (2002)

Kiribati
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.2 years (2002)

Korea, North
  total: 31.1 years
  male: 30 years
  female: 32.3 years (2002)

Korea, South
  total: 33.2 years
  male: 32.2 years
  female: 34.2 years (2002)

Kuwait
  total: 25.9 years
  male: 28.4 years
  female: 21.8 years (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 22.7 years
  male: 21.8 years
  female: 23.6 years (2002)

Laos
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)

Latvia
  total: 39 years
  male: 35.5 years
  female: 42.1 years (2002)

Lebanon
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 27.5 years (2002)

Lesotho
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.4 years (2002)

Liberia
  total: 18.1 years
  male: 17.7 years
  female: 18.4 years (2002)

Libya
  total: 22.1 years
  male: 22.2 years
  female: 21.9 years (2002)

Liechtenstein
  total: 38.3 years
  male: 37.9 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Lithuania
  total: 36.6 years
  male: 33.9 years
  female: 39.2 years (2002)

Luxembourg
  total: 38.1 years
  male: 37.2 years
  female: 38.9 years (2002)

Macau
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.9 years
  female: 33.3 years (2002)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
  total: 32.5 years
  male: 31.4 years
  female: 33.6 years (2002)

Madagascar
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

Malawi
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 16.1 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Malaysia
  total: 23.6 years
  male: 23 years
  female: 24.3 years (2002)

Maldives
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.4 years (2002)

Mali
  total: 16.3 years
  male: 15.7 years
  female: 16.9 years (2002)

Malta
  total: 37.2 years
  male: 35.6 years
  female: 38.8 years (2002)

Man, Isle of
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 37.8 years
  female: 40.6 years (2002)

Marshall Islands
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 19.2 years (2002)

Martinique
  total: 32.7 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 33.3 years (2002)

Mauritania
  total: 16.9 years
  male: 16.6 years
  female: 17.2 years (2002)

Mauritius
  total: 29.8 years
  male: 29.1 years
  female: 30.8 years (2002)

Mayotte
  total: 16.9 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 15.7 years (2002)

Mexico
  total: 23.8 years
  male: 22.9 years
  female: 24.6 years (2002)

Moldova
  total: 32 years
  male: 29.8 years
  female: 34.2 years (2002)

Monaco
  total: 45 years
  male: 43 years
  female: 47 years (2002)

Mongolia
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.2 years
  female: 23.9 years (2002)

Montserrat
  total: 27.8 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Morocco
  total: 23 years
  male: 22.5 years
  female: 23.5 years (2002)

Mozambique
  total: 19 years
  male: 18.7 years
  female: 19.3 years (2002)

Namibia
  total: 18.3 years
  male: 17.9 years
  female: 18.6 years (2002)

Nauru
  total: 19.6 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Nepal
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.6 years
  female: 19.9 years (2002)

Netherlands
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 37.7 years
  female: 39.5 years (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 31.8 years
  male: 30.3 years
  female: 33.2 years (2002)

New Caledonia
  total: 26.9 years
  male: 26.7 years
  female: 27.2 years (2002)

New Zealand
  total: 33.1 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 33.9 years (2002)

Nicaragua
  total: 20.4 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 20.8 years (2002)

Niger
  total: 16.1 years
  male: 15.6 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Nigeria
  total: 18 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 17.9 years (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 30.4 years
  male: 31 years
  female: 30.1 years (2002)

Norway
  total: 37.7 years
  male: 36.7 years
  female: 38.7 years (2002)

Oman
  total: 19.4 years
  male: 22.3 years
  female: 16.5 years (2002)

Pakistan
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.7 years
  female: 20 years (2002)

Palau
  total: 30.8 years
  male: 31.8 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Panama
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 25.9 years (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 20.6 years (2002)

Paraguay
  total: 20.9 years
  male: 20.7 years
  female: 21.2 years (2002)

Peru
  total: 23.5 years
  male: 23.2 years
  female: 23.7 years (2002)

Philippines
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 21.3 years
  female: 22.4 years (2002)

Poland
  total: 36 years
  male: 34.1 years
  female: 38 years (2002)

Portugal
  total: 37.6 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 39.3 years (2002)

Puerto Rico
  total: 33.3 years
  male: 31.6 years
  female: 34.9 years (2002)

Qatar
  total: 31.2 years
  male: 36.4 years
  female: 21.6 years (2002)

Reunion
  total: 26.4 years
  male: 25.2 years
  female: 27.5 years (2002)

Romania
  total: 35.4 years
  male: 34 years
  female: 37.1 years (2002)

Russia
  total: 37.6 years
  male: 34.7 years
  female: 40.3 years (2002)

Rwanda
  total: 18.1 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Saint Helena
  total: 34.2 years
  male: 34.4 years
  female: 33.9 years (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 27.1 years
  male: 26.3 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Saint Lucia
  total: 24.1 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 24.9 years (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 32.9 years
  male: 32.7 years
  female: 33.1 years (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 25.1 years
  female: 25.5 years (2002)

Samoa
  total: 23.7 years
  male: 26.3 years
  female: 20.2 years (2002)

San Marino
  total: 39.6 years
  male: 39.2 years
  female: 40 years (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 16.1 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 16.7 years (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 20.9 years
  female: 16.8 years (2002)

Senegal
  total: 17.8 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 18.4 years (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 36.2 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 37.9 years (2002)

Seychelles
  total: 26.9 years
  male: 25.8 years
  female: 27.9 years (2002)

Sierra Leone
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.8 years (2002)

Singapore
  total: 34.5 years
  male: 34.3 years
  female: 34.8 years (2002)

Slovakia
  total: 35 years
  male: 33.3 years
  female: 36.7 years (2002)

Slovenia
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 40.2 years (2002)

Solomon Islands
  total: 18.2 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 18.3 years (2002)

Somalia
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 17.6 years (2002)

South Africa
  total: 24.5 years
  male: 24 years
  female: 25 years (2002)

Spain
  total: 38.7 years
  male: 37.4 years
  female: 40.1 years (2002)

Sri Lanka
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 29.7 years (2002)

Sudan
  total: 17.7 years
  male: 17.5 years
  female: 17.9 years (2002)

Suriname
  total: 25.5 years
  male: 25.1 years
  female: 26 years (2002)

Swaziland
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.8 years (2002)

Sweden
  total: 40.1 years
  male: 39 years
  female: 41.4 years (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.2 years (2002)

Syria
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.6 years
  female: 19.9 years (2002)

Taiwan
  total: 33.2 years
  male: 32.9 years
  female: 33.6 years (2002)

Tajikistan
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 19 years
  female: 19.6 years (2002)

Tanzania
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Thailand
  total: 30.1 years
  male: 29.4 years
  female: 30.8 years (2002)

Togo
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 16.9 years
  female: 17.7 years (2002)

Tonga
  total: 19.8 years
  male: 19.3 years
  female: 20.3 years (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 29.9 years
  male: 29.5 years
  female: 30.4 years (2002)

Tunisia
  total: 26.2 years
  male: 25.7 years
  female: 26.7 years (2002)

Turkey
  total: 26.8 years
  male: 26.7 years
  female: 27 years (2002)

Turkmenistan
  total: 21.1 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 22 years (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 27 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 26.3 years (2002)

Tuvalu
  total: 24.2 years
  male: 22.9 years
  female: 25.8 years (2002)

Uganda
  total: 14.7 years
  male: 14.6 years
  female: 14.8 years (2002)

Ukraine
  total: 38 years
  male: 34.8 years
  female: 40.9 years (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 21.9 years (2002)

United Kingdom
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 37.3 years
  female: 39.5 years (2002)

United States
  total: 35.8 years
  male: 34.5 years
  female: 37.1 years (2002)

Uruguay
  total: 31.8 years
  male: 30.2 years
  female: 33.4 years (2002)

Uzbekistan
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 21.2 years
  female: 22.5 years (2002)

Vanuatu
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 21.8 years (2002)

Venezuela
  total: 24.8 years
  male: 24.3 years
  female: 25.4 years (2002)

Vietnam
  total: 24.5 years
  male: 23.6 years
  female: 25.5 years (2002)

Virgin Islands
  total: 31.2 years
  male: 28.6 years
  female: 33.7 years (2002)

West Bank
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.7 years
  female: 18 years (2002)

Yemen
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 16.4 years (2002)

Zambia
  total: 16.5 years
  male: 16.4 years
  female: 16.6 years (2002)

Zimbabwe
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 18.9 years (2002)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl (37257)

Albania
  185.5 million bbl (37257)

Algeria
  13.1 billion bbl (37257)

Angola
  5.691 billion bbl (37257)

Argentina
  2.927 billion bbl (37257)

Australia
  3.664 billion bbl (37257)

Austria
  85.69 million bbl (37257)

Azerbaijan
  589 million bbl (37257)

Bahrain
  62.28 million bbl (37257)

Bangladesh
  28.45 million bbl (37257)

Barbados
  1.254 million bbl (37257)

Benin
  4.105 million bbl (37257)

Bolivia
  458.8 million bbl (37257)

Brazil
  8.507 billion bbl (37257)

Brunei
  1.255 billion bbl (37257)

Bulgaria
  8.1 million bbl (37257)

Burma
  142.5 million bbl (37257)

Cameroon
  200 million bbl (37257)

Canada
  5.112 billion bbl (37257)

Chile
  81.05 million bbl (37257)

China
  26.75 billion bbl (37257)

Colombia
  1.8 billion bbl (37257)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.538 billion bbl (37257)

Congo, Republic of the
  93.5 million bbl (37257)

Cote d'Ivoire
  50 million bbl (37257)

Croatia
  93.6 million bbl (37257)

Cuba
  532 million bbl (37257)

Czech Republic
  17.25 million bbl (37257)

Denmark
  1.23 billion bbl (37257)

Ecuador
  2.358 billion bbl (37257)

Egypt
  3.308 billion bbl (37257)

Equatorial Guinea
  563.5 million bbl (37257)

Ethiopia
  214,000 bbl (37257)

France
  144.3 million bbl (37257)

Gabon
  2.45 billion bbl (37257)

Germany
  327.3 million bbl (37257)

Ghana
  8.255 million bbl (37257)

Greece
  4.5 million bbl (37257)

Guatemala
  263 million bbl (37257)

Hungary
  110.7 million bbl (37257)

India
  4.33 billion bbl (37257)

Indonesia
  7.083 billion bbl (37257)

Iran
  94.39 billion bbl (37257)

Iraq
  113.8 billion bbl (37257)

Ireland
  0 bbl (37257)

Israel
  1.92 million bbl (37257)

Italy
  586.6 million bbl (37257)

Japan
  29.29 million bbl (37257)

Jordan
  445,000 bbl (37257)

Kazakhstan
  2.709 billion bbl (37257)

Kuwait
  97.68 billion bbl (37257)

Libya
  29.75 billion bbl (37257)

Madagascar
  0 bbl (37257)

Malaysia
  3.729 billion bbl (37257)

Mexico
  25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Morocco
  900,000 bbl (37257)

Mozambique
  0 bbl (37257)

Namibia
  0 bbl (37257)

Netherlands
  88.06 million bbl (37257)

New Zealand
  89.62 million bbl (37257)

Nigeria
  27 billion bbl (37257)

Norway
  9.859 billion bbl (37257)

Oman
  5.703 billion bbl (37257)

Pakistan
  297.1 million bbl (37257)

Papua New Guinea
  345.2 million bbl (37257)

Peru
  614.7 million bbl (37257)

Philippines
  164 million bbl (37257)

Poland
  116.4 million bbl (37257)

Qatar
  14.51 billion bbl (37257)

Romania
  1.055 billion bbl (37257)

Russia
  51.22 billion bbl (37257)

Rwanda
  0 bbl (37257)

Saudi Arabia
  261.7 billion bbl (37257)

Serbia and Montenegro
  38.75 million bbl (37257)

Slovakia
  4.5 million bbl (37257)

Somalia
  0 bbl (37257)

South Africa
  7.84 million bbl (37257)

Spain
  10.5 million bbl (37257)

Sudan
  631.5 million bbl (37257)

Suriname
  37 million bbl (37257)

Syria
  2.4 billion bbl (37257)

Taiwan
  2 million bbl (37257)

Tanzania
  0 bbl (37257)

Thailand
  551.5 million bbl (37257)

Trinidad and Tobago
  716 million bbl (37257)

Tunisia
  417 million bbl (37257)

Turkey
  288.4 million bbl (37257)

Turkmenistan
  273 million bbl (37257)

Ukraine
  197.5 million bbl (37257)

United Arab Emirates
  80.31 billion bbl (37257)

United Kingdom
  4.741 billion bbl (37257)

United States
  22.45 billion bbl (37257)

Uzbekistan
  297 million bbl (37257)

Venezuela
  63.95 billion bbl (37257)

Vietnam
  1.4 billion bbl (37257)

World
  1.025 trillion bbl (37257)

Yemen
  3.2 billion bbl (37257)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m)

Afghanistan
  49.98 billion cu m (37257)

Albania
  3.316 billion cu m (37257)

Algeria
  4.739 trillion cu m (37257)

Angola
  79.57 billion cu m (37257)

Argentina
  768 billion cu m (37257)

Australia
  2.407 trillion cu m (37257)

Austria
  24.9 billion cu m (37257)

Azerbaijan
  62.3 billion cu m (37257)

Bahrain
  46 billion cu m (37257)

Bangladesh
  150.3 billion cu m (37257)

Barbados
  70.79 million cu m (37257)

Benin
  608.8 million cu m (37257)

Bolivia
  727.2 billion cu m (37257)

Brazil
  221.7 billion cu m (37257)

Brunei
  315 billion cu m (37257)

Bulgaria
  3.724 billion cu m (37257)

Burma
  314.4 billion cu m (37257)

Cameroon
  55.22 billion cu m (37257)

Canada
  1.691 trillion cu m (37257)

Chile
  67.78 billion cu m (37257)

China
  1.29 trillion cu m (37257)

Colombia
  132 billion cu m (37257)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  104.8 billion cu m (37257)

Congo, Republic of the
  495.5 million cu m (37257)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14.87 billion cu m (37257)

Croatia
  34.36 billion cu m (37257)

Cuba
  42.62 billion cu m (37257)

Czech Republic
  3.057 billion cu m (37257)

Denmark
  81.98 billion cu m (37257)

Ecuador
  106.5 billion cu m (37257)

Egypt
  1.264 trillion cu m (37257)

Equatorial Guinea
  68.53 billion cu m (37257)

Ethiopia
  12.46 billion cu m (37257)

France
  12.86 billion cu m (37257)

Gabon
  66.47 billion cu m (37257)

Germany
  298.3 billion cu m (37257)

Ghana
  11.89 billion cu m (37257)

Greece
  254.9 million cu m (37257)

Guatemala
  1.543 billion cu m (37257)

Hungary
  50.45 billion cu m (37257)

India
  542.4 billion cu m (37257)

Indonesia
  2.549 trillion cu m (37257)

Iran
  24.8 trillion cu m (37257)

Iraq
  3.149 trillion cu m (37257)

Ireland
  9.911 billion cu m (37257)

Israel
  20.81 billion cu m (37257)

Italy
  209.7 billion cu m (37257)

Japan
  20.02 billion cu m (37257)

Jordan
  3.256 billion cu m (37257)

Kazakhstan
  920.3 billion cu m (37257)

Kuwait
  1.548 trillion cu m (37257)

Libya
  1.321 trillion cu m (37257)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (37257)

Malaysia
  2.23 trillion cu m (37257)

Mexico
  969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Morocco
  665.4 million cu m (37257)

Mozambique
  63.71 billion cu m (37257)

Namibia
  31.15 billion cu m (37257)

Netherlands
  1.693 trillion cu m (37257)

New Zealand
  58.94 billion cu m (37257)

Nigeria
  4.007 trillion cu m (37257)

Norway
  1.716 trillion cu m (37257)

Oman
  846.4 billion cu m (37257)

Pakistan
  695.6 billion cu m (37257)

Papua New Guinea
  385.5 billion cu m (37257)

Peru
  245.1 billion cu m (37257)

Philippines
  104.6 billion cu m (37257)

Poland
  154.4 billion cu m (37257)

Qatar
  17.93 trillion cu m (37257)

Romania
  111.1 billion cu m (37257)

Russia
  47.86 trillion cu m (37257)

Rwanda
  28.32 billion cu m (37257)

Saudi Arabia
  6.339 trillion cu m (37257)

Serbia and Montenegro
  24.07 billion cu m (37257)

Slovakia
  7.504 billion cu m (37257)

Somalia
  2.832 billion cu m (37257)

South Africa
  14.16 million cu m (37257)

Spain
  254.9 million cu m (37257)

Sudan
  99.11 billion cu m (37257)

Suriname
  0 cu m (37257)

Syria
  240.7 billion cu m (37257)

Taiwan
  38.23 billion cu m (37257)

Tanzania
  11.33 billion cu m (37257)

Thailand
  368.2 billion cu m (37257)

Trinidad and Tobago
  610.6 billion cu m (37257)

Tunisia
  77.16 billion cu m (37257)

Turkey
  8.685 billion cu m (37257)

Turkmenistan
  1.43 trillion cu m (37257)

Ukraine
  560.7 billion cu m (37257)

United Arab Emirates
  5.892 trillion cu m (37257)

United Kingdom
  714.9 billion cu m (37257)

United States
  5.195 trillion cu m (37257)

Uzbekistan
  937.3 billion cu m (37257)

Venezuela
  4.202 trillion cu m (37257)

Vietnam
  192.6 billion cu m (37257)

World
  161.2 trillion cu m (37257)

Yemen
  480 billion cu m (37257)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2180 Natural gas - production (cu m)

Afghanistan
  220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  37.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  33.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  5.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  200 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  4.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  7.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
  1.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
  30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Finland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
  1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  22.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
  35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
  61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
  815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  10.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
  5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  580.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  15.19 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  48.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  18.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
  2.569 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m)

Afghanistan
  220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  31.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  23.33 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  6.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
  15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  2.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
  6.47 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
  30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Finland
  4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
  42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  94.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
  2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  36.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
  65.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
  4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
  13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  408.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  11.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  74.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
  2.556 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  17.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
  15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
  5.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Finland
  4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
  40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  78.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
  2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
  4.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
  3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  8.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
  8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  55.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
  697.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  6.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  9.744 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  403 million cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

China
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Finland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
  1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  6.674 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

India
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  32.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
  41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  205.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.65 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  38.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
  703.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2001

Rank Country GDP Date of Information

1 World $ 49,000,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 10,450,000,000,000 2002 est. 3 China $ 5,989,000,000,000 2002 est. 4 Japan $ 3,651,000,000,000 2002 est. 5 India $ 2,664,000,000,000 2002 est. 6 Germany $ 2,160,000,000,000 2002 est. 7 France $ 1,558,000,000,000 2002 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 1,528,000,000,000 2002 est. 9 Italy $ 1,455,000,000,000 2002 est. 10 Russia $ 1,409,000,000,000 2002 est. 11 Brazil $ 1,376,000,000,000 2002 est. 12 Korea, South $ 941,500,000,000 2002 est. 13 Canada $ 934,100,000,000 2002 est. 14 Mexico $ 924,400,000,000 2002 est. 15 Spain $ 850,700,000,000 2002 est. 16 Indonesia $ 714,200,000,000 2002 est. 17 Australia $ 525,500,000,000 2002 est. 18 Turkey $ 489,700,000,000 2002 est. 19 Iran $ 458,300,000,000 2002 est. 20 Thailand $ 445,800,000,000 2002 est. 21 Netherlands $ 437,800,000,000 2002 est. 22 South Africa $ 427,700,000,000 2002 est. 23 Taiwan $ 406,000,000,000 2002 est. 24 Argentina $ 403,800,000,000 2002 est. 25 Philippines $ 379,700,000,000 2002 est. 26 Poland $ 373,200,000,000 2002 est. 27 Belgium $ 299,700,000,000 2002 est. 28 Pakistan $ 295,300,000,000 2002 est. 29 Egypt $ 289,800,000,000 2002 est. 30 Saudi Arabia $ 268,900,000,000 2002 est. 31 Colombia $ 251,600,000,000 2002 est. 32 Bangladesh $ 238,200,000,000 2002 est. 33 Switzerland $ 233,400,000,000 2002 est. 34 Sweden $ 230,700,000,000 2002 est. 35 Austria $ 227,700,000,000 2002 est. 36 Ukraine $ 218,000,000,000 2002 est. 37 Greece $ 203,300,000,000 2002 est. 38 Hong Kong $ 198,500,000,000 2002 est. 39 Malaysia $ 198,400,000,000 2002 est. 40 Portugal $ 195,200,000,000 2002 est. 41 Vietnam $ 183,800,000,000 2002 est. 42 Algeria $ 173,800,000,000 2002 est. 43 Romania $ 169,300,000,000 2002 est. 44 Czech Republic $ 157,100,000,000 2002 est. 45 Chile $ 156,100,000,000 2002 est. 46 Denmark $ 155,300,000,000 2002 est. 47 Norway $ 149,100,000,000 2002 est. 48 Peru $ 138,800,000,000 2002 est. 49 Hungary $ 134,000,000,000 2002 est. 50 Finland $ 133,800,000,000 2002 est. 51 Venezuela $ 131,700,000,000 2002 est. 52 Morocco $ 121,800,000,000 2002 est. 53 Kazakhstan $ 120,000,000,000 2002 est. 54 Israel $ 117,400,000,000 2002 est. 55 Ireland $ 113,700,000,000 2002 est. 56 Nigeria $ 112,500,000,000 2002 est. 57 Singapore $ 112,400,000,000 2002 est. 58 Belarus $ 90,190,000,000 2002 est. 59 New Zealand $ 78,400,000,000 2002 est. 60 Sri Lanka $ 73,700,000,000 2002 est. 61 Burma $ 73,690,000,000 2002 est. 62 Slovakia $ 67,340,000,000 2002 est. 63 Tunisia $ 67,130,000,000 2002 est. 64 Uzbekistan $ 66,060,000,000 2002 est. 65 Syria $ 63,480,000,000 2002 est. 66 Iraq $ 58,000,000,000 2002 est. 67 United Arab Emirates $ 53,970,000,000 2002 est. 68 Dominican Republic $ 53,780,000,000 2002 est. 69 Guatemala $ 53,200,000,000 2002 est. 70 Sudan $ 52,900,000,000 2002 est. 71 Bulgaria $ 49,230,000,000 2002 est. 72 Ethiopia $ 48,530,000,000 2002 est. 73 Croatia $ 43,120,000,000 2002 est. 74 Puerto Rico $ 43,010,000,000 2002 est. 75 Ecuador $ 42,650,000,000 2002 est. 76 Ghana $ 41,250,000,000 2002 est. 77 Nepal $ 37,320,000,000 2002 est. 78 Slovenia $ 37,060,000,000 2002 est. 79 Kuwait $ 36,850,000,000 2002 est. 80 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 34,000,000,000 2002 est. 81 Libya $ 33,360,000,000 2002 est. 82 Kenya $ 32,890,000,000 2002 est. 83 Costa Rica $ 32,000,000,000 2002 est. 84 Turkmenistan $ 31,340,000,000 2002 est. 85 Cuba $ 30,690,000,000 2002 est. 86 Uganda $ 30,490,000,000 2002 est. 87 Lithuania $ 30,080,000,000 2002 est. 88 El Salvador $ 29,410,000,000 2002 est. 89 Azerbaijan $ 28,610,000,000 2002 est. 90 Cameroon $ 26,840,000,000 2002 est. 91 Uruguay $ 26,820,000,000 2002 est. 92 Zimbabwe $ 26,070,000,000 2002 est. 93 Paraguay $ 25,190,000,000 2002 est. 94 Cote d'Ivoire $ 24,030,000,000 2002 est. 95 Serbia and Montenegro $ 23,150,000,000 2002 est. 96 Jordan $ 22,630,000,000 2002 est. 97 Oman $ 22,400,000,000 2002 est. 98 Korea, North $ 22,260,000,000 2002 est. 99 Luxembourg $ 21,940,000,000 2002 est. 100 Bolivia $ 21,150,000,000 2002 est. 101 Latvia $ 20,990,000,000 2002 est. 102 Cambodia $ 20,420,000,000 2002 est. 103 Tanzania $ 20,420,000,000 2002 est. 104 Mozambique $ 19,520,000,000 2002 est. 105 Afghanistan $ 19,000,000,000 2002 est. 106 Guinea $ 18,690,000,000 2002 est. 107 Angola $ 18,360,000,000 2002 est. 108 Panama $ 18,060,000,000 2002 est. 109 Lebanon $ 17,610,000,000 2002 est. 110 Honduras $ 16,290,000,000 2002 est. 111 Georgia $ 16,050,000,000 2002 est. 112 Qatar $ 15,910,000,000 2002 est. 113 Albania $ 15,690,000,000 2002 est. 114 Senegal $ 15,640,000,000 2002 est. 115 Estonia $ 15,520,000,000 2002 est. 116 Yemen $ 15,070,000,000 2002 est. 117 Burkina Faso $ 14,510,000,000 2002 est. 118 Kyrgyzstan $ 13,880,000,000 2002 est. 119 Botswana $ 13,480,000,000 2002 est. 120 Namibia $ 13,150,000,000 2002 est. 121 Madagascar $ 12,590,000,000 2002 122 Mauritius $ 12,150,000,000 2002 est. 123 Armenia $ 12,130,000,000 2002 est. 124 Moldova $ 11,510,000,000 2002 est. 125 Nicaragua $ 11,160,000,000 2002 est. 126 Trinidad and Tobago $ 11,070,000,000 2002 est. 127 Papua New Guinea $ 10,860,000,000 2002 est. 128 Haiti $ 10,600,000,000 2002 est. 129 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 10,570,000,000 2002 est. 130 Laos $ 10,400,000,000 2002 est. 131 Jamaica $ 10,080,000,000 2002 est. 132 Bahrain $ 9,910,000,000 2002 est. 133 Mali $ 9,775,000,000 2002 est. 134 Cyprus $ 9,400,000,000 2002 est. 135 Chad $ 9,297,000,000 2002 est. 136 Rwanda $ 8,920,000,000 2002 est. 137 Niger $ 8,713,000,000 2002 est. 138 Macau $ 8,600,000,000 2002 est. 139 Tajikistan $ 8,476,000,000 2002 est. 140 Iceland $ 8,444,000,000 2002 est. 141 Gabon $ 8,354,000,000 2002 est. 142 Zambia $ 8,240,000,000 2002 est. 143 Togo $ 7,594,000,000 2002 est. 144 Benin $ 7,380,000,000 2002 est. 145 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 7,300,000,000 2002 est. 146 Malta $ 6,818,000,000 2002 est. 147 Malawi $ 6,811,000,000 2002 est. 148 Brunei $ 6,500,000,000 2002 est. 149 Swaziland $ 5,542,000,000 2002 est. 150 Lesotho $ 5,106,000,000 2002 est. 151 Mongolia $ 5,060,000,000 2002 est. 152 Mauritania $ 4,891,000,000 2002 est. 153 Fiji $ 4,822,000,000 2002 est. 154 Bahamas, The $ 4,590,000,000 2002 est. 155 Martinique $ 4,500,000,000 2001 est. 156 Central African Republic $ 4,296,000,000 2002 est. 157 Somalia $ 4,270,000,000 2001 est. 158 Reunion $ 4,174,000,000 1999 est. 159 Barbados $ 4,153,000,000 2002 est. 160 Guadeloupe $ 3,700,000,000 1997 est. 161 Eritrea $ 3,300,000,000 2002 est. 162 Guam $ 3,200,000,000 2000 est. 163 Burundi $ 3,146,000,000 2002 est. 164 Liberia $ 3,116,000,000 2002 est. 165 New Caledonia $ 3,000,000,000 2002 est. 166 Sierra Leone $ 2,826,000,000 2002 est. 167 Bhutan $ 2,700,000,000 2002 est. 168 Guyana $ 2,628,000,000 2002 est. 169 Gambia, The $ 2,582,000,000 2002 est. 170 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 171 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 172 Virgin Islands $ 2,400,000,000 2001 est. 173 French Guiana $ 2,260,000,000 2002 est. 174 Bermuda $ 2,250,000,000 2002 est. 175 Jersey $ 2,200,000,000 1999 est. 176 Aruba $ 1,940,000,000 2002 est. 177 West Bank $ 1,700,000,000 2002 est. 178 Man, Isle of $ 1,600,000,000 2001 est. 179 Suriname $ 1,469,000,000 2002 est. 180 Andorra $ 1,300,000,000 2000 est. 181 Guernsey $ 1,300,000,000 1999 est. 182 French Polynesia $ 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 183 Belize $ 1,280,000,000 2002 est. 184 Cayman Islands $ 1,270,000,000 2002 est. 185 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,270,000,000 2002 est. 186 Maldives $ 1,250,000,000 2002 est. 187 Greenland $ 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 188 Faroe Islands $ 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 189 Samoa $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 190 San Marino $ 940,000,000 2001 est. 191 Guinea-Bissau $ 901,400,000 2002 est. 192 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 193 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 194 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 195 Monaco $ 870,000,000 1999 est. 196 Saint Lucia $ 866,000,000 2002 est. 197 Liechtenstein $ 825,000,000 1999 est. 198 Solomon Islands $ 800,000,000 2001 est. 199 Cyprus $ 787,000,000 2002 est. 200 Antigua and Barbuda $ 750,000,000 2002 est. 201 Gaza Strip $ 735,000,000 2002 est. 202 Seychelles $ 626,000,000 2002 est. 203 Djibouti $ 619,000,000 2002 est. 204 Cape Verde $ 600,000,000 2002 est. 205 Vanuatu $ 563,000,000 2002 est. 206 American Samoa $ 500,000,000 2000 est. 207 Gibraltar $ 500,000,000 1997 est. 208 Comoros $ 441,000,000 2002 est. 209 Grenada $ 440,000,000 2002 est. 210 East Timor $ 440,000,000 2001 est. 211 Dominica $ 380,000,000 2002 est. 212 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 339,000,000 2002 est. 213 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 339,000,000 2002 est. 214 British Virgin Islands $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 215 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 216 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 217 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 218 Tonga $ 236,000,000 2001 est. 219 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 231,000,000 2000 est. 220 Sao Tome and Principe $ 200,000,000 2002 est. 221 Palau $ 174,000,000 2001 est. 222 Palau $ 174,000,000 2001 est. 223 Palau $ 174,000,000 2001 est. 224 Marshall Islands $ 115,000,000 2001 est. 225 Cook Islands $ 105,000,000 2001 est. 226 Anguilla $ 104,000,000 2001 est. 227 Mayotte $ 85,000,000 1998 est. 228 Kiribati $ 79,000,000 2001 est. 229 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 75,000,000 2002 est. 230 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 74,000,000 1996 est. 231 Nauru $ 60,000,000 2001 est. 232 Wallis and Futuna $ 30,000,000 2000 est. 233 Montserrat $ 29,000,000 2002 est. 234 Saint Helena $ 18,000,000 1998 est. 235 Tuvalu $ 12,200,000 2000 est. 236 Niue $ 7,600,000 2000 est. 237 Tokelau $ 1,500,000 1993 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2003

Rank Country GDP - real growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Turkmenistan 21.10 2002 est. 2 Equatorial Guinea 20.00 2002 est. 3 East Timor 18.00 2001 est. 4 Man, Isle of 13.50 5 Armenia 12.90 2002 est. 6 Liechtenstein 11.00 1999 est. 7 Azerbaijan 10.60 2002 est. 8 Faroe Islands 10.00 2001 est. 9 Rwanda 9.70 2002 est. 10 Kazakhstan 9.50 2002 est. 11 Macau 9.50 2002 est. 12 Angola 9.40 2002 est. 13 Tajikistan 9.10 2002 est. 14 China 8.00 2002 est. 15 Turkey 7.80 2002 est. 16 Bhutan 7.70 2002 est. 17 Mozambique 7.70 2002 est. 18 Iran 7.60 2002 est. 19 San Marino 7.50 2001 est. 20 Chad 7.40 2002 est. 21 Albania 7.30 2002 est. 22 Cook Islands 7.10 2001 est. 23 Vietnam 7.00 2002 est. 24 Ireland 6.90 2002 est. 25 Lithuania 6.70 2002 est. 26 Sierra Leone 6.60 2002 est. 27 Moldova 6.50 2002 est. 28 Korea, South 6.30 2002 est. 29 Latvia 6.10 2002 est. 30 Tanzania 6.10 2002 est. 31 Benin 6.00 2002 est. 32 Estonia 6.00 2002 est. 33 Gambia, The 5.70 2001 est. 34 Guernsey 5.70 1999 est. 35 Laos 5.70 2002 est. 36 Uganda 5.50 2002 est. 37 Georgia 5.40 2002 est. 38 Burma 5.30 2002 est. 39 Kyrgyzstan 5.30 2002 est. 40 Peru 5.30 2002 est. 41 Thailand 5.30 2002 est. 42 Croatia 5.20 2002 est. 43 Sudan 5.10 2002 est. 44 Samoa 5.00 2002 est. 45 Jordan 4.90 2002 est. 46 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.90 2000 est. 47 Romania 4.90 2002 est. 48 Bangladesh 4.80 2002 est. 49 Bulgaria 4.80 2002 est. 50 Ukraine 4.80 2002 est. 51 Tunisia 4.80 2002 est. 52 Belarus 4.70 2002 est. 53 Fiji 4.60 2002 est. 54 Burkina Faso 4.60 2002 est. 55 Qatar 4.60 2002 est. 56 Morocco 4.60 2002 est. 57 Burundi 4.50 2002 est. 58 Cambodia 4.50 2002 est. 59 Mali 4.50 2002 est. 60 Ghana 4.50 2002 est. 61 Slovakia 4.40 2002 est. 62 Philippines 4.40 2002 est. 63 Pakistan 4.40 FY01/02 est. 64 India 4.30 2002 est. 65 Russia 4.30 2002 est. 66 Botswana 4.20 2002 est. 67 Uzbekistan 4.20 2002 est. 68 Dominican Republic 4.10 2002 est. 69 Malaysia 4.10 2002 est. 70 Yemen 4.10 2002 est. 71 Cameroon 4.00 2002 est. 72 Greece 4.00 2002 est. 73 Serbia and Montenegro 4.00 2002 est. 74 Sao Tome and Principe 4.00 2002 est. 75 Lesotho 4.00 2002 est. 76 French Polynesia 4.00 2001 est. 77 Cape Verde 4.00 2002 est. 78 Mongolia 3.90 2002 est. 79 Andorra 3.80 2000 est. 80 Belize 3.70 2002 est. 81 Indonesia 3.70 2002 est. 82 Guinea 3.70 2002 est. 83 Australia 3.60 2002 est. 84 Syria 3.60 2002 est. 85 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.50 2002 est. 86 Djibouti 3.50 2002 est. 87 Somalia 3.50 2002 est. 88 Taiwan 3.50 2002 est. 89 Ecuador 3.40 2002 est. 90 Algeria 3.30 2002 est. 91 Saint Lucia 3.30 2002 est. 92 Canada 3.30 2002 est. 93 Hungary 3.30 2002 est. 94 Mauritania 3.30 2002 est. 95 New Zealand 3.30 2002 est. 96 Sri Lanka 3.20 2002 est. 97 Egypt 3.20 2002 est. 98 Slovenia 3.20 2002 est. 99 Trinidad and Tobago 3.20 2002 est. 100 Nigeria 3.20 2002 est. 101 Antigua and Barbuda 3.00 2002 est. 102 Tuvalu 3.00 2000 est. 103 Tonga 3.00 2001 est. 104 South Africa 3.00 2002 est. 105 Ethiopia 3.00 2002 est. 106 Brunei 3.00 2002 est. 107 Bahrain 2.90 2002 est. 108 Togo 2.90 2002 est. 109 Niger 2.90 2002 est. 110 Anguilla 2.80 2001 est. 111 Costa Rica 2.80 2002 est. 112 Bolivia 2.80 2002 est. 113 World 2.70 2001 est. 114 Cyprus 2.60 2002 est. 115 Grenada 2.50 2002 est. 116 Reunion 2.50 2002 est. 117 Honduras 2.50 2002 est. 118 Senegal 2.40 2002 est. 119 United States 2.40 2002 est. 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.30 2002 est. 121 Hong Kong 2.30 2002 est. 122 Mauritius 2.30 2002 est. 123 Zambia 2.30 2002 est. 124 Namibia 2.30 2002 est. 125 Maldives 2.30 2002 est. 126 Guatemala 2.20 2002 est. 127 Oman 2.20 2002 est. 128 Singapore 2.20 2002 est. 129 Chile 2.10 2002 est. 130 El Salvador 2.10 2002 est. 131 Comoros 2.00 2002 est. 132 Virgin Islands 2.00 2001 est. 133 Spain 2.00 2002 est. 134 Liberia 2.00 2002 est. 135 Lebanon 2.00 2002 est. 136 Czech Republic 2.00 2002 est. 137 Eritrea 2.00 2002 est. 138 Sweden 1.90 2002 est. 139 Greenland 1.80 2001 est. 140 United Kingdom 1.80 2002 est. 141 United Arab Emirates 1.80 2002 est. 142 Cayman Islands 1.70 2002 est. 143 Cyprus 1.70 2002 est. 144 Malawi 1.70 2002 est. 145 Denmark 1.60 2002 est. 146 Swaziland 1.60 2002 est. 147 Finland 1.60 2002 est. 148 Brazil 1.50 2002 est. 149 Seychelles 1.50 2002 est. 150 Kiribati 1.50 2001 est. 151 Central African Republic 1.50 2002 est. 152 Colombia 1.50 2002 est. 153 Poland 1.40 2002 est. 154 Dominica 1.20 2002 est. 155 Suriname 1.20 2002 est. 156 France 1.20 2002 est. 157 Malta 1.20 2002 est. 158 Libya 1.20 2002 est. 159 Austria 1.10 2002 est. 160 Nicaragua 1.10 2002 est. 161 Kenya 1.10 2002 est. 162 Cuba 1.10 2002 est. 163 Guyana 1.10 2002 est. 164 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 165 Saudi Arabia 1.00 2002 est. 166 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2002 est. 167 Marshall Islands 1.00 2001 est. 168 Jamaica 1.00 2002 est. 169 Norway 1.00 2002 est. 170 Palau 1.00 2001 est. 171 Korea, North 1.00 2002 est. 172 Belgium 0.70 2002 est. 173 Panama 0.70 2002 est. 174 Mexico 0.70 2002 est. 175 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 0.70 2002 est. 176 Bermuda 0.50 2002 est. 177 Italy 0.40 2002 est. 178 Luxembourg 0.40 2002 est. 179 Portugal 0.40 2002 est. 180 Gabon 0.20 2002 est. 181 Germany 0.20 2002 est. 182 Netherlands 0.20 2002 est. 183 Japan 0.20 2002 est. 184 Bahamas, The 0.10 2002 est. 185 Switzerland 0.10 2002 est. 186 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2002 est. 187 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2002 est. 188 Puerto Rico -0.20 2002 est. 189 Niue -0.30 2000 est. 190 Vanuatu -0.30 2002 est. 191 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.50 2002 est. 192 Iceland -0.60 2002 est. 193 Nepal -0.60 2002 est. 194 Israel -0.80 2002 est. 195 Haiti -0.90 2002 est. 196 Montserrat -1.00 2002 est. 197 Aruba -1.50 2002 est. 198 Cote d'Ivoire -1.60 2002 est. 199 Saint Kitts and Nevis -1.90 2002 est. 200 Kuwait -2.00 2002 est. 201 Paraguay -2.70 2002 est. 202 Barbados -2.80 2002 est. 203 Iraq -3.00 2002 est. 204 Papua New Guinea -3.10 2002 est. 205 Guinea-Bissau -4.30 2002 est. 206 Venezuela -8.90 2002 est. 207 Solomon Islands -10.00 2001 est. 208 Uruguay -10.80 2002 est. 209 Argentina -10.90 2002 est. 210 Madagascar -11.90 2002 est. 211 Zimbabwe -13.00 2002 est. 212 Gaza Strip -15.00 2002 est. 213 West Bank -22.00 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2004

Rank Country GDP - per capita Date of Information

1 Luxembourg $ 48,900 2002 est. 2 United States $ 36,300 2002 est. 3 Bermuda $ 35,200 2002 est. 4 Cayman Islands $ 35,000 2002 est. 5 San Marino $ 34,600 2001 est. 6 Norway $ 33,000 2002 est. 7 Switzerland $ 32,000 2002 est. 8 Iceland $ 30,200 2002 est. 9 Canada $ 29,300 2002 est. 10 Ireland $ 29,300 2002 est. 11 Belgium $ 29,200 2002 est. 12 Denmark $ 28,900 2002 est. 13 Japan $ 28,700 2002 est. 14 Aruba $ 28,000 2002 est. 15 Austria $ 27,900 2002 est. 16 Hong Kong $ 27,200 2002 est. 17 Netherlands $ 27,200 2002 est. 18 Monaco $ 27,000 1999 est. 19 Australia $ 26,900 2002 est. 20 Germany $ 26,200 2002 est. 21 France $ 26,000 2002 est. 22 Sweden $ 26,000 2002 est. 23 Finland $ 25,800 2002 est. 24 United Kingdom $ 25,500 2002 est. 25 Singapore $ 25,200 2002 est. 26 Italy $ 25,100 2002 est. 27 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 25,000 2002 est. 28 Liechtenstein $ 25,000 1999 est. 29 Jersey $ 24,800 1999 est. 30 United Arab Emirates $ 22,100 2002 est. 31 Faroe Islands $ 22,000 2001 est. 32 Spain $ 21,200 2002 est. 33 Guam $ 21,000 2000 est. 34 Man, Isle of $ 21,000 2001 est. 35 New Zealand $ 20,100 2002 est. 36 Qatar $ 20,100 2002 est. 37 Guernsey $ 20,000 1999 est. 38 Greenland $ 20,000 2001 est. 39 Korea, South $ 19,600 2002 est. 40 Israel $ 19,500 2002 est. 41 Portugal $ 19,400 2002 est. 42 Slovenia $ 19,200 2002 est. 43 Greece $ 19,100 2002 est. 44 Andorra $ 19,000 2000 est. 45 Virgin Islands $ 19,000 2001 est. 46 Brunei $ 18,600 2002 est. 47 Macau $ 18,500 2002 est. 48 Taiwan $ 18,000 2002 est. 49 Gibraltar $ 17,500 1997 est. 50 Kuwait $ 17,500 2002 est. 51 Malta $ 17,200 2002 est. 52 British Virgin Islands $ 16,000 2002 est. 53 Bahamas, The $ 15,300 2002 est. 54 Czech Republic $ 15,300 2002 est. 55 Bahrain $ 15,100 2002 est. 56 Barbados $ 15,000 2002 est. 57 Cyprus $ 15,000 2002 est. 58 French Guiana $ 14,400 2000 est. 59 New Caledonia $ 14,000 2002 est. 60 Hungary $ 13,300 2002 est. 61 Northern Mariana Islands $ 12,500 2000 est. 62 Slovakia $ 12,400 2002 est. 63 Netherlands Antilles $ 11,400 2002 est. 64 Saudi Arabia $ 11,400 2002 est. 65 Puerto Rico $ 11,100 2002 est. 66 Antigua and Barbuda $ 11,000 2002 est. 67 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 11,000 1996 est. 68 Estonia $ 11,000 2002 est. 69 Martinique $ 10,700 2001 est. 70 Argentina $ 10,500 2002 est. 71 Chile $ 10,100 2002 est. 72 Mauritius $ 10,100 2002 est. 73 South Africa $ 10,000 2002 est. 74 Trinidad and Tobago $ 10,000 2002 est. 75 Croatia $ 9,800 2002 est. 76 Poland $ 9,700 2002 est. 77 Russia $ 9,700 2002 est. 78 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 9,600 2000 est. 79 Guadeloupe $ 9,000 1997 est. 80 Palau $ 9,000 2001 est. 81 Latvia $ 8,900 2002 est. 82 Mexico $ 8,900 2002 est. 83 Malaysia $ 8,800 2002 est. 84 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 8,800 2002 est. 85 Belarus $ 8,700 2002 est. 86 Anguilla $ 8,600 2001 est. 87 Botswana $ 8,500 2002 est. 88 Lithuania $ 8,400 2002 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 8,300 2002 est. 90 Oman $ 8,300 2002 est. 91 American Samoa $ 8,000 2000 est. 92 Uruguay $ 7,900 2002 est. 93 World $ 7,900 2002 est. 94 Seychelles $ 7,800 2002 est. 95 Brazil $ 7,600 2002 est. 96 Romania $ 7,600 2002 est. 97 Turkey $ 7,300 2002 est. 98 Kazakhstan $ 7,200 2002 est. 99 Thailand $ 7,000 2002 est. 100 Namibia $ 6,900 2002 est. 101 Iran $ 6,800 2002 est. 102 Tunisia $ 6,800 2002 est. 103 Turkmenistan $ 6,700 2002 est. 104 Bulgaria $ 6,500 2002 est. 105 Gabon $ 6,500 2002 est. 106 Dominican Republic $ 6,300 2002 est. 107 Libya $ 6,200 2002 est. 108 Panama $ 6,200 2002 est. 109 Colombia $ 6,100 2002 est. 110 Cyprus $ 6,000 2002 est. 111 Fiji $ 5,600 2002 est. 112 Samoa $ 5,600 2002 est. 113 Reunion $ 5,600 2002 est. 114 Algeria $ 5,400 2002 est. 115 Saint Lucia $ 5,400 2002 est. 116 Venezuela $ 5,400 2002 est. 117 Dominica $ 5,400 2002 est. 118 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 5,100 2002 est. 119 Cook Islands $ 5,000 2001 est. 120 Peru $ 5,000 2002 est. 121 Nauru $ 5,000 2001 est. 122 Grenada $ 5,000 2002 est. 123 French Polynesia $ 5,000 2001 est. 124 Belize $ 4,900 2002 est. 125 Lebanon $ 4,800 2002 est. 126 Swaziland $ 4,800 2002 est. 127 China $ 4,700 2002 est. 128 El Salvador $ 4,600 2002 est. 129 Philippines $ 4,600 2002 est. 130 Ukraine $ 4,500 2002 est. 131 Albania $ 4,400 2002 est. 132 Jordan $ 4,300 2002 est. 133 Paraguay $ 4,300 2002 est. 134 Egypt $ 4,000 2002 est. 135 Guatemala $ 3,900 2002 est. 136 Maldives $ 3,900 2002 est. 137 Morocco $ 3,900 2002 est. 138 Guyana $ 3,800 2002 est. 139 Jamaica $ 3,800 2002 est. 140 Azerbaijan $ 3,700 2002 est. 141 Sri Lanka $ 3,700 2002 est. 142 Syria $ 3,700 2002 est. 143 Armenia $ 3,600 2002 est. 144 Niue $ 3,600 2000 est. 145 Montserrat $ 3,400 2002 est. 146 Suriname $ 3,400 2002 est. 147 Ecuador $ 3,200 2002 est. 148 Georgia $ 3,200 2001 est. 149 Indonesia $ 3,100 2002 est. 150 Kyrgyzstan $ 2,900 2002 est. 151 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 2,900 2002 est. 152 Vanuatu $ 2,900 2002 est. 153 Cuba $ 2,700 2002 est. 154 Lesotho $ 2,700 2002 est. 155 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,700 2002 est. 156 India $ 2,600 2002 est. 157 Uzbekistan $ 2,600 2002 est. 158 Moldova $ 2,600 2002 est. 159 Bolivia $ 2,500 2002 est. 160 Saint Helena $ 2,500 1998 est. 161 Honduras $ 2,500 2002 est. 162 Iraq $ 2,400 2002 est. 163 Vietnam $ 2,300 2002 est. 164 Nicaragua $ 2,200 2002 est. 165 Tonga $ 2,200 2001 est. 166 Serbia and Montenegro $ 2,200 2002 est. 167 Guinea $ 2,100 2002 est. 168 Zimbabwe $ 2,100 2002 est. 169 Papua New Guinea $ 2,100 2002 est. 170 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 2,000 2002 est. 171 Wallis and Futuna $ 2,000 2000 est. 172 Ghana $ 2,000 2002 est. 173 Pakistan $ 2,000 FY01/02 est. 174 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,900 2002 est. 175 Mongolia $ 1,900 2002 est. 176 Bangladesh $ 1,800 2002 est. 177 Laos $ 1,800 2002 est. 178 Gambia, The $ 1,800 2002 est. 179 Angola $ 1,700 2002 est. 180 Mauritania $ 1,700 2002 est. 181 Cameroon $ 1,700 2002 est. 182 Solomon Islands $ 1,700 2001 est. 183 Burma $ 1,700 2002 est. 184 Cambodia $ 1,600 2002 est. 185 Marshall Islands $ 1,600 2001 est. 186 Senegal $ 1,500 2002 est. 187 Cape Verde $ 1,400 2002 est. 188 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,400 2002 est. 189 Sudan $ 1,400 2002 est. 190 Togo $ 1,400 2002 est. 191 Nepal $ 1,400 2002 est. 192 Haiti $ 1,400 2002 est. 193 Bhutan $ 1,300 2002 est. 194 Tajikistan $ 1,300 2002 est. 195 Djibouti $ 1,300 2002 est. 196 Central African Republic $ 1,200 2002 est. 197 Sao Tome and Principe $ 1,200 2002 est. 198 Uganda $ 1,200 2002 est. 199 Rwanda $ 1,200 2002 est. 200 Benin $ 1,100 2002 est. 201 Kenya $ 1,100 2002 est. 202 Mozambique $ 1,100 2002 est. 203 Burkina Faso $ 1,100 2002 est. 204 Tuvalu $ 1,100 2000 est. 205 Chad $ 1,000 2002 est. 206 Korea, North $ 1,000 2002 est. 207 Tokelau $ 1,000 1993 est. 208 Liberia $ 1,000 2002 est. 209 Congo, Republic of the $ 900 2002 est. 210 Mali $ 900 2002 est. 211 Nigeria $ 900 2002 est. 212 Kiribati $ 800 2001 est. 213 Zambia $ 800 2002 est. 214 Yemen $ 800 2002 est. 215 West Bank $ 800 2002 est. 216 Niger $ 800 2002 est. 217 Madagascar $ 800 2002 est. 218 Afghanistan $ 700 2002 est. 219 Comoros $ 700 2002 est. 220 Eritrea $ 700 2002 est. 221 Ethiopia $ 700 2002 est. 222 Guinea-Bissau $ 700 2002 est. 223 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 600 2002 est. 224 Tanzania $ 600 2002 est. 225 Gaza Strip $ 600 2002 est. 226 Mayotte $ 600 1998 est. 227 Malawi $ 600 2002 est. 228 Somalia $ 600 2002 est. 229 Burundi $ 500 2002 est. 230 East Timor $ 500 2001 est. 231 Sierra Leone $ 500 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2034

Rank Country Military expenditures - percent of GDP(%) Date of Information

1 Korea, North 33.90 FY02 2 Mali 15.00 FY02 3 Saudi Arabia 13.00 4 Ethiopia 12.60 FY00 5 Oman 12.20 FY01 6 Eritrea 12.00 FY02 7 Qatar 10.00 8 Israel 8.75 FY02 9 Jordan 8.60 FY01 10 Maldives 8.60 FY02 11 Afghanistan 7.70 FY02 12 Bahrain 6.70 FY01 13 Armenia 6.50 FY01 14 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 6.00 15 Syria 5.90 16 Kuwait 5.50 FY01 17 Angola 5.40 FY02 18 Burundi 5.30 FY02 19 New Caledonia 5.30 FY96 20 Yemen 5.20 FY01 21 Brunei 5.00 FY02 22 Greece 4.91 23 Singapore 4.90 24 Lebanon 4.80 25 Swaziland 4.75 FY00 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.60 27 Pakistan 4.60 FY02 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 29 Turkey 4.50 2002 est. 30 Djibouti 4.40 FY02 31 China 4.30 FY02 32 Sri Lanka 4.20 33 Laos 4.20 34 Algeria 4.10 35 Egypt 4.10 FY99 36 Cuba 4.00 37 Morocco 4.00 38 Libya 3.90 39 Tajikistan 3.90 FY01 40 Cyprus 3.80 41 Mauritania 3.70 FY02 42 Botswana 3.50 FY02 43 Colombia 3.40 FY01 44 Turkmenistan 3.40 45 Ecuador 3.40 46 Guinea 3.30 FY02 47 United States 3.20 48 Zimbabwe 3.20 FY02 49 Chile 3.10 50 Iran 3.10 51 United Arab Emirates 3.10 52 Cambodia 3.00 53 Rwanda 3.00 FY02 54 Comoros 3.00 FY02 55 Australia 2.90 FY02 56 Congo, Republic of the 2.80 FY01 57 Korea, South 2.80 FY02 58 Guinea-Bissau 2.80 FY02 59 Benin 2.70 FY02 60 Taiwan 2.70 FY02 61 Bulgaria 2.70 FY02 62 Azerbaijan 2.60 63 France 2.57 2002 64 Equatorial Guinea 2.50 FY02 65 Vietnam 2.50 66 Sudan 2.50 67 Romania 2.47 2002 68 Namibia 2.40 FY02 69 Croatia 2.39 2002 est. 70 United Kingdom 2.32 2002 71 India 2.30 FY02 72 Fiji 2.20 FY02 73 Mongolia 2.20 FY02 74 Portugal 2.20 FY99/00 75 Norway 2.13 2002 76 Burma 2.10 77 Uganda 2.10 FY02 78 Sweden 2.10 FY01 79 Czech Republic 2.10 FY01 80 Malaysia 2.03 81 Estonia 2.00 2002 est. 82 Gabon 2.00 FY02 83 Uzbekistan 2.00 84 World 2.00 85 Finland 2.00 FY98/99 86 Brazil 1.90 FY99 87 Chad 1.90 FY02 88 Lithuania 1.90 FY01 89 Bhutan 1.90 FY02 90 Slovakia 1.89 2002 91 Belize 1.87 92 Bangladesh 1.80 FY96 93 Bolivia 1.80 FY99 94 Kenya 1.80 FY02 95 Peru 1.80 96 Seychelles 1.80 FY02 97 Togo 1.80 FY02 98 Hungary 1.75 2002 est. 99 Poland 1.71 2002 100 Malta 1.70 2000 101 Slovenia 1.70 FY00 102 South Africa 1.70 FY02 103 Italy 1.64 2002 104 Costa Rica 1.60 105 Cape Verde 1.60 FY02 106 Suriname 1.60 107 Netherlands 1.50 FY00/01 est. 108 Sierra Leone 1.50 FY02 109 Tunisia 1.50 110 Philippines 1.50 111 Albania 1.49 FY02 112 Belgium 1.40 FY01/02 113 Belarus 1.40 FY02 114 Denmark 1.40 FY99/00 115 Burkina Faso 1.40 FY02 116 Ukraine 1.40 FY02 117 Thailand 1.40 118 Trinidad and Tobago 1.40 1999 119 Senegal 1.40 FY02 120 Papua New Guinea 1.40 FY02 121 Paraguay 1.40 122 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 FY01 123 Cote d'Ivoire 1.40 FY02 124 Cameroon 1.40 FY98 125 Germany 1.38 2002 126 Argentina 1.30 FY00 127 Haiti 1.30 FY00 128 Indonesia 1.30 129 Liberia 1.30 FY02 130 Panama 1.30 131 Latvia 1.20 FY01 132 Nicaragua 1.20 133 Madagascar 1.20 FY02 134 Spain 1.15 2002 135 Canada 1.10 FY01/02 136 Central African Republic 1.10 FY02 137 Dominican Republic 1.10 138 Niger 1.10 FY02 139 Nepal 1.10 FY02 140 Uruguay 1.10 2000 141 Japan 1.00 FY02 142 Mexico 1.00 143 Mozambique 1.00 144 New Zealand 1.00 FY02 145 Switzerland 1.00 FY01 146 Nigeria 1.00 FY02 147 Ireland 0.90 FY00/01 148 Venezuela 0.90 149 Zambia 0.90 FY02 150 Somalia 0.90 FY02 151 Kazakhstan 0.90 FY02 152 Austria 0.80 FY01/02 153 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 FY01 154 Luxembourg 0.80 FY01/02 155 Bahamas, The 0.70 FY99 156 Malawi 0.70 FY02 157 El Salvador 0.70 158 Ghana 0.60 FY02 159 Guatemala 0.60 160 Honduras 0.60 161 Georgia 0.59 162 Moldova 0.40 FY02 163 Gambia, The 0.30 FY02 164 Mauritius 0.20 FY02 165 Tanzania 0.20 FY02 166 Bermuda 0.11

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2038

Rank Country Electricity - production(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 14,850,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 3,719,000,000,000 2001 3 China 1,420,000,000,000 2001 4 Japan 1,037,000,000,000 2001 5 Russia 846,500,000,000 2001 6 Canada 566,300,000,000 2001 7 Germany 544,800,000,000 2001 8 India 533,300,000,000 2001 9 France 520,100,000,000 2001 10 United Kingdom 360,900,000,000 2001 11 Brazil 321,200,000,000 2001 12 Korea, South 290,700,000,000 2001 13 Italy 258,800,000,000 2001 14 Spain 222,500,000,000 2001 15 Mexico 198,600,000,000 2001 16 Australia 198,200,000,000 2001 17 South Africa 195,600,000,000 2001 18 Ukraine 164,700,000,000 2001 19 Sweden 152,900,000,000 2001 20 Taiwan 151,100,000,000 2001 21 Poland 135,000,000,000 2001 22 Iran 124,600,000,000 2001 23 Saudi Arabia 122,400,000,000 2001 24 Norway 120,100,000,000 2001 25 Turkey 116,600,000,000 2001 26 Thailand 97,600,000,000 2001 27 Argentina 97,170,000,000 2001 28 Indonesia 95,780,000,000 2001 29 Netherlands 88,320,000,000 2001 30 Venezuela 87,600,000,000 2001 31 Ecuador 75,230,000,000 2001 32 Egypt 75,230,000,000 2001 33 Belgium 74,280,000,000 2001 34 Finland 71,200,000,000 2001 35 Czech Republic 70,040,000,000 2001 36 Switzerland 68,680,000,000 2001 37 Malaysia 68,340,000,000 2001 38 Pakistan 66,960,000,000 2001 39 Austria 58,750,000,000 2001 40 Kazakhstan 52,430,000,000 2001 41 Romania 50,860,000,000 2001 42 Greece 49,790,000,000 2001 43 Philippines 45,210,000,000 2001 44 Paraguay 44,890,000,000 2001 45 Uzbekistan 44,490,000,000 2001 46 Portugal 44,320,000,000 2001 47 Colombia 42,990,000,000 2001 48 Israel 42,240,000,000 2001 49 Chile 41,660,000,000 2001 50 Bulgaria 41,380,000,000 2001 51 United Arab Emirates 37,740,000,000 2001 52 New Zealand 37,510,000,000 2001 53 Iraq 36,010,000,000 2001 54 Denmark 35,470,000,000 2001 55 Hungary 34,390,000,000 2001 56 Serbia and Montenegro 31,710,000,000 2001 57 Kuwait 31,490,000,000 2001 58 Hong Kong 30,480,000,000 2001 59 Singapore 30,480,000,000 2001 60 Slovakia 30,290,000,000 2001 61 Korea, North 30,010,000,000 2001 62 Vietnam 29,800,000,000 2001 63 Algeria 24,690,000,000 2001 64 Belarus 24,400,000,000 2001 65 Ireland 23,530,000,000 2001 66 Syria 23,260,000,000 2001 67 Puerto Rico 20,900,000,000 2001 68 Peru 20,590,000,000 2001 69 Libya 20,180,000,000 2001 70 Azerbaijan 18,230,000,000 2001 71 Nigeria 15,670,000,000 2001 72 Bangladesh 15,330,000,000 2001 73 Lithuania 14,620,000,000 2001 74 Cuba 14,380,000,000 2001 75 Tajikistan 14,180,000,000 2001 76 Slovenia 13,690,000,000 2001 77 Kyrgyzstan 13,450,000,000 2001 78 Morocco 13,350,000,000 2001 79 Croatia 12,120,000,000 2001 80 Tunisia 10,480,000,000 2001 81 Turkmenistan 10,180,000,000 2001 82 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9,979,000,000 2001 83 Oman 9,274,000,000 2001 84 Qatar 9,264,000,000 2001 85 Dominican Republic 9,186,000,000 2001 86 Ghana 8,801,000,000 2001 87 Uruguay 7,963,000,000 2001 88 Estonia 7,937,000,000 2001 89 Iceland 7,894,000,000 2001 90 Zambia 7,751,000,000 2001 91 Georgia 7,270,000,000 2001 92 Mozambique 7,193,000,000 2001 93 Jordan 7,091,000,000 2001 94 Costa Rica 6,839,000,000 2001 95 Zimbabwe 6,735,000,000 2001 96 Lebanon 6,728,000,000 2001 97 Armenia 6,479,000,000 2001 98 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 6,465,000,000 2001 99 Sri Lanka 6,360,000,000 2001 100 Jamaica 6,272,000,000 2001 101 Bahrain 6,257,000,000 2001 102 Guatemala 6,237,000,000 2001 103 Burma 6,139,000,000 2001 104 Trinidad and Tobago 5,315,000,000 2001 105 Albania 5,289,000,000 2001 106 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,243,000,000 2001 107 Cote d'Ivoire 4,605,000,000 2001 108 Latvia 4,365,000,000 2001 109 Panama 4,039,000,000 2001 110 Kenya 4,033,000,000 2001 111 Bolivia 3,901,000,000 2001 112 Honduras 3,778,000,000 2001 113 El Salvador 3,729,000,000 2001 114 Cameroon 3,613,000,000 2001 115 Cyprus 3,401,000,000 2001 116 Moldova 3,394,000,000 2001 117 Yemen 3,010,000,000 2001 118 Tanzania 2,906,000,000 2001 119 Nicaragua 2,549,000,000 2001 120 Brunei 2,497,000,000 2001 121 Sudan 2,389,000,000 2001 122 Mongolia 2,225,000,000 2001 123 Suriname 1,959,000,000 2001 124 Uganda 1,928,000,000 2001 125 Bhutan 1,896,000,000 2001 126 Malta 1,768,000,000 2001 127 Nepal 1,755,000,000 2001 128 Ethiopia 1,713,000,000 2001 129 New Caledonia 1,613,000,000 2001 130 Macau 1,611,000,000 2002 131 Bahamas, The 1,560,000,000 2001 132 Senegal 1,518,000,000 2001 133 Papua New Guinea 1,496,000,000 2001 134 Angola 1,450,000,000 2001 135 Laos 1,317,000,000 2001 136 Mauritius 1,311,000,000 2001 137 Guadeloupe 1,155,000,000 2001 138 Martinique 1,151,000,000 2001 139 Reunion 1,080,000,000 2001 140 Netherlands Antilles 1,061,000,000 2001 141 Virgin Islands 1,030,000,000 2001 142 Guyana 852,000,000 2001 143 Madagascar 830,200,000 2001 144 Guam 830,000,000 2001 145 Gabon 798,400,000 2001 146 Guinea 790,600,000 2001 147 Barbados 780,000,000 2001 148 Malawi 769,200,000 2001 149 Bermuda 643,700,000 2001 150 Haiti 580,000,000 2001 151 Aruba 531,900,000 2001 152 Fiji 520,100,000 2001 153 Mali 480,200,000 2001 154 Liberia 468,800,000 2001 155 Luxembourg 457,000,000 2001 156 French Guiana 455,000,000 2001 157 French Polynesia 428,300,000 2001 158 Botswana 409,800,000 2001 159 Cayman Islands 381,900,000 2001 160 Congo, Republic of the 358,100,000 2001 161 Swaziland 348,300,000 2001 162 Afghanistan 334,800,000 2001 163 Burkina Faso 279,200,000 2001 164 Benin 274,300,000 2001 165 Sierra Leone 250,100,000 2001 166 Somalia 245,100,000 2001 167 Greenland 245,000,000 2001 168 Niger 242,000,000 2001 169 Eritrea 220,500,000 2001 170 Belize 199,500,000 2001 171 Djibouti 180,000,000 2001 172 Faroe Islands 160,400,000 2001 173 Seychelles 160,000,000 2001 174 Mauritania 157,400,000 2001 175 Burundi 155,400,000 2001 176 Grenada 138,000,000 2001 177 American Samoa 130,000,000 2001 178 Saint Lucia 120,200,000 2001 179 Cambodia 119,000,000 2001 180 Maldives 117,000,000 2001 181 Central African Republic 106,000,000 2001 182 Antigua and Barbuda 105,300,000 2001 183 Samoa 105,100,000 2001 184 Togo 101,600,000 2001 185 Saint Kitts and Nevis 100,300,000 2001 186 Gibraltar 100,000,000 2001 187 Rwanda 96,780,000 2001 188 Chad 94,040,000 2001 189 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 92,480,000 2001 190 Western Sahara 90,000,000 2001 191 Gambia, The 85,330,000 2001 192 Dominica 72,410,000 2001 193 Guinea-Bissau 55,000,000 2001 194 Johnston Atoll 44,200,000 1999 195 Vanuatu 43,460,000 2001 196 Cape Verde 42,030,000 2001 197 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 42,030,000 2001 198 British Virgin Islands 38,100,000 2001 199 Solomon Islands 32,000,000 2001 200 Nauru 30,000,000 2001 201 Cook Islands 27,430,000 2001 202 Tonga 27,270,000 2001 203 Namibia 26,950,000 2001 204 Equatorial Guinea 23,560,000 2001 205 Comoros 21,270,000 2001 206 Sao Tome and Principe 17,000,000 2001 207 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 16,330,000 2001 208 Kiribati 7,000,000 2001 209 Saint Helena 5,000,000 2001 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,000,000 2001 211 Niue 3,000,000 2001 212 Montserrat 2,500,000 2001 213 Lesotho 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2042

Rank Country Electricity - consumption(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 13,930,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 3,602,000,000,000 2001 3 China 1,312,000,000,000 2001 4 Japan 964,200,000,000 2001 5 Russia 773,000,000,000 2001 6 Germany 506,800,000,000 2001 7 Canada 504,400,000,000 2001 8 India 497,200,000,000 2001 9 France 415,300,000,000 2001 10 United Kingdom 346,100,000,000 2001 11 Brazil 335,900,000,000 2001 12 Italy 289,100,000,000 2001 13 Korea, South 270,300,000,000 2001 14 Spain 210,400,000,000 2001 15 Mexico 186,700,000,000 2001 16 Australia 184,400,000,000 2001 17 South Africa 181,200,000,000 2001 18 Ukraine 152,400,000,000 2001 19 Taiwan 140,500,000,000 2001 20 Sweden 134,900,000,000 2001 21 Poland 118,800,000,000 2001 22 Iran 115,900,000,000 2001 23 Norway 115,300,000,000 2001 24 Saudi Arabia 113,800,000,000 2001 25 Turkey 112,600,000,000 2001 26 Netherlands 99,420,000,000 2001 27 Argentina 92,120,000,000 2001 28 Thailand 90,910,000,000 2001 29 Indonesia 89,080,000,000 2001 30 Venezuela 81,470,000,000 2001 31 Belgium 78,180,000,000 2001 32 Finland 76,180,000,000 2001 33 Ecuador 69,960,000,000 2001 34 Egypt 69,960,000,000 2001 35 Malaysia 63,480,000,000 2001 36 Pakistan 62,270,000,000 2001 37 Czech Republic 55,600,000,000 2001 38 Austria 54,850,000,000 2001 39 Switzerland 53,430,000,000 2001 40 Greece 48,800,000,000 2001 41 Kazakhstan 48,360,000,000 2001 42 Uzbekistan 47,070,000,000 2001 43 Romania 46,100,000,000 2001 44 Philippines 42,040,000,000 2001 45 Portugal 41,480,000,000 2001 46 Chile 40,130,000,000 2001 47 Colombia 39,810,000,000 2001 48 Israel 37,820,000,000 2001 49 Hong Kong 37,120,000,000 2001 50 Hungary 35,150,000,000 2001 51 United Arab Emirates 35,100,000,000 2001 52 New Zealand 34,880,000,000 2001 53 Iraq 33,490,000,000 2001 54 Bulgaria 32,520,000,000 2001 55 Denmark 32,410,000,000 2001 56 Serbia and Montenegro 32,370,000,000 2001 57 Kuwait 29,290,000,000 2001 58 Singapore 28,350,000,000 2001 59 Korea, North 27,910,000,000 2001 60 Vietnam 27,710,000,000 2001 61 Belarus 26,690,000,000 2001 62 Slovakia 24,410,000,000 2001 63 Algeria 22,900,000,000 2001 64 Ireland 21,630,000,000 2001 65 Syria 21,630,000,000 2001 66 Puerto Rico 19,440,000,000 2001 67 Peru 19,150,000,000 2001 68 Libya 18,770,000,000 2001 69 Azerbaijan 16,650,000,000 2001 70 Morocco 14,610,000,000 2001 71 Nigeria 14,550,000,000 2001 72 Tajikistan 14,520,000,000 2001 73 Croatia 14,270,000,000 2001 74 Bangladesh 14,250,000,000 2001 75 Slovenia 13,830,000,000 2001 76 Cuba 13,380,000,000 2001 77 Kyrgyzstan 10,460,000,000 2001 78 Zimbabwe 9,813,000,000 2001 79 Tunisia 9,748,000,000 2001 80 Ghana 8,835,000,000 2001 81 Lithuania 8,683,000,000 2001 82 Oman 8,625,000,000 2001 83 Qatar 8,616,000,000 2001 84 Dominican Republic 8,543,000,000 2001 85 Turkmenistan 8,509,000,000 2001 86 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8,116,000,000 2001 87 Georgia 7,611,000,000 2001 88 Lebanon 7,440,000,000 2001 89 Iceland 7,341,000,000 2001 90 Jordan 6,860,000,000 2001 91 Estonia 6,192,000,000 2001 92 Uruguay 6,152,000,000 2001 93 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 6,112,000,000 2001 94 Costa Rica 6,109,000,000 2001 95 Luxembourg 6,070,000,000 2001 96 Latvia 6,046,000,000 2001 97 Sri Lanka 5,915,000,000 2001 98 Albania 5,898,000,000 2001 99 Jamaica 5,833,000,000 2001 100 Bahrain 5,819,000,000 2001 101 Armenia 5,784,000,000 2001 102 Burma 5,709,000,000 2001 103 Guatemala 5,559,000,000 2001 104 Zambia 5,458,000,000 2001 105 Trinidad and Tobago 4,943,000,000 2001 106 Kenya 3,981,000,000 2001 107 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3,839,000,000 2001 108 Honduras 3,822,000,000 2001 109 El Salvador 3,777,000,000 2001 110 Panama 3,681,000,000 2001 111 Bolivia 3,634,000,000 2001 112 Cameroon 3,360,000,000 2001 113 Moldova 3,216,000,000 2001 114 Cyprus 3,163,000,000 2001 115 Cote d'Ivoire 2,983,000,000 2001 116 Yemen 2,800,000,000 2001 117 Tanzania 2,752,000,000 2001 118 Paraguay 2,637,000,000 2001 119 Nicaragua 2,388,000,000 2001 120 Brunei 2,322,000,000 2001 121 Sudan 2,222,000,000 2001 122 Mongolia 2,194,000,000 2001 123 Suriname 1,822,000,000 2001 124 Nepal 1,764,000,000 2001 125 Macau 1,688,000,000 2002 126 Malta 1,644,000,000 2001 127 Uganda 1,620,000,000 2001 128 Ethiopia 1,594,000,000 2001 129 Botswana 1,564,000,000 2001 130 New Caledonia 1,500,000,000 2001 131 Bahamas, The 1,451,000,000 2001 132 Senegal 1,412,000,000 2001 133 Papua New Guinea 1,391,000,000 2001 134 Mozambique 1,390,000,000 2001 135 Angola 1,348,000,000 2001 136 Mauritius 1,219,000,000 2001 137 Guadeloupe 1,074,000,000 2001 138 Martinique 1,070,000,000 2001 139 Reunion 1,005,000,000 2001 140 Netherlands Antilles 986,800,000 2001 141 Swaziland 962,900,000 2001 142 Virgin Islands 957,900,000 2001 143 Laos 824,700,000 2001 144 Guyana 792,400,000 2001 145 Madagascar 772,100,000 2001 146 Guam 771,900,000 2001 147 Gabon 742,500,000 2001 148 Guinea 735,200,000 2001 149 Barbados 725,400,000 2001 150 Malawi 715,300,000 2001 151 Congo, Republic of the 633,000,000 2001 152 Benin 631,100,000 2001 153 Togo 614,500,000 2001 154 Namibia 603,100,000 2001 155 Bermuda 598,600,000 2001 156 Haiti 539,400,000 2001 157 Afghanistan 511,400,000 2001 158 Aruba 494,700,000 2001 159 Fiji 483,700,000 2001 160 Mali 446,600,000 2001 161 Liberia 435,900,000 2001 162 French Guiana 423,200,000 2001 163 French Polynesia 398,300,000 2001 164 Bhutan 379,500,000 2001 165 Cayman Islands 355,200,000 2001 166 Niger 325,100,000 2001 167 Burkina Faso 259,600,000 2001 168 Sierra Leone 232,600,000 2001 169 Greenland 227,900,000 2001 170 Somalia 227,900,000 2001 171 Eritrea 205,100,000 2001 172 Belize 185,500,000 2001 173 Burundi 177,500,000 2001 174 Djibouti 167,400,000 2001 175 Faroe Islands 149,100,000 2001 176 Seychelles 148,800,000 2001 177 Mauritania 146,300,000 2001 178 Rwanda 140,000,000 2001 179 Grenada 128,300,000 2001 180 American Samoa 120,900,000 2001 181 Saint Lucia 111,800,000 2001 182 Cambodia 110,600,000 2001 183 Maldives 108,800,000 2001 184 Central African Republic 98,630,000 2001 185 Antigua and Barbuda 97,890,000 2001 186 Samoa 97,740,000 2001 187 Saint Kitts and Nevis 93,260,000 2001 188 Gibraltar 93,000,000 2001 189 Chad 87,460,000 2001 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 86,000,000 2001 191 Western Sahara 83,700,000 2001 192 Gambia, The 79,360,000 2001 193 Dominica 67,350,000 2001 194 Guinea-Bissau 51,150,000 2001 195 Anguilla 42,600,000 196 Vanuatu 40,420,000 2001 197 Lesotho 40,000,000 2001 198 Cape Verde 39,080,000 2001 199 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 39,080,000 2001 200 British Virgin Islands 35,430,000 2001 201 Solomon Islands 29,760,000 2001 202 Nauru 27,900,000 2001 203 Cook Islands 25,510,000 2001 204 Tonga 25,360,000 2001 205 Equatorial Guinea 21,910,000 2001 206 Comoros 19,780,000 2001 207 Sao Tome and Principe 15,810,000 2001 208 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 15,190,000 2001 209 Kiribati 6,510,000 2001 210 Saint Helena 4,650,000 2001 211 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,650,000 2001 212 Niue 2,790,000 2001 213 Montserrat 2,325,000 2001 214 Johnston Atoll 2,002,000

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2054

Rank Country Birth rate(births/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Niger 49.54 2003 est. 2 Mali 47.79 2003 est. 3 Chad 47.06 2003 est. 4 Uganda 46.57 2003 est. 5 Somalia 46.42 2003 est. 6 Angola 45.57 2003 est. 7 Liberia 45.28 2003 est. 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 45.12 2003 est. 9 Burkina Faso 44.78 2003 est. 10 Malawi 44.70 2003 est. 11 Sierra Leone 43.89 2003 est. 12 Yemen 43.23 2003 est. 13 Benin 43.15 2003 est. 14 Mayotte 42.86 2003 est. 15 Guinea 42.50 2003 est. 16 Madagascar 42.16 2003 est. 17 Mauritania 42.16 2003 est. 18 Sao Tome and Principe 41.87 2003 est. 19 Gaza Strip 41.23 2003 est. 20 Djibouti 40.78 2003 est. 21 Gambia, The 40.77 2003 est. 22 Afghanistan 40.63 2003 est. 23 Rwanda 40.10 2003 est. 24 Cote d'Ivoire 40.01 2003 est. 25 Ethiopia 39.81 2003 est. 26 Burundi 39.72 2003 est. 27 Zambia 39.53 2003 est. 28 Tanzania 39.50 2003 est. 29 Eritrea 39.44 2003 est. 30 Nigeria 38.75 2003 est. 31 Comoros 38.50 2003 est. 32 Guinea-Bissau 38.41 2003 est. 33 Mozambique 38.20 2003 est. 34 Oman 37.47 2003 est. 35 Saudi Arabia 37.20 2003 est. 36 Equatorial Guinea 36.94 2003 est. 37 Laos 36.93 2003 est. 38 Maldives 36.71 2003 est. 39 Gabon 36.54 2003 est. 40 Sudan 36.48 2003 est. 41 Senegal 36.23 2003 est. 42 Central African Republic 35.93 2003 est. 43 Cameroon 35.49 2003 est. 44 Togo 35.23 2003 est. 45 Guatemala 35.05 2003 est. 46 Bhutan 34.82 2003 est. 47 Marshall Islands 34.18 2003 est. 48 Namibia 34.10 2003 est. 49 West Bank 34.07 2003 est. 50 Haiti 34.06 2003 est. 51 Iraq 33.66 2003 est. 52 Tajikistan 32.78 2003 est. 53 Nepal 32.46 2003 est. 54 Solomon Islands 32.45 2003 est. 55 Honduras 31.67 2003 est. 56 Kiribati 31.24 2003 est. 57 Papua New Guinea 31.07 2003 est. 58 Belize 30.46 2003 est. 59 Zimbabwe 30.34 2003 est. 60 Paraguay 30.14 2003 est. 61 Bangladesh 29.90 2003 est. 62 Pakistan 29.59 2003 est. 63 Syria 29.54 2003 est. 64 Congo, Republic of the 29.46 2003 est. 65 Swaziland 29.37 2003 est. 66 Kenya 28.81 2003 est. 67 Turkmenistan 28.02 2003 est. 68 El Salvador 27.90 2003 est. 69 East Timor 27.75 2003 est. 70 Libya 27.43 2003 est. 71 Cambodia 27.28 2003 est. 72 Lesotho 27.26 2003 est. 73 Cape Verde 26.95 2003 est. 74 Micronesia, Federated States of 26.47 2003 est. 75 Philippines 26.30 2003 est. 76 Nicaragua 26.29 2003 est. 77 Nauru 26.09 2003 est. 78 Uzbekistan 26.09 2003 est. 79 Kyrgyzstan 26.06 2003 est. 80 Ghana 25.84 2003 est. 81 Bolivia 25.53 2003 est. 82 Botswana 25.50 2003 est. 83 Ecuador 24.94 2003 est. 84 Tonga 24.51 2003 est. 85 Egypt 24.36 2003 est. 86 Vanuatu 24.26 2003 est. 87 Dominican Republic 23.94 2003 est. 88 Malaysia 23.70 2003 est. 89 Jordan 23.68 2003 est. 90 Turks and Caicos Islands 23.51 2003 est. 91 India 23.28 2003 est. 92 American Samoa 23.26 2003 est. 93 Morocco 23.26 2003 est. 94 Guam 23.19 2003 est. 95 Fiji 23.06 2003 est. 96 Grenada 22.87 2003 est. 97 Peru 22.81 2003 est. 98 Algeria 21.94 2003 est. 99 Mexico 21.92 2003 est. 100 Kuwait 21.83 2003 est. 101 Colombia 21.59 2003 est. 102 Tuvalu 21.58 2003 est. 103 Indonesia 21.49 2003 est. 104 Mongolia 21.39 2003 est. 105 French Guiana 21.33 2003 est. 106 Saint Lucia 20.93 2003 est. 107 Panama 20.78 2003 est. 108 World 20.43 2003 est. 109 Reunion 20.17 2003 est. 110 Northern Mariana Islands 19.97 2003 est. 111 Venezuela 19.78 2003 est. 112 Brunei 19.68 2003 est. 113 Lebanon 19.68 2003 est. 114 Vietnam 19.58 2003 est. 115 New Caledonia 19.45 2003 est. 116 Costa Rica 19.40 2003 est. 117 Suriname 19.40 2003 est. 118 Azerbaijan 19.28 2003 est. 119 Burma 19.15 2003 est. 120 Bahrain 19.02 2003 est. 121 Palau 19.02 2003 est. 122 South Africa 18.87 2003 est. 123 Israel 18.67 2003 est. 124 Bahamas, The 18.57 2003 est. 125 United Arab Emirates 18.48 2003 est. 126 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.45 2003 est. 127 Kazakhstan 18.36 2003 est. 128 Antigua and Barbuda 18.23 2003 est. 129 Albania 18.20 2003 est. 130 Guyana 17.87 2003 est. 131 French Polynesia 17.74 2003 est. 132 Brazil 17.67 2003 est. 133 Korea, North 17.61 2003 est. 134 Turkey 17.59 2003 est. 135 Montserrat 17.57 2003 est. 136 Argentina 17.47 2003 est. 137 Jamaica 17.35 2003 est. 138 Iran 17.23 2003 est. 139 Uruguay 17.19 2003 est. 140 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.16 2003 est. 141 Seychelles 16.89 2003 est. 142 Dominica 16.78 2003 est. 143 Tunisia 16.53 2003 est. 144 Thailand 16.37 2003 est. 145 Guadeloupe 16.16 2003 est. 146 Sri Lanka 16.12 2003 est. 147 Chile 16.10 2003 est. 148 Mauritius 16.10 2003 est. 149 Greenland 16.09 2003 est. 150 Virgin Islands 15.80 2003 est. 151 Netherlands Antilles 15.76 2003 est. 152 Qatar 15.68 2003 est. 153 Samoa 15.41 2003 est. 154 Puerto Rico 15.00 2003 est. 155 British Virgin Islands 15.00 2003 est. 156 Martinique 14.96 2003 est. 157 Anguilla 14.68 2003 est. 158 Ireland 14.63 2003 est. 159 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 14.62 2003 est. 160 Moldova 14.31 2003 est. 161 New Zealand 14.14 2003 est. 162 United States 14.14 2003 est. 163 Iceland 14.13 2003 est. 164 Faroe Islands 13.81 2003 est. 165 Cayman Islands 13.33 2003 est. 166 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 13.20 2003 est. 167 Barbados 13.15 2003 est. 168 China 12.96 2003 est. 169 Saint Helena 12.90 2003 est. 170 Cyprus 12.77 2003 est. 171 Croatia 12.76 2003 est. 172 Malta 12.75 2003 est. 173 Singapore 12.75 2003 est. 174 Trinidad and Tobago 12.74 2003 est. 175 Taiwan 12.74 2003 est. 176 Serbia and Montenegro 12.74 2003 est. 177 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.65 2003 est. 178 Korea, South 12.60 2003 est. 179 Armenia 12.57 2003 est. 180 Australia 12.55 2003 est. 181 France 12.54 2003 est. 182 Norway 12.17 2003 est. 183 Bermuda 12.13 2003 est. 184 Macau 12.07 2003 est. 185 Luxembourg 11.92 2003 est. 186 Cuba 11.87 2003 est. 187 Aruba 11.86 2003 est. 188 Georgia 11.79 2003 est. 189 Denmark 11.52 2003 est. 190 Portugal 11.45 2003 est. 191 Man, Isle of 11.38 2003 est. 192 Netherlands 11.31 2003 est. 193 Gibraltar 11.09 2003 est. 194 Canada 10.99 2003 est. 195 United Kingdom 10.99 2003 est. 196 Liechtenstein 10.92 2003 est. 197 Romania 10.79 2003 est. 198 Hong Kong 10.71 2003 est. 199 Finland 10.54 2003 est. 200 San Marino 10.49 2003 est. 201 Lithuania 10.48 2003 est. 202 Poland 10.47 2003 est. 203 Belgium 10.45 2003 est. 204 Jersey 10.44 2003 est. 205 Belarus 10.18 2003 est. 206 Slovakia 10.10 2003 est. 207 Russia 10.09 2003 est. 208 Spain 10.08 2003 est. 209 Ukraine 9.89 2003 est. 210 Greece 9.79 2003 est. 211 Sweden 9.71 2003 est. 212 Andorra 9.65 2003 est. 213 Japan 9.61 2003 est. 214 Switzerland 9.59 2003 est. 215 Monaco 9.46 2003 est. 216 Austria 9.43 2003 est. 217 Guernsey 9.43 2003 est. 218 Hungary 9.32 2003 est. 219 Estonia 9.24 2003 est. 220 Slovenia 9.23 2003 est. 221 Italy 9.18 2003 est. 222 Czech Republic 9.01 2003 est. 223 Germany 8.60 2003 est. 224 Latvia 8.55 2003 est. 225 Bulgaria 8.02 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2066

Rank Country Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Botswana 31.00 2003 est. 2 Mozambique 30.04 2003 est. 3 Angola 25.83 2003 est. 4 Lesotho 24.58 2003 est. 5 Zambia 24.30 2003 est. 6 Malawi 22.64 2003 est. 7 Zimbabwe 22.02 2003 est. 8 Rwanda 21.72 2003 est. 9 Niger 21.71 2003 est. 10 Swaziland 21.08 2003 est. 11 Sierra Leone 20.66 2003 est. 12 Ethiopia 20.17 2003 est. 13 Central African Republic 19.73 2003 est. 14 Djibouti 19.45 2003 est. 15 Mali 19.21 2003 est. 16 Namibia 19.17 2003 est. 17 Burkina Faso 18.76 2003 est. 18 South Africa 18.42 2003 est. 19 Cote d'Ivoire 18.41 2003 est. 20 Liberia 17.84 2003 est. 21 Burundi 17.80 2003 est. 22 Somalia 17.64 2003 est. 23 Tanzania 17.38 2003 est. 24 Afghanistan 17.15 2003 est. 25 Uganda 16.95 2003 est. 26 Guinea-Bissau 16.62 2003 est. 27 Ukraine 16.39 2003 est. 28 Chad 16.38 2003 est. 29 Kenya 16.01 2003 est. 30 Guinea 15.70 2003 est. 31 Cameroon 15.30 2003 est. 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.87 2003 est. 33 Georgia 14.71 2003 est. 34 Latvia 14.70 2003 est. 35 Bulgaria 14.34 2003 est. 36 Congo, Republic of the 14.20 2003 est. 37 Belarus 14.05 2003 est. 38 Russia 13.99 2003 est. 39 Nigeria 13.76 2003 est. 40 Benin 13.65 2003 est. 41 Bhutan 13.47 2003 est. 42 Estonia 13.42 2003 est. 43 Haiti 13.36 2003 est. 44 Eritrea 13.23 2003 est. 45 Mauritania 13.04 2003 est. 46 Hungary 13.00 2003 est. 47 Lithuania 12.89 2003 est. 48 Monaco 12.82 2003 est. 49 Moldova 12.70 2003 est. 50 Equatorial Guinea 12.54 2003 est. 51 Laos 12.39 2003 est. 52 Gambia, The 12.35 2003 est. 53 Romania 12.25 2003 est. 54 Burma 12.17 2003 est. 55 Madagascar 11.88 2003 est. 56 Togo 11.51 2003 est. 57 Man, Isle of 11.49 2003 est. 58 Croatia 11.25 2003 est. 59 Gabon 11.17 2003 est. 60 Senegal 10.88 2003 est. 61 Kazakhstan 10.78 2003 est. 62 Czech Republic 10.74 2003 est. 63 Denmark 10.72 2003 est. 64 Serbia and Montenegro 10.62 2003 est. 65 Sweden 10.58 2003 est. 66 Ghana 10.53 2003 est. 67 Germany 10.34 2003 est. 68 Portugal 10.21 2003 est. 69 United Kingdom 10.21 2003 est. 70 Armenia 10.16 2003 est. 71 Slovenia 10.15 2003 est. 72 Italy 10.12 2003 est. 73 Belgium 10.07 2003 est. 74 Poland 9.96 2003 est. 75 Greece 9.86 2003 est. 76 Guernsey 9.84 2003 est. 77 Nepal 9.84 2003 est. 78 Finland 9.82 2003 est. 79 Norway 9.72 2003 est. 80 Austria 9.69 2003 est. 81 Azerbaijan 9.68 2003 est. 82 Sudan 9.59 2003 est. 83 Spain 9.48 2003 est. 84 Guyana 9.27 2003 est. 85 Cambodia 9.26 2003 est. 86 Slovakia 9.22 2003 est. 87 Jersey 9.17 2003 est. 88 Kyrgyzstan 9.10 2003 est. 89 France 9.05 2003 est. 90 Yemen 9.04 2003 est. 91 Barbados 9.02 2003 est. 92 Uruguay 8.97 2003 est. 93 Gibraltar 8.93 2003 est. 94 Turkmenistan 8.87 2003 est. 95 Comoros 8.86 2003 est. 96 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.85 2003 est. 97 World 8.83 2003 est. 98 Switzerland 8.82 2003 est. 99 Pakistan 8.79 2003 est. 100 Luxembourg 8.78 2003 est. 101 Trinidad and Tobago 8.71 2003 est. 102 Faroe Islands 8.70 2003 est. 103 Bahamas, The 8.68 2003 est. 104 Netherlands 8.66 2003 est. 105 Bangladesh 8.63 2003 est. 106 Kiribati 8.63 2003 est. 107 Japan 8.55 2003 est. 108 India 8.49 2003 est. 109 Tajikistan 8.46 2003 est. 110 United States 8.44 2003 est. 111 Mayotte 8.34 2003 est. 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.21 2003 est. 113 Vanuatu 8.13 2003 est. 114 Uzbekistan 7.97 2003 est. 115 Ireland 7.94 2003 est. 116 Bolivia 7.91 2003 est. 117 San Marino 7.86 2003 est. 118 Malta 7.80 2003 est. 119 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 7.78 2003 est. 120 Puerto Rico 7.68 2003 est. 121 Greenland 7.66 2003 est. 122 Maldives 7.65 2003 est. 123 Cyprus 7.63 2003 est. 124 Papua New Guinea 7.63 2003 est. 125 Canada 7.61 2003 est. 126 Argentina 7.58 2003 est. 127 New Zealand 7.54 2003 est. 128 Bermuda 7.46 2003 est. 129 Grenada 7.46 2003 est. 130 Cuba 7.38 2003 est. 131 Montserrat 7.34 2003 est. 132 Tuvalu 7.34 2003 est. 133 Australia 7.31 2003 est. 134 Mongolia 7.18 2003 est. 135 Sao Tome and Principe 7.11 2003 est. 136 Nauru 7.08 2003 est. 137 Palau 7.00 2003 est. 138 Dominica 6.99 2003 est. 139 Iceland 6.95 2003 est. 140 Korea, North 6.93 2003 est. 141 Dominican Republic 6.88 2003 est. 142 Cape Verde 6.86 2003 est. 143 Thailand 6.86 2003 est. 144 Liechtenstein 6.85 2003 est. 145 Suriname 6.83 2003 est. 146 Mauritius 6.81 2003 est. 147 Guatemala 6.78 2003 est. 148 China 6.74 2003 est. 149 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.74 2003 est. 150 Seychelles 6.49 2003 est. 151 Albania 6.48 2003 est. 152 Sri Lanka 6.46 2003 est. 153 Honduras 6.44 2003 est. 154 Martinique 6.41 2003 est. 155 East Timor 6.41 2003 est. 156 Samoa 6.41 2003 est. 157 Netherlands Antilles 6.40 2003 est. 158 Aruba 6.38 2003 est. 159 Lebanon 6.32 2003 est. 160 Indonesia 6.26 2003 est. 161 Panama 6.25 2003 est. 162 Saint Helena 6.24 2003 est. 163 Israel 6.20 2003 est. 164 Taiwan 6.20 2003 est. 165 Hong Kong 6.19 2003 est. 166 Vietnam 6.19 2003 est. 167 Brazil 6.13 2003 est. 168 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.08 2003 est. 169 Belize 6.05 2003 est. 170 Guadeloupe 6.04 2003 est. 171 Korea, South 6.03 2003 est. 172 El Salvador 6.01 2003 est. 173 Turkey 5.95 2003 est. 174 Iraq 5.84 2003 est. 175 Saudi Arabia 5.79 2003 est. 176 Morocco 5.78 2003 est. 177 Andorra 5.74 2003 est. 178 Fiji 5.70 2003 est. 179 Peru 5.69 2003 est. 180 Virgin Islands 5.68 2003 est. 181 Antigua and Barbuda 5.64 2003 est. 182 Chile 5.63 2003 est. 183 Colombia 5.63 2003 est. 184 New Caledonia 5.63 2003 est. 185 Philippines 5.60 2003 est. 186 Iran 5.54 2003 est. 187 Tonga 5.54 2003 est. 188 Reunion 5.49 2003 est. 189 Anguilla 5.42 2003 est. 190 Jamaica 5.42 2003 est. 191 Egypt 5.35 2003 est. 192 Ecuador 5.29 2003 est. 193 Saint Lucia 5.24 2003 est. 194 Malaysia 5.12 2003 est. 195 Micronesia, Federated States of 5.10 2003 est. 196 Algeria 5.09 2003 est. 197 Syria 5.04 2003 est. 198 Marshall Islands 5.03 2003 est. 199 Tunisia 5.02 2003 est. 200 Mexico 4.97 2003 est. 201 Venezuela 4.90 2003 est. 202 French Guiana 4.80 2003 est. 203 Cayman Islands 4.70 2003 est. 204 Nicaragua 4.69 2003 est. 205 Paraguay 4.64 2003 est. 206 French Polynesia 4.53 2003 est. 207 British Virgin Islands 4.46 2003 est. 208 Qatar 4.43 2003 est. 209 American Samoa 4.38 2003 est. 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.34 2003 est. 211 Costa Rica 4.31 2003 est. 212 Singapore 4.31 2003 est. 213 Guam 4.29 2003 est. 214 West Bank 4.16 2003 est. 215 Solomon Islands 4.12 2003 est. 216 Gaza Strip 4.03 2003 est. 217 United Arab Emirates 4.02 2003 est. 218 Bahrain 3.99 2003 est. 219 Oman 3.97 2003 est. 220 Macau 3.85 2003 est. 221 Libya 3.49 2003 est. 222 Brunei 3.39 2003 est. 223 Jordan 2.62 2003 est. 224 Kuwait 2.45 2003 est. 225 Northern Mariana Islands 2.44 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2067

Rank Country Military expenditures - dollar figure Date of Information

1 United States $ 276,700,000,000 2 China $ 55,910,000,000 FY02 3 France $ 46,500,000,000 2000 4 Japan $ 39,520,000,000 FY02 5 Germany $ 38,800,000,000 2002 6 United Kingdom $ 31,700,000,000 2002 7 Italy $ 20,200,000,000 2002 8 Saudi Arabia $ 18,300,000,000 9 Brazil $ 13,408,000,000 10 Korea, South $ 13,094,300,000 FY02 11 India $ 11,520,000,000 FY02 12 Australia $ 11,390,000,000 FY02 13 Iran $ 9,700,000,000 14 Israel $ 8,970,000,000 FY02 15 Spain $ 8,600,000,000 2002 16 Turkey $ 8,100,000,000 2002 est. 17 Canada $ 7,861,000,000 FY01/02 18 Taiwan $ 7,574,000,000 FY02 19 Netherlands $ 6,500,000,000 FY00/01 est. 20 Greece $ 6,120,000,000 21 Korea, North $ 5,217,400,000 FY02 22 Singapore $ 4,470,000,000 23 Sweden $ 4,395,000,000 FY01 24 Argentina $ 4,300,000,000 25 Egypt $ 4,040,000,000 FY99 26 Mexico $ 4,000,000,000 27 Poland $ 3,500,000,000 2002 28 Colombia $ 3,300,000,000 29 Norway $ 3,113,000,000 30 Belgium $ 3,077,000,000 FY01/02 31 Pakistan $ 2,964,000,000 FY02 32 Switzerland $ 2,548,000,000 FY01 33 Chile $ 2,500,000,000 34 Denmark $ 2,470,000,000 FY99/00 35 Oman $ 2,424,000,000 FY01 36 Kuwait $ 1,967,300,000 37 Algeria $ 1,870,000,000 38 Finland $ 1,800,000,000 FY98/99 39 Thailand $ 1,775,000,000 40 South Africa $ 1,746,000,000 FY02 41 Malaysia $ 1,690,000,000 42 United Arab Emirates $ 1,600,000,000 43 Austria $ 1,497,000,000 FY01/02 44 Morocco $ 1,400,000,000 45 Iraq $ 1,300,000,000 FY00 46 Libya $ 1,300,000,000 47 Portugal $ 1,286,000,000 FY99/00 48 Czech Republic $ 1,190,200,000 FY01 49 Hungary $ 1,080,000,000 2002 est. 50 Indonesia $ 1,000,000,000 51 Peru $ 1,000,000,000 52 Philippines $ 995,000,000 53 Romania $ 985,000,000 2002 54 Venezuela $ 934,000,000 55 Syria $ 858,000,000 56 Ethiopia $ 800,000,000 FY00 57 Jordan $ 757,500,000 FY01 58 Qatar $ 723,000,000 59 Ecuador $ 720,000,000 60 Sri Lanka $ 719,000,000 61 Ireland $ 700,000,000 FY00/01 62 Serbia and Montenegro $ 654,000,000 2002 63 Vietnam $ 650,000,000 64 Zimbabwe $ 625,100,000 FY02 65 Ukraine $ 617,900,000 FY02 66 New Zealand $ 605,700,000 FY02 67 Sudan $ 581,000,000 68 Bangladesh $ 559,000,000 FY96 69 Lebanon $ 541,000,000 70 Bahrain $ 526,200,000 FY01 71 Afghanistan $ 525,200,000 FY02 72 Croatia $ 520,000,000 2002 est. 73 Yemen $ 482,500,000 FY01 74 Mali $ 419,700,000 FY02 75 Nigeria $ 417,900,000 FY02 76 Slovakia $ 406,000,000 2002 77 Cyprus $ 384,000,000 78 Slovenia $ 370,000,000 FY00 79 Bulgaria $ 356,000,000 FY02 80 Tunisia $ 356,000,000 81 Brunei $ 329,700,000 FY02 82 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 250,000,000 83 Uruguay $ 250,000,000 1999 84 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 234,300,000 85 Lithuania $ 230,800,000 FY01 86 Angola $ 222,700,000 FY02 87 Kazakhstan $ 221,800,000 FY02 88 Botswana $ 207,300,000 FY02 89 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 200,000,000 90 Uzbekistan $ 200,000,000 91 New Caledonia $ 192,300,000 FY96 92 Kenya $ 185,200,000 FY02 93 Dominican Republic $ 180,000,000 94 Belarus $ 176,100,000 FY02 95 Estonia $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 96 Guinea $ 154,000,000 FY02 97 Luxembourg $ 147,800,000 FY01/02 98 Bolivia $ 147,000,000 99 Cote d'Ivoire $ 143,500,000 FY02 100 Armenia $ 135,000,000 FY01 101 Panama $ 128,000,000 102 Paraguay $ 125,000,000 103 Uganda $ 124,700,000 FY02 104 Azerbaijan $ 121,000,000 105 Guatemala $ 120,000,000 106 Cameroon $ 118,600,000 FY00 107 Cambodia $ 112,000,000 108 El Salvador $ 112,000,000 109 Eritrea $ 95,750,000 FY02 110 Trinidad and Tobago $ 90,000,000 1999 111 Turkmenistan $ 90,000,000 112 Latvia $ 87,000,000 FY01 113 Congo, Republic of the $ 84,000,000 FY01 114 Gabon $ 81,900,000 FY02 115 Benin $ 80,800,000 FY02 116 Namibia $ 73,100,000 FY02 117 Costa Rica $ 69,000,000 118 Senegal $ 68,600,000 FY02 119 Malta $ 60,000,000 2000 est. 120 Rwanda $ 59,570,000 FY02 121 Nepal $ 57,220,000 FY02 122 Albania $ 56,500,000 FY02 123 Laos $ 55,000,000 124 Madagascar $ 52,300,000 FY02 125 Haiti $ 50,000,000 FY00 126 Burkina Faso $ 45,830,000 FY02 127 Burundi $ 42,130,000 FY02 128 Chad $ 40,740,000 FY02 129 Papua New Guinea $ 40,210,000 FY02 130 Fiji $ 39,210,000 FY02 131 Burma $ 39,000,000 132 Mauritania $ 37,110,000 FY02 133 Ghana $ 36,010,000 FY02 134 Tajikistan $ 35,400,000 FY01 135 Mozambique $ 35,100,000 136 Honduras $ 35,000,000 137 Maldives $ 34,460,000 FY02 138 Lesotho $ 34,000,000 1999 139 Zambia $ 33,460,000 FY02 140 Equatorial Guinea $ 30,000,000 FY02 141 Jamaica $ 30,000,000 142 Djibouti $ 26,530,000 FY02 143 Nicaragua $ 26,000,000 144 Togo $ 23,720,000 FY02 145 Mongolia $ 23,100,000 FY02 146 Georgia $ 23,000,000 147 Niger $ 20,540,000 FY02 148 Bahamas, The $ 20,000,000 FY95/96 149 Swaziland $ 20,000,000 FY01 150 Tanzania $ 19,680,000 FY02 151 Kyrgyzstan $ 19,200,000 FY01 152 Somalia $ 17,100,000 FY02 153 Central African Republic $ 13,430,000 FY02 154 Malawi $ 13,010,000 FY02 155 Seychelles $ 12,800,000 FY02 156 Sierra Leone $ 10,260,000 FY02 157 Mauritius $ 9,712,000 FY02 158 Bhutan $ 9,300,000 FY02 159 Cape Verde $ 9,300,000 FY02 160 Liberia $ 7,800,000 FY02 161 Belize $ 7,700,000 162 Moldova $ 6,400,000 FY02 163 Comoros $ 6,000,000 FY02 164 Guinea-Bissau $ 5,600,000 FY02 165 East Timor $ 4,400,000 FY03 166 Bermuda $ 4,028,000 January 2002 167 Gambia, The $ 1,200,000 FY02 168 San Marino $ 700,000 FY00/01 169 Sao Tome and Principe $ 400,000 FY01 170 Iceland $ 0

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2078

Rank Country Exports Date of Information

1 World $ 6,600,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 687,000,000,000 2002 est. 3 Germany $ 608,000,000,000 2002 est. 4 Japan $ 383,800,000,000 2002 est. 5 China $ 325,600,000,000 2002 est. 6 France $ 307,800,000,000 2002 7 United Kingdom $ 286,300,000,000 2002 8 Canada $ 260,500,000,000 2002 est. 9 Italy $ 259,200,000,000 2002 est. 10 Netherlands $ 243,300,000,000 2002 11 Hong Kong $ 200,300,000,000 2002 est. 12 Korea, South $ 162,600,000,000 2002 est. 13 Belgium $ 162,000,000,000 2002 est. 14 Mexico $ 158,400,000,000 2002 est. 15 Taiwan $ 130,000,000,000 2002 est. 16 Singapore $ 127,000,000,000 2002 est. 17 Spain $ 122,200,000,000 2002 est. 18 Russia $ 104,600,000,000 2002 est. 19 Switzerland $ 100,300,000,000 2002 est. 20 Malaysia $ 95,200,000,000 2002 est. 21 Ireland $ 86,600,000,000 2002 est. 22 Sweden $ 80,600,000,000 2002 est. 23 Saudi Arabia $ 71,000,000,000 2001 24 Austria $ 70,000,000,000 2001 25 Norway $ 68,200,000,000 2002 est. 26 Thailand $ 67,700,000,000 2002 est. 27 Australia $ 66,300,000,000 2002 est. 28 Brazil $ 59,400,000,000 2002 est. 29 Denmark $ 56,300,000,000 2002 est. 30 Indonesia $ 52,300,000,000 2002 est. 31 Puerto Rico $ 46,900,000,000 2001 32 United Arab Emirates $ 44,900,000,000 2002 est. 33 India $ 44,500,000,000 2001 34 Czech Republic $ 40,800,000,000 2002 35 Finland $ 40,100,000,000 2002 36 Philippines $ 35,100,000,000 2002 37 Turkey $ 35,100,000,000 2002 38 Poland $ 32,400,000,000 2002 est. 39 South Africa $ 31,800,000,000 2002 est. 40 Hungary $ 31,400,000,000 2002 est. 41 Venezuela $ 28,600,000,000 2001 42 Israel $ 28,100,000,000 2002 est. 43 Portugal $ 25,900,000,000 2001 44 Argentina $ 25,300,000,000 2002 45 Iran $ 24,800,000,000 2002 est. 46 Algeria $ 19,500,000,000 2002 est. 47 Ukraine $ 18,100,000,000 2002 est. 48 Chile $ 17,800,000,000 2002 est. 49 Nigeria $ 17,300,000,000 2002 est. 50 Vietnam $ 16,500,000,000 2002 est. 51 Kuwait $ 16,000,000,000 2002 est. 52 New Zealand $ 15,000,000,000 2002 est. 53 Romania $ 13,700,000,000 2002 est. 54 Iraq $ 13,000,000,000 2002 est. 55 Colombia $ 12,900,000,000 2002 est. 56 Slovakia $ 12,900,000,000 2002 est. 57 Greece $ 12,600,000,000 2002 58 Libya $ 11,800,000,000 2002 est. 59 Qatar $ 10,900,000,000 2002 est. 60 Oman $ 10,600,000,000 2002 est. 61 Kazakhstan $ 10,300,000,000 2002 est. 62 Slovenia $ 10,300,000,000 2002 63 Luxembourg $ 10,100,000,000 2002 64 Pakistan $ 9,800,000,000 FY02/03 est. 65 Angola $ 8,600,000,000 2002 est. 66 Belarus $ 7,700,000,000 2002 67 Peru $ 7,600,000,000 2002 est. 68 Morocco $ 7,500,000,000 2002 est. 69 Egypt $ 7,000,000,000 2002 est. 70 Tunisia $ 6,800,000,000 2002 est. 71 Bangladesh $ 6,200,000,000 2002 72 Syria $ 6,200,000,000 2002 est. 73 Bahrain $ 5,800,000,000 2002 74 Panama $ 5,800,000,000 2002 est. 75 Lithuania $ 5,400,000,000 2002 est. 76 Bulgaria $ 5,300,000,000 2002 est. 77 Dominican Republic $ 5,300,000,000 2002 est. 78 Costa Rica $ 5,100,000,000 2002 79 Ecuador $ 4,900,000,000 2002 est. 80 Croatia $ 4,900,000,000 2002 81 Sri Lanka $ 4,600,000,000 2002 82 Cote d'Ivoire $ 4,400,000,000 2002 est. 83 Trinidad and Tobago $ 4,200,000,000 2002 est. 84 Estonia $ 3,400,000,000 2002 85 Yemen $ 3,400,000,000 2002 est. 86 Brunei $ 3,000,000,000 2000 est. 87 El Salvador $ 3,000,000,000 2002 est. 88 Turkmenistan $ 2,970,000,000 2002 est. 89 Uzbekistan $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 90 Burma $ 2,700,000,000 2002 91 Guatemala $ 2,700,000,000 2002 est. 92 Gabon $ 2,600,000,000 2002 est. 93 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 94 Jordan $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 95 Liechtenstein $ 2,470,000,000 1996 96 Botswana $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 97 Serbia and Montenegro $ 2,400,000,000 2002 98 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 99 Macau $ 2,360,000,000 2002 100 Iceland $ 2,300,000,000 2002 101 Latvia $ 2,300,000,000 2002 102 Ghana $ 2,200,000,000 2002 est. 103 Kenya $ 2,100,000,000 2002 est. 104 Uruguay $ 2,100,000,000 2002 est. 105 Azerbaijan $ 2,000,000,000 2002 106 Paraguay $ 2,000,000,000 2002 est. 107 Malta $ 2,000,000,000 2001 108 Cameroon $ 1,900,000,000 2002 est. 109 Aruba $ 1,880,000,000 2002 est. 110 Cuba $ 1,800,000,000 2002 est. 111 Sudan $ 1,800,000,000 2002 est. 112 Papua New Guinea $ 1,800,000,000 2002 est. 113 Mauritius $ 1,600,000,000 2002 est. 114 Zimbabwe $ 1,570,000,000 2001 est. 115 Jamaica $ 1,400,000,000 2002 est. 116 Cambodia $ 1,380,000,000 2001 est. 117 Bolivia $ 1,300,000,000 2002 est. 118 Honduras $ 1,300,000,000 2002 est. 119 Namibia $ 1,210,000,000 2002 est. 120 Afghanistan $ 1,200,000,000 2001 est. 121 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 1,200,000,000 2002 est. 122 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,150,000,000 2002 est. 123 Senegal $ 1,150,000,000 2002 est. 124 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 1,100,000,000 2002 est. 125 Cyprus $ 1,030,000,000 2002 est. 126 Lebanon $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 127 Tanzania $ 863,000,000 2001 128 Korea, North $ 842,000,000 2001 est. 129 Guinea $ 835,000,000 2002 est. 130 Swaziland $ 820,000,000 2002 est. 131 Nepal $ 720,000,000 2001 est. 132 Tajikistan $ 710,000,000 2002 est. 133 Zambia $ 709,000,000 2001 134 Madagascar $ 700,000,000 2002 135 Mali $ 680,000,000 2002 est. 136 Mozambique $ 680,000,000 2002 est. 137 Nicaragua $ 637,000,000 2002 est. 138 Gaza Strip $ 603,000,000 139 West Bank $ 603,000,000 140 Moldova $ 590,000,000 2002 est. 141 Bahamas, The $ 560,700,000 2002 est. 142 Netherlands Antilles $ 553,000,000 2002 143 Armenia $ 525,000,000 2001 est. 144 Georgia $ 515,000,000 2002 est. 145 Mongolia $ 501,000,000 2002 est. 146 Guyana $ 500,000,000 2002 147 Kyrgyzstan $ 488,000,000 2002 est. 148 Uganda $ 476,000,000 2002 est. 149 Togo $ 449,000,000 2002 150 Suriname $ 445,000,000 2002 151 Fiji $ 442,000,000 2001 152 Malawi $ 435,000,000 201 153 Ethiopia $ 433,000,000 2001 est. 154 Lesotho $ 422,000,000 2002 est. 155 Faroe Islands $ 418,000,000 2001 156 New Caledonia $ 400,000,000 2000 157 Greenland $ 364,000,000 2001 158 Mauritania $ 355,000,000 2002 159 American Samoa $ 345,000,000 1999 160 Laos $ 345,000,000 2002 est. 161 Albania $ 340,000,000 2002 est. 162 Haiti $ 298,000,000 2002 163 Niger $ 293,000,000 2002 est. 164 Belize $ 290,000,000 2002 est. 165 French Polynesia $ 260,000,000 2000 166 Martinique $ 250,000,000 1997 167 Burkina Faso $ 250,000,000 2002 est. 168 Seychelles $ 235,000,000 2002 169 Barbados $ 227,000,000 2002 170 Reunion $ 214,000,000 1997 171 Benin $ 207,000,000 2002 172 Chad $ 197,000,000 2002 est. 173 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 169,200,000 2000 174 French Guiana $ 155,000,000 175 Bhutan $ 154,000,000 2000 est. 176 Guadeloupe $ 140,000,000 1997 177 Gambia, The $ 138,000,000 2002 est. 178 Central African Republic $ 134,000,000 2002 est. 179 Somalia $ 126,000,000 2001 est. 180 Liberia $ 110,000,000 2002 est. 181 Maldives $ 110,000,000 2001 est. 182 Gibraltar $ 81,100,000 1997 183 Grenada $ 78,000,000 2000 est. 184 Guam $ 75,700,000 1999 est. 185 Guinea-Bissau $ 71,000,000 2002 est. 186 Djibouti $ 70,000,000 2002 est. 187 Saint Lucia $ 68,300,000 2000 est. 188 Rwanda $ 68,000,000 2002 est. 189 Andorra $ 58,000,000 1998 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 53,700,000 2000 est. 191 Bermuda $ 51,000,000 2000 192 Dominica $ 50,000,000 2002 est. 193 Solomon Islands $ 47,000,000 2001 est. 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 47,000,000 2001 est. 195 Cyprus $ 46,000,000 2002 est. 196 Antigua and Barbuda $ 40,000,000 197 Sierra Leone $ 35,000,000 2000 est. 198 Cape Verde $ 30,000,000 2002 est. 199 Nauru $ 27,000,000 1995 200 Burundi $ 26,000,000 2002 est. 201 British Virgin Islands $ 25,300,000 2002 202 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 22,000,000 FY 99/00 est. 203 Vanuatu $ 22,000,000 2001 204 Eritrea $ 20,000,000 2001 205 Palau $ 18,000,000 2001 est. 206 Comoros $ 16,300,000 2001 est. 207 Samoa $ 15,500,000 2001 208 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 12,000,000 1999 209 Cook Islands $ 9,100,000 2000 210 Marshall Islands $ 9,000,000 2000 211 Tonga $ 8,900,000 2001 est. 212 East Timor $ 8,000,000 2001 est. 213 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 7,600,000 1995 214 Kiribati $ 6,000,000 1998 215 Sao Tome and Principe $ 5,500,000 2002 est. 216 Mayotte $ 3,440,000 1997 217 Anguilla $ 2,600,000 1999 218 Norfolk Island $ 1,500,000 FY 91/92 219 Cayman Islands $ 1,200,000 1999 220 Saint Helena $ 704,000 1995 221 Montserrat $ 700,000 2001 222 Tuvalu $ 276,000 1997 223 Wallis and Futuna $ 250,000 1999 224 Niue $ 137,200 1999 225 Tokelau $ 98,000 1983

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2079

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information

1 World $ 2,000,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 862,000,000,000 1995 est. 3 Brazil $ 222,400,000,000 2002 4 Australia $ 176,800,000,000 yearend 2002 est. 5 Argentina $ 155,000,000,000 2001 est. 6 Russia $ 153,500,000,000 yearend 2002 7 Mexico $ 150,000,000,000 2000 est. 8 China $ 149,400,000,000 2002 est. 9 Korea, South $ 135,200,000,000 yearend 2002 est. 10 Indonesia $ 131,000,000,000 2002 est. 11 Iraq $ 120,000,000,000 2002 est. 12 Turkey $ 118,300,000,000 Yearend 2001 13 India $ 100,600,000,000 2001 est. 14 Spain $ 90,000,000,000 1993 est. 15 Sweden $ 66,500,000,000 1994 16 Poland $ 64,000,000,000 2002 17 Greece $ 63,400,000,000 2002 est. 18 Thailand $ 62,500,000,000 2002 est. 19 Philippines $ 60,300,000,000 2002 20 Hong Kong $ 49,500,000,000 2002 est. 21 Malaysia $ 47,500,000,000 2002 est. 22 Israel $ 42,800,000,000 2001 est. 23 Chile $ 40,400,000,000 2002 24 Colombia $ 38,400,000,000 2002 est. 25 Venezuela $ 38,200,000,000 2000 26 New Zealand $ 33,000,000,000 2002 est. 27 Pakistan $ 32,300,000,000 2002 est. 28 Hungary $ 31,500,000,000 2002 est. 29 Egypt $ 30,500,000,000 2002 est. 30 Finland $ 30,000,000,000 December 1993 31 Nigeria $ 29,700,000,000 2002 est. 32 Peru $ 29,200,000,000 2002 est. 33 Belgium $ 28,300,000,000 1999 est. 34 Saudi Arabia $ 25,900,000,000 2003 est. 35 South Africa $ 24,700,000,000 2002 est. 36 Taiwan $ 24,700,000,000 2002 37 Czech Republic $ 23,800,000,000 2002 38 Syria $ 22,000,000,000 2002 est. 39 Denmark $ 21,700,000,000 2000 40 Algeria $ 21,600,000,000 2002 est. 41 United Arab Emirates $ 18,500,000,000 2002 est. 42 Morocco $ 17,700,000,000 2002 est. 43 Bangladesh $ 16,500,000,000 2002 44 Croatia $ 16,500,000,000 yearend 2002 est. 45 Sudan $ 15,800,000,000 2002 est. 46 Qatar $ 15,400,000,000 2002 est. 47 Ecuador $ 14,400,000,000 2002 48 Ukraine $ 14,200,000,000 2002 49 Vietnam $ 14,100,000,000 2001 50 Romania $ 13,700,000,000 2002 est. 51 Tunisia $ 13,600,000,000 2003 est. 52 Portugal $ 13,100,000,000 1997 est. 53 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 12,900,000,000 2000 est. 54 Cuba $ 12,300,000,000 2002 est. 55 Austria $ 12,100,000,000 2001 est. 56 Korea, North $ 12,000,000,000 1996 est. 57 Uruguay $ 11,800,000,000 2002 est. 58 Ireland $ 11,000,000,000 1998 59 Kuwait $ 10,400,000,000 2000 est. 60 Bulgaria $ 10,300,000,000 yearend 2002 61 Cote d'Ivoire $ 10,300,000,000 2002 est. 62 Angola $ 9,900,000,000 2002 est. 63 Sri Lanka $ 9,800,000,000 2002 64 Slovakia $ 9,600,000,000 2002 est. 65 Lebanon $ 9,300,000,000 2002 est. 66 Serbia and Montenegro $ 9,200,000,000 2001 est. 67 Iran $ 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 68 Cameroon $ 8,600,000,000 2002 est. 69 Jordan $ 8,200,000,000 2002 est. 70 Singapore $ 8,200,000,000 2002 est. 71 Cyprus $ 8,000,000,000 2002 72 Slovenia $ 7,900,000,000 2001 73 Ghana $ 7,200,000,000 2002 est. 74 Panama $ 7,000,000,000 2002 est. 75 Tanzania $ 6,800,000,000 2002 est. 76 Kazakhstan $ 6,600,000,000 2002 est. 77 Yemen $ 6,200,000,000 2002 78 Burma $ 6,100,000,000 2002 est. 79 Bolivia $ 5,900,000,000 2002 est. 80 Lithuania $ 5,800,000,000 2002 est. 81 Zambia $ 5,800,000,000 2001 82 Nicaragua $ 5,800,000,000 2002 est. 83 Kenya $ 5,700,000,000 2002 est. 84 Oman $ 5,700,000,000 2002 est. 85 El Salvador $ 5,600,000,000 2001 est. 86 Honduras $ 5,400,000,000 2002 87 Ethiopia $ 5,300,000,000 2001 est. 88 Jamaica $ 5,300,000,000 2002 est. 89 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,000,000,000 2000 est. 90 Guatemala $ 4,900,000,000 2002 est. 91 Costa Rica $ 4,800,000,000 2002 est. 92 Dominican Republic $ 4,800,000,000 2002 est. 93 Madagascar $ 4,600,000,000 2002 94 Uzbekistan $ 4,600,000,000 2002 est. 95 Libya $ 4,400,000,000 2001 est. 96 Zimbabwe $ 3,900,000,000 2002 est. 97 Gabon $ 3,800,000,000 2002 est. 98 Bahrain $ 3,700,000,000 2002 99 Guinea $ 3,400,000,000 2000 est. 100 Latvia $ 3,400,000,000 2000 est. 101 Estonia $ 3,300,000,000 2001 est. 102 Mali $ 3,300,000,000 2000 103 Paraguay $ 3,200,000,000 2002 est. 104 Senegal $ 3,100,000,000 2002 est. 105 Malawi $ 2,900,000,000 2002 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 2,800,000,000 2001 107 Uganda $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 108 Papua New Guinea $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 109 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 110 Iceland $ 2,600,000,000 1999 111 Somalia $ 2,600,000,000 2000 est. 112 Nepal $ 2,550,000,000 FY 00/01 113 Laos $ 2,530,000,000 1999 114 Mauritania $ 2,500,000,000 2000 115 Mauritius $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 116 Turkmenistan $ 2,400,000,000 2001 est. 117 Liberia $ 2,100,000,000 2000 est. 118 Canada $ 1,900,000,000 2000 119 Georgia $ 1,700,000,000 2001 120 Benin $ 1,600,000,000 2000 121 Niger $ 1,600,000,000 1999 est. 122 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 123 Sierra Leone $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 124 Azerbaijan $ 1,400,000,000 2002 125 Togo $ 1,400,000,000 2000 126 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,350,000,000 1996 127 Moldova $ 1,300,000,000 2002 128 Burkina Faso $ 1,300,000,000 2000 129 Rwanda $ 1,300,000,000 2000 est. 130 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 131 French Guiana $ 1,200,000,000 1988 132 Guyana $ 1,200,000,000 2002 133 Haiti $ 1,200,000,000 1999 134 Burundi $ 1,140,000,000 2001 135 Chad $ 1,100,000,000 2000 est. 136 Tajikistan $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 137 Mozambique $ 966,000,000 2002 est. 138 Guinea-Bissau $ 941,500,000 2000 est. 139 Mongolia $ 913,000,000 2001 est. 140 Armenia $ 905,000,000 June 2001 141 Central African Republic $ 881,400,000 2000 est. 142 Belarus $ 851,000,000 2001 est. 143 Cambodia $ 829,000,000 1999 est. 144 Albania $ 784,000,000 2000 145 Lesotho $ 735,000,000 2002 146 Barbados $ 692,000,000 2002 147 Namibia $ 517,000,000 2002 est. 148 Gambia, The $ 476,000,000 2001 est. 149 Belize $ 475,000,000 2001 est. 150 Bahamas, The $ 371,600,000 2001 151 Djibouti $ 366,000,000 2002 est. 152 Botswana $ 360,000,000 2002 153 Cape Verde $ 325,000,000 2002 154 Suriname $ 321,000,000 2002 est. 155 Swaziland $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 156 Eritrea $ 311,000,000 2000 est. 157 Aruba $ 285,000,000 1996 158 Maldives $ 281,000,000 2003 est. 159 Macau $ 255,000,000 2000 est. 160 Sao Tome and Principe $ 253,800,000 2000 161 Equatorial Guinea $ 248,000,000 2000 est. 162 Bhutan $ 245,000,000 2000 163 Comoros $ 232,000,000 2000 est. 164 Antigua and Barbuda $ 231,000,000 1999 165 Saint Lucia $ 214,000,000 2000 166 Samoa $ 197,000,000 2000 167 Grenada $ 196,000,000 2000 168 Martinique $ 180,000,000 1994 169 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 171,000,000 2001 170 Seychelles $ 170,000,000 2002 est. 171 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 167,200,000 2000 172 Dominica $ 161,500,000 2001 173 Bermuda $ 145,000,000 FY 99/00 174 Cook Islands $ 141,000,000 1996 est. 175 Solomon Islands $ 137,000,000 2001 est. 176 Fiji $ 135,900,000 2000 177 Malta $ 130,000,000 1997 178 Gaza Strip $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 179 West Bank $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 180 Marshall Islands $ 86,500,000 FY 99/00 est. 181 New Caledonia $ 79,000,000 1998 est. 182 Cayman Islands $ 70,000,000 1996 183 Vanuatu $ 68,600,000 2000 est. 184 Faroe Islands $ 64,000,000 1999 185 Tonga $ 57,500,000 June 2001 186 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 53,100,000 FY 02/03 est. 187 British Virgin Islands $ 36,100,000 1997 188 Nauru $ 33,300,000 189 Greenland $ 25,000,000 1999 190 Kiribati $ 10,000,000 1999 est. 191 Montserrat $ 8,900,000 1997 192 Anguilla $ 8,800,000 1998 193 Niue $ 418,000 2002 est. 194 Brunei $ 0 195 Norway $ 0 196 Tokelau $ 0 197 Palau $ 0 FY 99/00 198 Liechtenstein $ 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2085

Rank Country Highways(km) Date of Information

1 United States 6,334,859 2000 2 India 3,319,644 1999 est. 3 Brazil 1,724,929 2000 4 Canada 1,408,000 2002 5 China 1,402,698 2000 6 Japan 1,161,894 1999 7 France 894,000 2000 8 Australia 811,603 1999 est. 9 Spain 663,795 1999 10 Russia 532,393 2000 11 Italy 479,688 1999 12 Turkey 385,960 1999 13 United Kingdom 371,913 1999 14 Poland 364,656 2000 15 South Africa 362,099 2000 16 Indonesia 342,700 1999 est. 17 Mexico 329,532 1999 est. 18 Pakistan 254,410 1999 19 Germany 230,735 1999 20 Argentina 215,471 1999 21 Sweden 212,402 2000 22 Bangladesh 207,486 1999 23 Philippines 201,994 2000 24 Austria 200,000 2000 25 Romania 198,603 2000 26 Nigeria 194,394 1999 est. 27 Hungary 188,203 1999 28 Ukraine 169,491 2000 29 Iran 167,157 1998 30 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 157,000 1999 est. 31 Saudi Arabia 151,470 1999 32 Belgium 148,216 2000 33 Greece 117,000 1999 est. 34 Netherlands 116,500 1999 35 Colombia 110,000 2000 36 Algeria 104,000 1999 37 Sri Lanka 96,695 1999 38 Venezuela 96,155 1999 est. 39 Vietnam 93,300 1999 est. 40 Ireland 92,500 2000 est. 41 New Zealand 92,053 2000 42 Norway 91,454 2000 43 Tanzania 88,200 1999 est. 44 Korea, South 86,990 1999 est. 45 Libya 83,200 1999 est. 46 Uzbekistan 81,600 1999 est. 47 Kazakhstan 81,331 2000 48 Chile 79,814 2000 49 Finland 77,943 2001 50 Lithuania 75,243 2000 51 Belarus 74,385 2000 52 Latvia 73,202 2000 53 Peru 72,900 1999 est. 54 Denmark 71,591 2000 55 Switzerland 71,011 2000 56 Portugal 68,732 2000 57 Yemen 67,000 1999 est. 58 Zambia 66,781 1999 est. 59 Namibia 66,467 2000 60 Malaysia 65,877 1999 61 Thailand 64,600 1999 est. 62 Egypt 64,000 1999 est. 63 Kenya 63,942 2000 64 Cuba 60,858 1999 est. 65 Morocco 57,707 2000 66 Czech Republic 55,408 2000 67 Bolivia 53,790 2000 est. 68 Angola 51,429 1999 69 Estonia 51,411 2000 70 Cote d'Ivoire 50,400 1999 est. 71 Madagascar 49,827 1999 est. 72 Serbia and Montenegro 49,805 2000 73 Mongolia 49,250 2000 74 Iraq 45,550 2000 est. 75 Syria 43,381 1999 76 Ecuador 43,197 2000 77 Slovakia 42,717 2000 78 Ghana 39,409 1999 est. 79 Bulgaria 37,286 2000 80 Taiwan 35,931 2000 81 Costa Rica 35,892 2000 82 Oman 34,965 2001 83 Cameroon 34,300 1999 est. 84 Chad 33,400 1999 est. 85 Ethiopia 31,571 2000 86 Korea, North 31,200 1999 est. 87 Guinea 30,500 1999 est. 88 Mozambique 30,400 1999 est. 89 Paraguay 29,500 1999 est 90 Malawi 28,400 1999 est. 91 Burma 28,200 1996 est. 92 Croatia 28,123 2000 93 Tajikistan 27,767 2000 94 Uganda 27,000 1999 est. 95 Azerbaijan 24,981 2000 96 Turkmenistan 24,000 1999 est. 97 Central African Republic 23,810 1999 est. 98 Somalia 22,100 1999 est. 99 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,846 1999 est 100 Laos 21,716 1999 est. 101 Afghanistan 21,000 1999 est. 102 Georgia 20,362 2000 103 Slovenia 20,177 2000 104 Papua New Guinea 19,600 1999 est. 105 Nicaragua 19,032 2000 106 Tunisia 18,997 2000 107 Jamaica 18,700 1999 est. 108 Kyrgyzstan 18,500 1999 est. 109 Zimbabwe 18,338 1999 est. 110 Albania 18,000 2000 111 Israel 16,281 2000 112 Armenia 15,918 2000 113 Mali 15,100 1999 est. 114 Senegal 14,576 2000 115 Burundi 14,480 1999 est. 116 Puerto Rico 14,400 1999 est. 117 Guatemala 14,118 1999 118 Honduras 13,603 1999 est. 119 Cyprus 13,491 2000/1996 120 Nepal 13,223 1999 est. 121 Iceland 12,955 2003 122 Congo, Republic of the 12,800 1999 est. 123 Moldova 12,657 1999 124 Dominican Republic 12,600 1999 125 Burkina Faso 12,506 1999 126 Cambodia 12,323 2000 est 127 Rwanda 12,000 1999 est. 128 Sudan 11,900 1999 est. 129 Panama 11,400 1999 130 Sierra Leone 11,330 1999 131 Liberia 10,600 1999 est. 132 Botswana 10,217 1999 133 Niger 10,100 1999 est. 134 El Salvador 10,029 1999 est. 135 Uruguay 8,983 1999 est. 136 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 8,684 1999 est. 137 Gabon 8,464 2000 est. 138 Trinidad and Tobago 8,320 1999 est. 139 Guyana 7,970 1999 est. 140 Mauritania 7,720 2000 141 Togo 7,520 1999 est. 142 Lebanon 7,300 1999 est. 143 Jordan 7,245 2000 144 Benin 6,787 1999 est. 145 Western Sahara 6,200 1991 est 146 Lesotho 5,940 1999 147 Luxembourg 5,189 2000 148 New Caledonia 4,825 1999 149 West Bank 4,500 1997 est. 150 Suriname 4,492 2000 151 Kuwait 4,450 1999 est. 152 Guinea-Bissau 4,400 1999 est. 153 Haiti 4,160 1999 est. 154 Eritrea 4,010 1999 est. 155 East Timor 3,800 1995 156 Bhutan 3,690 1999 est. 157 Fiji 3,440 1999 est. 158 Bahrain 3,261 2000 159 Swaziland 3,247 1998 160 Singapore 3,066 1999 161 Djibouti 2,890 1999 est. 162 Equatorial Guinea 2,880 1999 est. 163 Belize 2,872 1999 est. 164 Reunion 2,724 1994 165 Gambia, The 2,700 1999 166 Bahamas, The 2,693 1999 est. 167 French Polynesia 2,590 1999 168 Brunei 2,525 2000 169 Guadeloupe 2,467 1998 170 Malta 2,254 2000 171 Martinique 2,105 2000 172 Mauritius 1,926 2000 173 Hong Kong 1,831 1999 est. 174 Barbados 1,793 1999 175 Solomon Islands 1,360 1999 est. 176 Qatar 1,230 1999 est. 177 Saint Lucia 1,210 1999 est. 178 Cape Verde 1,100 1999 est. 179 United Arab Emirates 1,088 1999 est. 180 Vanuatu 1,070 1999 est. 181 Grenada 1,040 1999 est. 182 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,040 1999 est. 183 Guam 885 184 Comoros 880 1999 est 185 Virgin Islands 856 2000 186 Aruba 800 1995 187 Man, Isle of 800 1999 188 Samoa 790 1999 est. 189 Cayman Islands 785 2000 190 Dominica 780 1999 est. 191 French Guiana 722 1996 192 Tonga 680 1999 est. 193 Kiribati 670 1999 est. 194 Netherlands Antilles 600 195 Jersey 577 196 Faroe Islands 463 1999 197 Bermuda 450 2002 198 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 440 2002 199 Seychelles 373 1997 est. 200 Northern Mariana Islands 362 1991 201 American Samoa 350 202 Cook Islands 320 2000 203 Sao Tome and Principe 320 1999 est. 204 Saint Kitts and Nevis 320 1999 est 205 Macau 271 2000 206 Andorra 269 1994 207 Antigua and Barbuda 250 1999 est. 208 Liechtenstein 250 209 Micronesia, Federated States of 240 1999 est. 210 Christmas Island 240 2000 211 Niue 234 2001 212 Montserrat 227 2003 213 San Marino 220 2001 214 Saint Helena 198 2000 215 British Virgin Islands 177 2000 216 Turks and Caicos Islands 121 2000 217 Wallis and Futuna 120 218 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 114 219 Anguilla 105 1997 220 Mayotte 93 221 Norfolk Island 80 2001 222 Palau 61 223 Monaco 50 1999 est. 224 Nauru 30 1999 est. 225 Gibraltar 29 2002 226 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 15 2003 227 Tuvalu 8 1999 est. 228 Pitcairn Islands 6

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2087

Rank Country Imports Date of Information

1 World $ 6,600,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 1,165,000,000,000 2002 est. 3 Germany $ 487,300,000,000 2002 est. 4 United Kingdom $ 330,100,000,000 2002 5 France $ 303,700,000,000 2002 est. 6 China $ 295,300,000,000 2002 est. 7 Japan $ 292,100,000,000 2002 est. 8 Italy $ 238,200,000,000 2002 est. 9 Canada $ 229,000,000,000 2002 est. 10 Hong Kong $ 208,100,000,000 2002 est. 11 Netherlands $ 201,100,000,000 2001 est. 12 Mexico $ 168,400,000,000 2002 13 Spain $ 156,600,000,000 2002 est. 14 Belgium $ 152,000,000,000 2001 15 Korea, South $ 148,400,000,000 2002 est. 16 Singapore $ 113,000,000,000 2002 est. 17 Taiwan $ 113,000,000,000 2002 18 Switzerland $ 94,400,000,000 2002 est. 19 Malaysia $ 76,800,000,000 2002 est. 20 Austria $ 74,000,000,000 2001 21 Sweden $ 68,600,000,000 2002 est. 22 Australia $ 68,000,000,000 2002 est. 23 Russia $ 60,700,000,000 2002 est. 24 Thailand $ 58,100,000,000 2002 est. 25 India $ 53,800,000,000 2001 26 Turkey $ 50,800,000,000 2002 est. 27 Ireland $ 48,600,000,000 2002 est. 28 Denmark $ 47,900,000,000 2002 est. 29 Brazil $ 46,200,000,000 2002 30 Poland $ 43,400,000,000 2002 31 Czech Republic $ 43,200,000,000 2002 32 Saudi Arabia $ 39,500,000,000 2001 33 Portugal $ 39,000,000,000 2001 34 Norway $ 37,300,000,000 2002 est. 35 Hungary $ 33,900,000,000 2002 est. 36 Philippines $ 33,500,000,000 2002 37 Indonesia $ 32,100,000,000 2002 est. 38 Finland $ 31,800,000,000 2002 est. 39 Greece $ 31,400,000,000 2002 40 Israel $ 30,800,000,000 2002 est. 41 United Arab Emirates $ 30,800,000,000 2002 est. 42 Puerto Rico $ 29,100,000,000 2001 43 South Africa $ 26,600,000,000 2002 est. 44 Iran $ 21,800,000,000 2002 est. 45 Venezuela $ 18,800,000,000 2001 46 Ukraine $ 18,000,000,000 2002 est. 47 Vietnam $ 16,800,000,000 2002 est. 48 Romania $ 16,700,000,000 2002 est. 49 Chile $ 15,600,000,000 2002 50 Slovakia $ 15,400,000,000 2001 est. 51 Egypt $ 15,200,000,000 2002 est. 52 Nigeria $ 13,600,000,000 2002 est. 53 Luxembourg $ 13,250,000,000 2002 54 Colombia $ 12,500,000,000 2002 est. 55 New Zealand $ 12,500,000,000 2001 est. 56 Pakistan $ 11,100,000,000 FY02/03 est. 57 Slovenia $ 11,100,000,000 2002 58 Croatia $ 10,700,000,000 2002 59 Algeria $ 10,600,000,000 2002 est. 60 Morocco $ 10,400,000,000 2002 est. 61 Kazakhstan $ 9,600,000,000 2002 est. 62 Argentina $ 9,000,000,000 2002 63 Belarus $ 8,800,000,000 2002 64 Dominican Republic $ 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 65 Tunisia $ 8,700,000,000 2002 66 Bangladesh $ 8,500,000,000 2002 67 Iraq $ 7,800,000,000 2002 est. 68 Kuwait $ 7,300,000,000 2002 est. 69 Peru $ 7,300,000,000 2002 est. 70 Bulgaria $ 6,900,000,000 2002 est. 71 Lithuania $ 6,800,000,000 2002 est. 72 Panama $ 6,700,000,000 2002 est. 73 Costa Rica $ 6,400,000,000 2002 74 Libya $ 6,300,000,000 2002 est. 75 Serbia and Montenegro $ 6,300,000,000 2002 76 Ecuador $ 6,000,000,000 2002 est. 77 Lebanon $ 6,000,000,000 2002 78 Guatemala $ 5,600,000,000 2002 est. 79 Oman $ 5,500,000,000 2002 est. 80 Sri Lanka $ 5,400,000,000 2002 81 El Salvador $ 4,900,000,000 2002 82 Syria $ 4,900,000,000 2002 est. 83 Cuba $ 4,800,000,000 2001 est. 84 Estonia $ 4,400,000,000 2002 85 Jordan $ 4,400,000,000 2002 est. 86 Bahrain $ 4,200,000,000 2002 87 Angola $ 4,100,000,000 2002 est. 88 Cyprus $ 3,900,000,000 2002 est. 89 Latvia $ 3,900,000,000 2002 90 Qatar $ 3,900,000,000 2002 est. 91 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,800,000,000 2002 est. 92 Jamaica $ 3,100,000,000 2002 est. 93 Kenya $ 3,000,000,000 2002 est. 94 Yemen $ 2,900,000,000 2002 est. 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 96 Malta $ 2,800,000,000 2001 97 Ghana $ 2,800,000,000 2002 est. 98 Honduras $ 2,700,000,000 2002 est. 99 Macau $ 2,530,000,000 2002 100 Burma $ 2,500,000,000 2002 101 Uzbekistan $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 102 Reunion $ 2,500,000,000 1997 103 Cote d'Ivoire $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 104 Paraguay $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 105 Turkmenistan $ 2,250,000,000 2002 est. 106 Aruba $ 2,210,000,000 2002 est. 107 Iceland $ 2,100,000,000 2002 108 Martinique $ 2,000,000,000 1997 109 Botswana $ 1,900,000,000 2002 est. 110 Gaza Strip $ 1,900,000,000 111 West Bank $ 1,900,000,000 112 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of $ 1,900,000,000 2002 est. 113 Uruguay $ 1,870,000,000 2002 est. 114 Bahamas, The $ 1,860,000,000 2002 est. 115 Azerbaijan $ 1,800,000,000 2002 116 Mauritius $ 1,800,000,000 2002 est. 117 Zimbabwe $ 1,739,000,000 2001 est. 118 Cambodia $ 1,730,000,000 2001 est. 119 Cameroon $ 1,700,000,000 2002 est. 120 Guadeloupe $ 1,700,000,000 1997 121 Nicaragua $ 1,700,000,000 2002 est. 122 Tanzania $ 1,670,000,000 2001 123 Ethiopia $ 1,630,000,000 2001 124 Bolivia $ 1,600,000,000 2002 est. 125 Nepal $ 1,600,000,000 2001 est. 126 Albania $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 127 Sudan $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 128 Senegal $ 1,460,000,000 2002 est. 129 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,430,000,000 2002 130 Brunei $ 1,400,000,000 2000 est. 131 Namibia $ 1,380,000,000 2002 est. 132 Korea, North $ 1,314,000,000 2001 est. 133 Afghanistan $ 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 134 French Polynesia $ 1,200,000,000 2000 135 Mozambique $ 1,180,000,000 2002 est. 136 Haiti $ 1,140,000,000 2002 137 Uganda $ 1,140,000,000 2002 est. 138 Zambia $ 1,123,000,000 2001 139 Gabon $ 1,100,000,000 2002 est. 140 Papua New Guinea $ 1,100,000,000 2002 est. 141 Andorra $ 1,077,000,000 1998 142 New Caledonia $ 1,000,000,000 2000 143 Armenia $ 991,000,000 2001 est. 144 Barbados $ 987,000,000 2002 145 Madagascar $ 985,000,000 2002 146 Moldova $ 980,000,000 2002 est. 147 Swaziland $ 938,000,000 2002 148 Liechtenstein $ 917,300,000 1996 149 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 890,000,000 2002 est. 150 Tajikistan $ 830,000,000 2002 est. 151 Georgia $ 750,000,000 2002 est. 152 Lesotho $ 738,000,000 2002 est. 153 Congo, Republic of the $ 730,000,000 2002 est. 154 Bermuda $ 719,000,000 2000 155 Guinea $ 670,000,000 2002 est. 156 Mongolia $ 659,000,000 2002 est. 157 Fiji $ 642,000,000 2001 158 Mali $ 630,000,000 2002 est. 159 French Guiana $ 625,000,000 160 Kyrgyzstan $ 587,000,000 2002 est. 161 Guyana $ 575,000,000 2002 162 Chad $ 570,000,000 2002 est. 163 Equatorial Guinea $ 562,000,000 2002 est. 164 Togo $ 561,000,000 2002 165 Laos $ 555,000,000 2002 est. 166 Burkina Faso $ 525,000,000 2002 est. 167 Malawi $ 505,000,000 2001 168 Eritrea $ 500,000,000 2001 169 Gibraltar $ 492,000,000 1997 170 Benin $ 479,000,000 2002 171 Faroe Islands $ 469,000,000 1999 172 Cayman Islands $ 457,400,000 1999 173 American Samoa $ 452,000,000 1999 174 Belize $ 430,000,000 2002 est. 175 Greenland $ 403,000,000 2001 176 Maldives $ 395,000,000 2001 est. 177 Seychelles $ 380,000,000 2002 178 Niger $ 368,000,000 2002 est. 179 Mauritania $ 360,000,000 2000 180 Antigua and Barbuda $ 357,000,000 2000 est. 181 Somalia $ 343,000,000 2001 est. 182 Saint Lucia $ 319,400,000 2000 est. 183 Cyprus $ 301,000,000 2002 est. 184 Suriname $ 300,000,000 2002 185 Grenada $ 270,000,000 2000 est. 186 Djibouti $ 255,000,000 2002 est. 187 Rwanda $ 253,000,000 2002 est. 188 East Timor $ 237,000,000 2001 est. 189 Gambia, The $ 225,000,000 2002 est. 190 Cape Verde $ 220,000,000 2002 est. 191 Guam $ 203,000,000 1999 est. 192 Bhutan $ 196,000,000 2000 est. 193 Sierra Leone $ 190,000,000 2002 est. 194 British Virgin Islands $ 187,000,000 2002 est. 195 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 185,600,000 2000 est. 196 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 175,600,000 2000 197 Liberia $ 165,000,000 2002 est. 198 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 152,000,000 2001 est. 199 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 149,000,000 FY 99/00 est. 200 Mayotte $ 141,300,000 1997 201 Burundi $ 135,000,000 2002 est. 202 Dominica $ 135,000,000 2002 est. 203 Samoa $ 130,100,000 2001 204 Central African Republic $ 102,000,000 2002 est. 205 Palau $ 99,000,000 2001 est. 206 Vanuatu $ 93,000,000 2001 207 Solomon Islands $ 82,000,000 2001 est. 208 Anguilla $ 80,900,000 1999 209 Tonga $ 70,000,000 2001 est. 210 Guinea-Bissau $ 59,000,000 2002 est. 211 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 55,000,000 1999 212 Marshall Islands $ 54,000,000 2000 213 Cook Islands $ 50,700,000 2000 214 Kiribati $ 44,000,000 1999 215 Comoros $ 39,800,000 2001 est. 216 Nauru $ 33,000,000 1995 217 Sao Tome and Principe $ 24,800,000 2002 est. 218 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 24,700,000 1995 219 Norfolk Island $ 17,900,000 FY 91/92 220 Montserrat $ 17,000,000 2001 221 Saint Helena $ 14,434,000 1995 222 Tuvalu $ 7,200,000 1998 223 Niue $ 2,380,000 1999 224 Tokelau $ 323,000 1983 225 Wallis and Futuna $ 300,000 1999

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2089

Rank Country Industrial production growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 2002 est. 2 Burundi 18.00 2001 3 Cambodia 16.00 2001 est. 4 Lesotho 15.50 1999 5 Armenia 15.00 2002 est. 6 Cote d'Ivoire 15.00 1998 est. 7 Burkina Faso 14.00 2001 est. 8 China 12.60 2002 est. 9 Tajikistan 10.30 2000 est. 10 Vietnam 10.20 2002 est. 11 Kazakhstan 10.00 2002 est. 12 Bhutan 9.30 1996 est. 13 Albania 9.00 2000 est. 14 Moldova 9.00 2002 est. 15 Nepal 8.70 FY 99/00 16 Tonga 8.60 FY 98/99 17 Sudan 8.50 1999 est. 18 Turkey 8.50 2002 est. 19 East Timor 8.50 20 Tanzania 8.40 1999 est. 21 Benin 8.30 2001 est. 22 Senegal 8.10 2002 est. 23 Faroe Islands 8.00 1999 est. 24 Mauritius 8.00 2000 est. 25 Laos 7.50 1999 est. 26 Guyana 7.10 1997 est. 27 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.00 2002 est. 28 Greece 7.00 2000 est. 29 Rwanda 7.00 2001 est. 30 Ethiopia 6.70 2001 est. 31 Korea, South 6.50 2002 est. 32 Peru 6.50 2002 est. 33 Suriname 6.50 1994 est. 34 Uganda 6.30 2002 est. 35 Antigua and Barbuda 6.00 1997 est. 36 Algeria 6.00 2001 est. 37 Ukraine 6.00 2002 est. 38 Taiwan 6.00 2002 39 San Marino 6.00 1997 est. 40 Romania 6.00 2002 41 Lithuania 6.00 2002 est. 42 Kyrgyzstan 6.00 2000 est. 43 India 6.00 2002 est. 44 Ireland 6.00 2002 est. 45 Azerbaijan 6.00 2002 est. 46 Latvia 5.70 2002 est. 47 Iran 5.50 2001 est. 48 Ecuador 5.10 2001 est. 49 Zambia 5.10 2001 est. 50 Brunei 5.00 2002 est. 51 Chad 5.00 1995 52 Estonia 5.00 2000 est. 53 Malaysia 5.00 2002 est. 54 Finland 5.00 2002 est. 55 Indonesia 4.90 2002 est. 56 Mexico 4.90 2002 est. 57 Belize 4.60 1999 58 Belgium 4.50 2000 est. 59 Slovakia 4.40 2002 est. 60 Maldives 4.40 1996 est. 61 Nicaragua 4.40 2000 est. 62 Australia 4.30 2002 est. 63 Cameroon 4.20 1999 est. 64 Guatemala 4.10 1999 65 Mongolia 4.10 2002 est. 66 Colombia 4.00 2001 est. 67 Honduras 4.00 1999 est. 68 Philippines 4.00 2000 est. 69 Yemen 4.00 2002 est. 70 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2000 71 Oman 4.00 2000 est. 72 Bolivia 3.90 1998 73 Austria 3.80 2001 est. 74 Ghana 3.80 2000 est. 75 Russia 3.70 2002 est. 76 Swaziland 3.70 FY 95/96 77 Czech Republic 3.50 2002 78 Tunisia 3.50 2002 est. 79 Uzbekistan 3.50 2000 est. 80 Mozambique 3.40 2000 81 Guinea 3.20 1994 82 Man, Isle of 3.20 FY 96/97 83 Switzerland 3.20 2001 84 Anguilla 3.10 1997 est. 85 Hungary 3.10 2002 est. 86 Central African Republic 3.00 2002 87 World 3.00 2002 est. 88 Thailand 3.00 2000 est. 89 South Africa 3.00 2002 est. 90 Georgia 3.00 2000 91 Djibouti 3.00 1996 est. 92 El Salvador 3.00 2002 est. 93 New Zealand 3.00 2001 est. 94 Madagascar 3.00 2000 est. 95 Costa Rica 2.90 2002 est. 96 Croatia 2.80 2002 est. 97 Samoa 2.80 2000 98 Guinea-Bissau 2.60 1997 est. 99 Trinidad and Tobago 2.60 2002 est. 100 Belarus 2.50 2002 est. 101 Botswana 2.40 2001 est. 102 Pakistan 2.40 FY01/02 est. 103 Slovenia 2.40 2002 104 Brazil 2.30 2002 est. 105 Canada 2.20 2002 est. 106 Egypt 2.20 2002 est. 107 Bahrain 2.00 2000 est. 108 Bulgaria 2.00 2002 est. 109 Mauritania 2.00 2000 est. 110 Dominican Republic 2.00 2001 est. 111 Bangladesh 1.80 2002 est. 112 Serbia and Montenegro 1.70 2002 est. 113 Gabon 1.60 2002 est. 114 Portugal 1.50 2002 est. 115 Denmark 1.40 2002 est. 116 Norway 1.20 2002 est. 117 Spain 1.20 2002 est. 118 Sri Lanka 1.10 2002 119 Angola 1.00 120 Cook Islands 1.00 2002 121 Jordan 1.00 2002 est. 122 Argentina 1.00 2000 est. 123 Vanuatu 1.00 1997 est. 124 Turkmenistan 1.00 2002 est. 125 Saudi Arabia 1.00 1997 est. 126 Kenya 0.90 2002 est. 127 Sweden 0.90 2002 est. 128 Grenada 0.70 1997 est. 129 Kiribati 0.70 1991 est. 130 Morocco 0.50 1999 est. 131 Panama 0.50 2002 est. 132 Nigeria 0.40 2002 est. 133 Poland 0.30 2001 134 Cuba 0.20 2001 est. 135 Iceland 0.20 2002 est. 136 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2002 est. 137 Paraguay 0.00 2000 est. 138 Netherlands 0.00 2002 est. 139 Luxembourg 0.00 2002 est. 140 Cyprus -0.30 2002 141 France -0.30 2002 142 United States -0.40 2002 est. 143 New Caledonia -0.60 1996 144 Malawi -0.80 2002 est. 145 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.90 1997 est. 146 Cyprus -1.40 2002 147 Japan -1.40 2002 est. 148 Chile -1.50 2002 est. 149 Israel -1.50 2002 est. 150 Comoros -2.00 1999 est. 151 Jamaica -2.00 2000 est. 152 Germany -2.10 2002 est. 153 Italy -2.80 2002 154 Zimbabwe -3.10 2002 est. 155 Barbados -3.20 2000 est. 156 United Kingdom -3.40 2002 est. 157 Kuwait -5.00 2002 est. 158 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of -5.00 2002 est. 159 Venezuela -5.40 2002 est. 160 Saint Lucia -8.90 1997 est. 161 Hong Kong -9.70 2002 est. 162 Singapore -9.80 2002 est. 163 Dominica -10.00 1997 est. 164 Uruguay -12.00 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2091

Rank Country Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) Date of Information

1 Mozambique 199.00 2003 est. 2 Angola 193.82 2003 est. 3 Sierra Leone 146.86 2003 est. 4 Afghanistan 142.48 2003 est. 5 Liberia 132.18 2003 est. 6 Niger 123.64 2003 est. 7 Somalia 120.34 2003 est. 8 Mali 119.20 2003 est. 9 Tajikistan 113.43 2003 est. 10 Guinea-Bissau 110.29 2003 est. 11 Djibouti 106.96 2003 est. 12 Malawi 105.15 2003 est. 13 Bhutan 104.68 2003 est. 14 Tanzania 103.68 2003 est. 15 Ethiopia 103.22 2003 est. 16 Rwanda 102.61 2003 est. 17 Burkina Faso 99.78 2003 est. 18 Zambia 99.29 2003 est. 19 Cote d'Ivoire 98.33 2003 est. 20 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 96.56 2003 est. 21 Chad 95.74 2003 est. 22 Congo, Republic of the 95.34 2003 est. 23 Central African Republic 93.30 2003 est. 24 Guinea 93.30 2003 est. 25 Equatorial Guinea 89.02 2003 est. 26 Laos 88.94 2003 est. 27 Uganda 87.90 2003 est. 28 Benin 86.76 2003 est. 29 Lesotho 86.21 2003 est. 30 Azerbaijan 82.41 2003 est. 31 Madagascar 80.21 2003 est. 32 Comoros 79.51 2003 est. 33 Pakistan 76.53 2003 est. 34 Eritrea 76.32 2003 est. 35 Haiti 76.01 2003 est. 36 Cambodia 75.94 2003 est. 37 Kyrgyzstan 75.34 2003 est. 38 Gambia, The 74.93 2003 est. 39 Mauritania 73.80 2003 est. 40 Turkmenistan 73.17 2003 est. 41 Burundi 71.54 2003 est. 42 Uzbekistan 71.51 2003 est. 43 Nigeria 71.35 2003 est. 44 Nepal 70.57 2003 est. 45 Burma 70.35 2003 est. 46 Cameroon 70.12 2003 est. 47 Togo 68.73 2003 est. 48 Namibia 68.44 2003 est. 49 Swaziland 67.44 2003 est. 50 Botswana 67.34 2003 est. 51 Zimbabwe 66.47 2003 est. 52 Bangladesh 66.08 2003 est. 53 Mayotte 65.98 2003 est. 54 Sudan 65.59 2003 est. 55 Yemen 65.02 2003 est. 56 Kenya 63.36 2003 est. 57 South Africa 60.84 2003 est. 58 Maldives 60.13 2003 est. 59 India 59.59 2003 est. 60 Kazakhstan 58.73 2003 est. 61 Vanuatu 58.11 2003 est. 62 Senegal 57.57 2003 est. 63 Mongolia 57.16 2003 est. 64 Bolivia 56.05 2003 est. 65 Iraq 55.16 2003 est. 66 Gabon 55.05 2003 est. 67 Papua New Guinea 54.84 2003 est. 68 Ghana 53.02 2003 est. 69 World 51.38 2003 est. 70 Kiribati 51.26 2003 est. 71 Georgia 51.24 2003 est. 72 Cape Verde 50.50 2003 est. 73 East Timor 50.47 2003 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 47.94 2003 est. 75 Sao Tome and Principe 46.04 2003 est. 76 Morocco 44.87 2003 est. 77 Turkey 44.20 2003 est. 78 Iran 44.17 2003 est. 79 Moldova 41.58 2003 est. 80 Armenia 40.86 2003 est. 81 Indonesia 38.09 2003 est. 82 Guatemala 37.92 2003 est. 83 Algeria 37.74 2003 est. 84 Guyana 37.55 2003 est. 85 Albania 37.28 2003 est. 86 Peru 36.97 2003 est. 87 Egypt 35.26 2003 est. 88 Dominican Republic 34.19 2003 est. 89 Micronesia, Federated States of 32.39 90 Ecuador 31.97 2003 est. 91 Brazil 31.74 2003 est. 92 Syria 31.67 2003 est. 93 Marshall Islands 31.58 2003 est. 94 Nicaragua 31.39 2003 est. 95 Vietnam 30.83 2003 est. 96 Honduras 29.96 2003 est. 97 Samoa 29.73 2003 est. 98 Paraguay 27.71 2003 est. 99 Belize 27.07 2003 est. 100 Tunisia 26.91 2003 est. 101 Libya 26.80 2003 est. 102 El Salvador 26.75 2003 est. 103 Lebanon 26.43 2003 est. 104 Bahamas, The 26.21 2003 est. 105 Korea, North 25.66 2003 est. 106 China 25.26 2003 est. 107 Philippines 24.98 2003 est. 108 Trinidad and Tobago 24.97 2003 est. 109 Suriname 24.74 2003 est. 110 Gaza Strip 24.15 2003 est. 111 Venezuela 23.79 2003 est. 112 Mexico 23.68 2003 est. 113 Solomon Islands 22.88 2003 est. 114 Anguilla 22.80 2003 est. 115 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22.70 2003 est. 116 Colombia 22.47 2003 est. 117 Thailand 21.83 2003 est. 118 Panama 21.44 2003 est. 119 Tuvalu 21.34 2003 est. 120 Oman 21.01 2003 est. 121 Antigua and Barbuda 20.90 2003 est. 122 Ukraine 20.87 2003 est. 123 Saint Helena 20.70 2003 est. 124 West Bank 20.68 2003 est. 125 Qatar 20.03 2003 est. 126 Russia 19.51 2003 est. 127 Malaysia 19.00 2003 est. 128 Jordan 18.86 2003 est. 129 British Virgin Islands 18.80 2003 est. 130 Bahrain 18.59 2003 est. 131 Romania 18.40 2003 est. 132 Serbia and Montenegro 16.90 2003 est. 133 Turks and Caicos Islands 16.87 2003 est. 134 Greenland 16.80 2003 est. 135 Seychelles 16.41 2003 est. 136 Argentina 16.16 2003 est. 137 Mauritius 16.11 2003 est. 138 Palau 15.76 2003 est. 139 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.70 2003 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 15.58 2003 est. 141 Saint Kitts and Nevis 15.39 2003 est. 142 Dominica 15.34 2003 est. 143 Sri Lanka 15.22 2003 est. 144 Grenada 14.63 2003 est. 145 Latvia 14.59 2003 est. 146 Saint Lucia 14.37 2003 est. 147 Lithuania 14.17 2003 est. 148 Belarus 13.87 2003 est. 149 Uruguay 13.80 2003 est. 150 Bulgaria 13.70 2003 est. 151 Brunei 13.50 2003 est. 152 Fiji 13.35 2003 est. 153 Tonga 13.35 2003 est. 154 Jamaica 13.26 2003 est. 155 French Guiana 12.84 2003 est. 156 Barbados 12.72 2003 est. 157 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 12.14 2003 est. 158 Estonia 12.03 2003 est. 159 Netherlands Antilles 10.71 2003 est. 160 Kuwait 10.57 2003 est. 161 Costa Rica 10.56 2003 est. 162 Nauru 10.33 2003 est. 163 American Samoa 9.82 2003 est. 164 Puerto Rico 9.38 2003 est. 165 Guadeloupe 9.07 2003 est. 166 Bermuda 9.05 2003 est. 167 Virgin Islands 9.00 2003 est. 168 Poland 8.95 2003 est. 169 Chile 8.88 2003 est. 170 French Polynesia 8.78 2003 est. 171 Cayman Islands 8.64 2003 est. 172 Hungary 8.58 2003 est. 173 Slovakia 8.55 2003 est. 174 Reunion 8.13 2003 est. 175 New Caledonia 8.06 2003 est. 176 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7.97 2003 est. 177 Montserrat 7.77 2003 est. 178 Cyprus 7.54 2003 est. 179 Martinique 7.44 2003 est. 180 Israel 7.37 2003 est. 181 Korea, South 7.31 2003 est. 182 Cuba 7.15 2003 est. 183 Croatia 6.92 2003 est. 184 United States 6.75 2003 est. 185 Taiwan 6.65 2003 est. 186 Faroe Islands 6.52 2003 est. 187 Guam 6.46 2003 est. 188 Italy 6.19 2003 est. 189 Man, Isle of 6.17 2003 est. 190 Aruba 6.14 2003 est. 191 Greece 6.12 2003 est. 192 New Zealand 6.07 2003 est. 193 San Marino 5.97 2003 est. 194 Portugal 5.73 2003 est. 195 Hong Kong 5.63 2003 est. 196 Monaco 5.63 2003 est. 197 Malta 5.62 2003 est. 198 Northern Mariana Islands 5.52 2003 est. 199 Jersey 5.43 2003 est. 200 Czech Republic 5.37 2003 est. 201 Ireland 5.34 2003 est. 202 Gibraltar 5.31 2003 est. 203 United Kingdom 5.28 2003 est. 204 Denmark 4.90 2003 est. 205 Canada 4.88 2003 est. 206 Guernsey 4.85 2003 est. 207 Liechtenstein 4.85 2003 est. 208 Australia 4.83 2003 est. 209 Luxembourg 4.65 2003 est. 210 Belgium 4.57 2003 est. 211 Spain 4.54 2003 est. 212 Macau 4.42 2003 est. 213 Slovenia 4.42 2003 est. 214 France 4.37 2003 est. 215 Switzerland 4.36 2003 est. 216 Austria 4.33 2003 est. 217 Netherlands 4.26 2003 est. 218 Germany 4.23 2003 est. 219 Andorra 4.06 2003 est. 220 Norway 3.87 2003 est. 221 Finland 3.73 2003 est. 222 Singapore 3.57 2003 est. 223 Iceland 3.50 2003 est. 224 Sweden 3.42 2003 est. 225 Japan 3.30 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2092

Rank Country Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 134.50 2002 est. 2 Angola 106.00 2002 est. 3 Iraq 70.00 2002 est. 4 Burma 53.70 2002 est. 5 Turkey 45.20 2002 est. 6 Belarus 42.80 2002 est. 7 Argentina 41.00 2002, yearend 8 Venezuela 31.20 2002 est. 9 Malawi 27.40 2001 est. 10 Uzbekistan 26.00 2001 est. 11 Cyprus 24.50 2002 est. 12 Romania 22.50 2002 est. 13 Zambia 21.00 2002 est. 14 Serbia and Montenegro 19.00 2002 est. 15 Suriname 17.00 2002 est. 16 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 16.00 2002 est. 17 Iran 15.30 2002 est. 18 Mozambique 15.20 2002 est. 19 Eritrea 15.00 2001 20 Russia 15.00 2002 est. 21 Liberia 15.00 2002 est. 22 Ghana 14.50 2002 est. 23 Nigeria 14.20 2002 est. 24 Uruguay 14.10 2002 est. 25 Ecuador 12.50 2002 est. 26 Yemen 12.20 2002 est. 27 Burundi 12.00 2002 est. 28 Tajikistan 12.00 2001 est. 29 Haiti 11.90 2001 est. 30 Indonesia 11.90 2002 est. 31 Swaziland 11.80 2002 est. 32 Paraguay 10.50 2002 est. 33 Laos 10.00 2002 est. 34 Lesotho 10.00 2002 est. 35 South Africa 9.90 2002 est. 36 Papua New Guinea 9.80 2002 est. 37 Sri Lanka 9.60 2002 est. 38 Sudan 9.20 2002 est. 39 Costa Rica 9.10 2002 est. 40 Sao Tome and Principe 9.00 2002 est. 41 Tonga 8.40 2001 est. 42 Brazil 8.30 2002 43 Botswana 8.10 2002 est. 44 Guatemala 8.10 2002 est. 45 Namibia 8.00 2001 46 Honduras 7.70 2002 est. 47 Madagascar 7.40 2001 est. 48 Slovenia 7.40 2002 est. 49 Cuba 7.10 2002 est. 50 Jamaica 7.00 2002 est. 51 Mauritius 6.40 2002 est. 52 Mexico 6.40 2002 est. 53 Colombia 6.20 2002 est. 54 Albania 6.00 2002 est. 55 Chad 6.00 2002 est. 56 Equatorial Guinea 6.00 2002 est. 57 Guinea 6.00 2002 est. 58 Kazakhstan 6.00 2002 est. 59 Bulgaria 5.90 2002 est. 60 Israel 5.70 2002 est. 61 Gambia, The 5.50 2002 est. 62 Rwanda 5.50 2002 est. 63 Moldova 5.50 2002 est. 64 India 5.40 2002 est. 65 Dominican Republic 5.30 2002 est. 66 Hungary 5.30 2002 est. 67 Georgia 5.20 2002 est. 68 Iceland 5.20 2002 est. 69 Faroe Islands 5.10 1999 70 Puerto Rico 5.00 2002 est. 71 Tuvalu 5.00 2000 est. 72 Turkmenistan 5.00 2002 est. 73 Tanzania 4.80 2002 est. 74 Guyana 4.70 2002 est. 75 Jersey 4.70 1998 76 Ireland 4.60 2002 est. 77 Cameroon 4.50 2002 est. 78 Mali 4.50 2002 est. 79 Andorra 4.30 2000 80 Trinidad and Tobago 4.30 2002 est. 81 Egypt 4.30 2002 est. 82 Congo, Republic of the 4.00 2002 est. 83 Togo 4.00 2002 est. 84 Samoa 4.00 2001 est. 85 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.00 1995 86 Ethiopia 4.00 2003 est. 87 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2002 est. 88 Guernsey 3.99 2000 est. 89 Martinique 3.90 1990 90 Pakistan 3.90 2002 est. 91 Vietnam 3.90 2002 est. 92 El Salvador 3.80 2001 est. 93 Estonia 3.70 2002 est. 94 Portugal 3.70 2002 est. 95 Nicaragua 3.70 2002 est. 96 Central African Republic 3.60 2001 est. 97 Man, Isle of 3.60 March 2003 est. 98 Morocco 3.60 2002 est. 99 Greece 3.60 2002 est. 100 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3.60 1998 101 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.50 2002 est. 102 Comoros 3.50 2001 est. 103 Burkina Faso 3.50 2001 est. 104 Lebanon 3.50 2002 est. 105 Netherlands 3.40 2002 est. 106 Palau 3.40 2000 est. 107 Benin 3.30 2002 est. 108 Cambodia 3.30 2002 est. 109 Jordan 3.30 2002 est. 110 San Marino 3.30 2001 111 Slovakia 3.30 2002 est. 112 Aruba 3.20 2002 est. 113 Cook Islands 3.20 2000 est. 114 Saint Helena 3.20 1997 est. 115 Vanuatu 3.20 2001 est. 116 Cote d'Ivoire 3.20 2002 est. 117 Bangladesh 3.10 2002 est. 118 Philippines 3.10 2002 est. 119 Algeria 3.00 2002 est. 120 Bhutan 3.00 2002 est. 121 Cape Verde 3.00 2002 122 Hong Kong 3.00 2002 est. 123 Mauritania 3.00 2002 est. 124 Saint Lucia 3.00 2001 est. 125 Spain 3.00 2002 est. 126 Senegal 3.00 2002 est. 127 Niger 3.00 2002 est. 128 Mongolia 3.00 2002 est. 129 Australia 2.80 2002 est. 130 United Arab Emirates 2.80 2002 est. 131 Cyprus 2.80 2002 est. 132 Nepal 2.80 2001 est. 133 Korea, South 2.80 2002 est. 134 Grenada 2.80 2001 est. 135 Cayman Islands 2.80 2002 136 New Zealand 2.70 2002 est. 137 Azerbaijan 2.60 2002 est. 138 Montserrat 2.60 2002 est. 139 Chile 2.50 2002 est. 140 Kiribati 2.50 2001 est. 141 British Virgin Islands 2.50 2002 142 Tunisia 2.50 2002 est. 143 Italy 2.40 2002 est. 144 Malta 2.40 2002 est. 145 Anguilla 2.30 146 Denmark 2.30 2002 est. 147 Gabon 2.30 2002 est. 148 Bermuda 2.30 July 2002 149 Canada 2.20 2002 est. 150 Gaza Strip 2.20 2001 est. 151 Croatia 2.20 2002 est. 152 West Bank 2.20 2001 est. 153 Sweden 2.20 2002 est. 154 Kyrgyzstan 2.10 2002 est. 155 United Kingdom 2.10 2002 est. 156 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.10 1991-96 average 157 Bolivia 2.00 2001 est. 158 Virgin Islands 2.00 1992 159 Kuwait 2.00 2002 est. 160 Marshall Islands 2.00 2001 est. 161 Fiji 2.00 2002 est. 162 Djibouti 2.00 2002 est. 163 Latvia 2.00 2002 est. 164 Belize 1.90 2002 est. 165 Qatar 1.90 2002 166 Kenya 1.90 2002 est. 167 Finland 1.90 2002 est. 168 Malaysia 1.90 2002 est. 169 Poland 1.90 2002 est. 170 Austria 1.80 2002 est. 171 Bahamas, The 1.80 2001 est. 172 Solomon Islands 1.80 2001 est. 173 France 1.80 2002 est. 174 Belgium 1.70 2002 est. 175 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.70 2001 est. 176 Greenland 1.60 1999 est. 177 Luxembourg 1.60 2002 est. 178 United States 1.60 2002 179 French Guiana 1.50 2002 est. 180 Gibraltar 1.50 1998 181 French Polynesia 1.50 182 Germany 1.30 2002 est. 183 Norway 1.30 2001 est. 184 Northern Mariana Islands 1.20 1997 est. 185 Armenia 1.10 2002 est. 186 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 1.10 2002 est. 187 Panama 1.10 2001 est. 188 Dominica 1.00 2001 est. 189 Sierra Leone 1.00 2002 est. 190 Saudi Arabia 1.00 2002 est. 191 Niue 1.00 1995 192 Maldives 1.00 2002 est. 193 Libya 1.00 2001 est. 194 Liechtenstein 1.00 2001 195 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 196 Syria 0.90 2002 est. 197 Lithuania 0.80 2002 est. 198 Czech Republic 0.60 2002 est. 199 Thailand 0.60 2002 est. 200 Bahrain 0.50 2002 est. 201 Seychelles 0.50 2002 est. 202 Switzerland 0.50 2002 est. 203 Antigua and Barbuda 0.40 2000 est. 204 Netherlands Antilles 0.40 2002 est. 205 Peru 0.20 2002 est. 206 Uganda 0.10 2002 est. 207 Guam 0.00 1999 est. 208 Taiwan -0.20 2002 est. 209 Singapore -0.40 2002 est. 210 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.40 2001 est. 211 Oman -0.50 2002 est. 212 Barbados -0.60 2002 est. 213 New Caledonia -0.60 2000 est. 214 China -0.80 2002 est. 215 Japan -0.90 2002 est. 216 Ukraine -1.20 2002 est. 217 Brunei -2.00 2002 est. 218 Macau -2.60 2002 est. 219 Nauru -3.60 1993

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2095

Rank Country Labor force Date of Information

1 China 744,000,000 2001 est. 2 India 406,000,000 1999 3 United States 141,800,000 2001 4 Indonesia 99,000,000 1999 5 Brazil 79,000,000 1999 est. 6 Russia 71,800,000 2002 est. 7 Japan 67,700,000 December 2001 8 Nigeria 66,000,000 1999 est. 9 Bangladesh 64,100,000 1998 10 Germany 41,900,000 2001 11 Pakistan 40,400,000 2000 12 Mexico 39,800,000 2000 13 Vietnam 38,200,000 1998 est. 14 Philippines 33,700,000 2002 15 Thailand 33,400,000 2001 est. 16 United Kingdom 29,700,000 2001 17 France 26,600,000 2001 est. 18 Turkey 23,800,000 2001 3rd quarter 19 Burma 23,700,000 1999 est. 20 Italy 23,600,000 2001 est. 21 Ukraine 22,800,000 yearend 1997 22 Korea, South 22,000,000 2001 23 Iran 21,000,000 1998 24 Egypt 20,600,000 2001 est. 25 Colombia 18,300,000 1999 est. 26 Poland 17,600,000 2000 est. 27 Spain 17,100,000 2001 28 South Africa 17,000,000 29 Canada 16,400,000 2001 est. 30 Argentina 15,000,000 1999 31 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,510,000 1993 est. 32 Tanzania 13,495,000 33 Uganda 12,000,000 2001 est. 34 Uzbekistan 11,900,000 1998 est. 35 Morocco 11,000,000 1999 36 Sudan 11,000,000 1996 est. 37 Afghanistan 10,000,000 2000 est. 38 Taiwan 10,000,000 2003 39 Nepal 10,000,000 1996 est. 40 Kenya 10,000,000 2001 est. 41 Malaysia 9,900,000 2001 est. 42 Romania 9,900,000 1999 est. 43 Venezuela 9,900,000 1999 44 Korea, North 9,600,000 45 Algeria 9,400,000 2001 est. 46 Australia 9,200,000 37256 47 Mozambique 9,200,000 2000 est. 48 Ghana 9,000,000 2000 est. 49 Kazakhstan 8,400,000 1999 50 Peru 7,500,000 2000 est. 51 Madagascar 7,300,000 2000 52 Netherlands 7,200,000 2000 53 Saudi Arabia 7,000,000 54 Sri Lanka 6,600,000 1998 55 Iraq 6,500,000 2002 est. 56 Cambodia 6,000,000 1998 est. 57 Chile 5,900,000 2000 est. 58 Zimbabwe 5,800,000 2000 est. 59 Czech Republic 5,203,000 1999 est. 60 Syria 5,200,000 2000 est. 61 Portugal 5,100,000 2000 62 Angola 5,000,000 1997 est. 63 Burkina Faso 5,000,000 2002 64 Belarus 4,800,000 2000 65 Rwanda 4,600,000 2000 66 Malawi 4,500,000 2001 est. 67 Belgium 4,440,000 2001 68 Sweden 4,400,000 2000 est. 69 Greece 4,370,000 2002 est. 70 Austria 4,300,000 2001 71 Cuba 4,300,000 2000 est. 72 Zambia 4,290,000 2000 73 Guatemala 4,200,000 1999 est. 74 Hungary 4,200,000 1997 75 Switzerland 4,000,000 2001 76 Mali 3,930,000 2001 est. 77 Bulgaria 3,830,000 2000 est. 78 Azerbaijan 3,700,000 2001 79 Ecuador 3,700,000 80 Somalia 3,700,000 81 Burundi 3,700,000 2000 82 Haiti 3,600,000 1995 83 Hong Kong 3,520,000 2001 est. 84 Tajikistan 3,187,000 2000 85 Guinea 3,000,000 1999 86 Serbia and Montenegro 3,000,000 2001 est. 87 Slovakia 3,000,000 1999 88 Denmark 2,856,000 2000 est. 89 Kyrgyzstan 2,700,000 2000 90 Tunisia 2,690,000 2001 est. 91 Finland 2,600,000 2000 est. 92 Bolivia 2,500,000 93 Israel 2,500,000 2002 est. 94 Laos 2,400,000 1999 95 Norway 2,400,000 2000 est. 96 El Salvador 2,350,000 1999 97 Turkmenistan 2,340,000 1996 98 Honduras 2,300,000 1997 est. 99 Papua New Guinea 2,300,000 1999 100 Singapore 2,190,000 2000 101 Georgia 2,100,000 2001 est. 102 Paraguay 2,000,000 2000 est. 103 New Zealand 1,920,000 2001 est. 104 Costa Rica 1,900,000 1999 105 Ireland 1,800,000 2001 106 Togo 1,740,000 1996 107 Croatia 1,700,000 2001 108 Nicaragua 1,700,000 1999 109 Moldova 1,700,000 1998 110 United Arab Emirates 1,600,000 2000 est. 111 Lebanon 1,500,000 2001 est. 112 Libya 1,500,000 2000 est. 113 Lithuania 1,500,000 2001 est. 114 Armenia 1,400,000 2001 115 Mongolia 1,400,000 2001 116 Sierra Leone 1,369,000 1981 est. 117 Jordan 1,360,000 2002 118 Kuwait 1,300,000 1998 est. 119 Puerto Rico 1,300,000 2000 120 Albania 1,283,000 2000 est. 121 Uruguay 1,200,000 2001 122 Jamaica 1,130,000 1998 123 Latvia 1,100,000 2001 est. 124 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 1,100,000 2000 est. 125 Panama 1,100,000 2000 est. 126 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,026,000 127 Oman 920,000 2002 est. 128 Slovenia 857,400 129 Lesotho 838,000 130 Mauritania 786,000 2001 131 Namibia 725,000 2000 132 Estonia 608,600 2001 est. 133 Gabon 600,000 134 Trinidad and Tobago 564,000 2000 135 Mauritius 514,000 1995 136 Guinea-Bissau 480,000 137 Guyana 418,000 2001 est. 138 Gambia, The 400,000 139 Swaziland 383,200 2000 140 Reunion 309,900 2000 141 Bahrain 295,000 1998 est. 142 Djibouti 282,000 143 Qatar 280,122 1997 est. 144 Botswana 264,000 2000 145 Luxembourg 262,300 2000 146 Macau 214,000 2002 147 Martinique 165,900 1998 148 Malta 160,000 2002 est. 149 Iceland 159,000 2000 150 Bahamas, The 156,000 1999 151 Comoros 144,500 1996 est. 152 Brunei 143,400 1999 est. 153 Fiji 137,000 1999 154 Barbados 128,500 2001 est. 155 Guadeloupe 125,900 1997 156 Suriname 100,000 157 Belize 90,000 158 Samoa 90,000 2000 est. 159 Netherlands Antilles 89,000 160 Maldives 88,000 2000 161 New Caledonia 79,395 162 French Polynesia 70,000 1996 163 Niger 70,000 164 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 67,000 1984 est. 165 Guam 60,000 2000 est. 166 French Guiana 58,800 1997 167 Jersey 57,050 1996 168 Virgin Islands 49,000 2002 est. 169 Mayotte 48,800 2000 170 Saint Lucia 43,800 171 Grenada 42,300 1996 172 Aruba 41,501 1997 est. 173 Bermuda 37,472 2000 174 Man, Isle of 36,610 1998 175 Tonga 33,908 1996 176 Andorra 33,000 2001 est. 177 Guernsey 31,322 2000 178 Seychelles 30,900 1996 179 Monaco 30,540 January 1994 180 Antigua and Barbuda 30,000 181 Liechtenstein 29,000 37256 182 Marshall Islands 28,698 183 Solomon Islands 26,842 184 Dominica 25,000 185 Greenland 24,500 1999 est. 186 Faroe Islands 24,250 October 2000 187 Cayman Islands 19,820 1995 188 San Marino 18,500 1999 189 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18,172 June 1995 190 Gibraltar 14,800 191 American Samoa 14,000 1996 192 Western Sahara 12,000 193 Palau 9,845 2000 194 Cook Islands 8,000 1996 195 Kiribati 7,870 196 Tuvalu 7,000 2001 est. 197 Anguilla 6,049 2001 198 Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 199 British Virgin Islands 4,911 1980 200 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,848 1990 est. 201 Montserrat 4,521 202 Saint Helena 3,500 1998 est. 203 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3,261 1999 204 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,100 205 Pitcairn Islands 12 1997

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2102

Rank Country Life expectancy at birth(years) Date of Information

1 Andorra 83.49 2003 est. 2 Macau 81.87 2003 est. 3 San Marino 81.43 2003 est. 4 Japan 80.93 2003 est. 5 Singapore 80.42 2003 est. 6 Australia 80.13 2003 est. 7 Guernsey 80.04 2003 est. 8 Switzerland 79.99 2003 est. 9 Sweden 79.97 2003 est. 10 Hong Kong 79.93 2003 est. 11 Canada 79.83 2003 est. 12 Iceland 79.80 2003 est. 13 Cayman Islands 79.67 2003 est. 14 Italy 79.40 2003 est. 15 Gibraltar 79.38 2003 est. 16 France 79.28 2003 est. 17 Monaco 79.27 2003 est. 18 Liechtenstein 79.25 2003 est. 19 Spain 79.23 2003 est. 20 Norway 79.09 2003 est. 21 Israel 79.02 2003 est. 22 Jersey 78.93 2003 est. 23 Faroe Islands 78.90 2003 est. 24 Greece 78.89 2003 est. 25 Aruba 78.83 2003 est. 26 Netherlands 78.74 2003 est. 27 Martinique 78.72 2003 est. 28 Virgin Islands 78.59 2003 est. 29 Malta 78.43 2003 est. 30 Germany 78.42 2003 est. 31 Montserrat 78.36 2003 est. 32 New Zealand 78.32 2003 est. 33 Belgium 78.29 2003 est. 34 Guam 78.27 2003 est. 35 Austria 78.17 2003 est. 36 United Kingdom 78.16 2003 est. 37 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.11 2003 est. 38 Man, Isle of 77.98 2003 est. 39 Finland 77.92 2003 est. 40 Jordan 77.88 2003 est. 41 Luxembourg 77.66 2003 est. 42 Guadeloupe 77.53 2003 est. 43 Bermuda 77.41 2003 est. 44 Saint Helena 77.38 2003 est. 45 Ireland 77.35 2003 est. 46 Cyprus 77.27 2003 est. 47 Puerto Rico 77.26 2003 est. 48 United States 77.14 2003 est. 49 Denmark 77.10 2003 est. 50 Taiwan 76.87 2003 est. 51 Cuba 76.80 2003 est. 52 Anguilla 76.70 2003 est. 53 French Guiana 76.69 2003 est. 54 Kuwait 76.65 2003 est. 55 Costa Rica 76.43 2003 est. 56 Chile 76.35 2003 est. 57 Portugal 76.35 2003 est. 58 Northern Mariana Islands 76.16 2003 est. 59 Libya 76.07 2003 est. 60 British Virgin Islands 76.06 2003 est. 61 Uruguay 75.87 2003 est. 62 Jamaica 75.85 2003 est. 63 American Samoa 75.75 2003 est. 64 Slovenia 75.51 2003 est. 65 Argentina 75.48 2003 est. 66 French Polynesia 75.45 2003 est. 67 Netherlands Antilles 75.38 2003 est. 68 Korea, South 75.36 2003 est. 69 Czech Republic 75.18 2003 est. 70 United Arab Emirates 74.75 2003 est. 71 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 74.49 2003 est. 72 Slovakia 74.43 2003 est. 73 Paraguay 74.40 2003 est. 74 Tunisia 74.40 2003 est. 75 Croatia 74.37 2003 est. 76 Brunei 74.30 2003 est. 77 Dominica 74.12 2003 est. 78 Turks and Caicos Islands 74.00 2003 est. 79 Serbia and Montenegro 73.97 2003 est. 80 Poland 73.91 2003 est. 81 Venezuela 73.81 2003 est. 82 Bahrain 73.72 2003 est. 83 New Caledonia 73.52 2003 est. 84 Reunion 73.43 2003 est. 85 Qatar 73.14 2003 est. 86 Saint Lucia 73.08 2003 est. 87 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 73.08 2003 est. 88 West Bank 72.68 2003 est. 89 Sri Lanka 72.62 2003 est. 90 Oman 72.58 2003 est. 91 Albania 72.37 2003 est. 92 Panama 72.32 2003 est. 93 Mexico 72.30 2003 est. 94 Bosnia and Herzegovina 72.29 2003 est. 95 China 72.22 2003 est. 96 Hungary 72.17 2003 est. 97 Solomon Islands 72.10 2003 est. 98 Lebanon 72.07 2003 est. 99 Ecuador 71.89 2003 est. 100 Barbados 71.84 2003 est. 101 Bulgaria 71.80 2003 est. 102 Turkey 71.80 2003 est. 103 Mauritius 71.80 2003 est. 104 Malaysia 71.67 2003 est. 105 Saint Kitts and Nevis 71.57 2003 est. 106 Gaza Strip 71.40 2003 est. 107 Antigua and Barbuda 71.31 2003 est. 108 Seychelles 71.25 2003 est. 109 Thailand 71.24 2003 est. 110 Colombia 71.14 2003 est. 111 Brazil 71.13 2003 est. 112 Peru 70.88 2003 est. 113 Korea, North 70.79 2003 est. 114 El Salvador 70.62 2003 est. 115 Romania 70.62 2003 est. 116 Algeria 70.54 2003 est. 117 Egypt 70.41 2003 est. 118 Estonia 70.31 2003 est. 119 Samoa 70.11 2003 est. 120 Vietnam 70.05 2003 est. 121 Morocco 70.04 2003 est. 122 Cape Verde 69.83 2003 est. 123 Nicaragua 69.68 2003 est. 124 Lithuania 69.60 2003 est. 125 Trinidad and Tobago 69.59 2003 est. 126 Palau 69.50 2003 est. 127 Marshall Islands 69.39 2003 est. 128 Syria 69.39 2003 est. 129 Iran 69.35 2003 est. 130 Latvia 69.31 2003 est. 131 Philippines 69.29 2003 est. 132 Suriname 69.23 2003 est. 133 Micronesia, Federated States of 69.13 2003 est. 134 Greenland 69.00 2003 est. 135 Indonesia 68.94 2003 est. 136 Fiji 68.88 2003 est. 137 Tonga 68.88 2003 est. 138 Saudi Arabia 68.73 2003 est. 139 Belarus 68.43 2003 est. 140 Dominican Republic 67.96 2003 est. 141 Iraq 67.81 2003 est. 142 Russia 67.66 2003 est. 143 Belize 67.36 2003 est. 144 Tuvalu 67.32 2003 est. 145 Armenia 66.68 2003 est. 146 Honduras 66.65 2003 est. 147 Ukraine 66.50 2003 est. 148 Sao Tome and Principe 66.28 2003 est. 149 Bahamas, The 65.71 2003 est. 150 Guatemala 65.23 2003 est. 151 East Timor 65.20 2003 est. 152 Moldova 64.88 2003 est. 153 Bolivia 64.78 2003 est. 154 Georgia 64.76 2003 est. 155 Grenada 64.52 2003 est. 156 Tajikistan 64.37 2003 est. 157 Papua New Guinea 64.19 2003 est. 158 Uzbekistan 64.00 2003 est. 159 World 63.95 2003 est. 160 Mongolia 63.81 2003 est. 161 Kyrgyzstan 63.66 2003 est. 162 India 63.62 2003 est. 163 Kazakhstan 63.48 2003 est. 164 Maldives 63.30 2003 est. 165 Azerbaijan 63.16 2003 est. 166 Guyana 63.09 2003 est. 167 Pakistan 62.20 2003 est. 168 Nauru 61.95 2003 est. 169 Vanuatu 61.71 2003 est. 170 Bangladesh 61.33 2003 est. 171 Turkmenistan 61.19 2003 est. 172 Comoros 61.18 2003 est. 173 Yemen 60.97 2003 est. 174 Kiribati 60.93 2003 est. 175 Mayotte 60.60 2003 est. 176 Nepal 59.00 2003 est. 177 Cambodia 57.92 2003 est. 178 Sudan 57.73 2003 est. 179 Gabon 57.12 2003 est. 180 Ghana 56.53 2003 est. 181 Senegal 56.37 2003 est. 182 Madagascar 56.14 2003 est. 183 Burma 55.79 2003 est. 184 Equatorial Guinea 54.75 2003 est. 185 Gambia, The 54.38 2003 est. 186 Laos 54.30 2003 est. 187 Bhutan 53.58 2003 est. 188 Togo 53.43 2003 est. 189 Eritrea 53.18 2003 est. 190 Mauritania 51.93 2003 est. 191 Haiti 51.61 2003 est. 192 Benin 51.08 2003 est. 193 Nigeria 51.01 2003 est. 194 Congo, Republic of the 50.02 2003 est. 195 Guinea 49.54 2003 est. 196 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 48.93 2003 est. 197 Chad 48.51 2003 est. 198 Liberia 48.15 2003 est. 199 Cameroon 48.05 2003 est. 200 Somalia 47.34 2003 est. 201 Afghanistan 46.97 2003 est. 202 Guinea-Bissau 46.97 2003 est. 203 South Africa 46.56 2003 est. 204 Mali 45.43 2003 est. 205 Kenya 45.22 2003 est. 206 Uganda 44.88 2003 est. 207 Tanzania 44.56 2003 est. 208 Burkina Faso 44.46 2003 est. 209 Burundi 43.20 2003 est. 210 Djibouti 43.13 2003 est. 211 Sierra Leone 42.84 2003 est. 212 Namibia 42.77 2003 est. 213 Cote d'Ivoire 42.65 2003 est. 214 Niger 42.21 2003 est. 215 Central African Republic 41.71 2003 est. 216 Ethiopia 41.24 2003 est. 217 Swaziland 39.47 2003 est. 218 Rwanda 39.33 2003 est. 219 Zimbabwe 39.01 2003 est. 220 Malawi 37.98 2003 est. 221 Angola 36.96 2003 est. 222 Lesotho 36.94 2003 est. 223 Zambia 35.25 2003 est. 224 Botswana 32.26 2003 est. 225 Mozambique 31.30 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2119

Rank Country Population Date of Information

1 World 6,302,309,691 July 2003 est. 2 China 1,286,975,468 July 2003 est. 3 India 1,049,700,118 July 2003 est. 4 United States 290,342,554 July 2003 est. 5 Indonesia 234,893,453 July 2003 est. 6 Brazil 182,032,604 July 2003 est. 7 Pakistan 150,694,740 July 2003 est. 8 Russia 144,526,278 July 2003 est. 9 Bangladesh 138,448,210 July 2003 est. 10 Nigeria 133,881,703 July 2003 est. 11 Japan 127,214,499 July 2003 est. 12 Mexico 104,907,991 July 2003 est. 13 Philippines 84,619,974 July 2003 est. 14 Germany 82,398,326 July 2003 est. 15 Vietnam 81,624,716 July 2003 est. 16 Egypt 74,718,797 July 2003 est. 17 Iran 68,278,826 July 2003 est. 18 Turkey 68,109,469 July 2003 est. 19 Ethiopia 66,557,553 July 2003 est. 20 Thailand 64,265,276 July 2003 est. 21 France 60,180,529 July 2003 est. 22 United Kingdom 60,094,648 July 2003 est. 23 Italy 57,998,353 July 2003 est. 24 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 56,625,039 July 2003 est. 25 Korea, South 48,289,037 July 2003 est. 26 Ukraine 48,055,439 July 2003 est. 27 South Africa 42,768,678 July 2003 est. 28 Burma 42,510,537 July 2003 est. 29 Colombia 41,662,073 July 2003 est. 30 Spain 40,217,413 July 2003 est. 31 Argentina 38,740,807 July 2003 est. 32 Poland 38,622,660 July 2003 est. 33 Sudan 38,114,160 July 2003 est. 34 Tanzania 35,922,454 July 2003 est. 35 Algeria 32,818,500 July 2003 est. 36 Canada 32,207,113 July 2003 est. 37 Morocco 31,689,265 July 2003 est. 38 Kenya 31,639,091 July 2003 est. 39 Afghanistan 28,717,213 July 2003 est. 40 Peru 28,409,897 July 2003 est. 41 Nepal 26,469,569 July 2003 est. 42 Uzbekistan 25,981,647 July 2003 est. 43 Uganda 25,632,794 July 2003 est. 44 Iraq 24,683,313 July 2003 est. 45 Venezuela 24,654,694 July 2003 est. 46 Saudi Arabia 24,293,844 July 2003 est. 47 Malaysia 23,092,940 July 2003 est. 48 Taiwan 22,603,001 July 2003 est. 49 Korea, North 22,466,481 July 2003 est. 50 Romania 22,271,839 July 2003 est. 51 Ghana 20,467,747 July 2003 est. 52 Sri Lanka 19,742,439 July 2003 est. 53 Australia 19,731,984 July 2003 est. 54 Yemen 19,349,881 July 2003 est. 55 Syria 17,585,540 July 2003 est. 56 Mozambique 17,479,266 July 2003 est. 57 Madagascar 16,979,744 July 2003 est. 58 Cote d'Ivoire 16,962,491 July 2003 est. 59 Kazakhstan 16,763,795 July 2003 est. 60 Netherlands 16,150,511 July 2003 est. 61 Cameroon 15,746,179 July 2003 est. 62 Chile 15,665,216 July 2003 est. 63 Guatemala 13,909,384 July 2003 est. 64 Ecuador 13,710,234 July 2003 est. 65 Burkina Faso 13,228,460 July 2003 est. 66 Cambodia 13,124,764 July 2003 est. 67 Zimbabwe 12,576,742 July 2003 est. 68 Malawi 11,651,239 July 2003 est. 69 Mali 11,626,219 July 2003 est. 70 Cuba 11,263,429 July 2003 est. 71 Niger 11,058,590 July 2003 est. 72 Angola 10,766,471 July 2003 est. 73 Greece 10,665,989 July 2003 est. 74 Serbia and Montenegro 10,655,774 July 2003 est. 75 Senegal 10,580,307 July 2003 est. 76 Belarus 10,322,151 July 2003 est. 77 Zambia 10,307,333 July 2003 est. 78 Belgium 10,289,088 July 2003 est. 79 Czech Republic 10,249,216 July 2003 est. 80 Portugal 10,102,022 July 2003 est. 81 Hungary 10,045,407 July 2003 est. 82 Tunisia 9,924,742 July 2003 est. 83 Chad 9,253,493 July 2003 est. 84 Guinea 9,030,220 July 2003 est. 85 Sweden 8,878,085 July 2003 est. 86 Dominican Republic 8,715,602 July 2003 est. 87 Bolivia 8,586,443 July 2003 est. 88 Austria 8,188,207 July 2003 est. 89 Somalia 8,025,190 July 2003 est. 90 Azerbaijan 7,830,764 July 2003 est. 91 Rwanda 7,810,056 July 2003 est. 92 Bulgaria 7,537,929 July 2003 est. 93 Haiti 7,527,817 July 2003 est. 94 Hong Kong 7,394,170 July 2003 est. 95 Switzerland 7,318,638 July 2003 est. 96 Benin 7,041,490 July 2003 est. 97 Tajikistan 6,863,752 July 2003 est. 98 Honduras 6,669,789 July 2003 est. 99 El Salvador 6,470,379 July 2003 est. 100 Israel 6,116,533 July 2003 est. 101 Burundi 6,096,156 July 2003 est. 102 Paraguay 6,036,900 July 2003 est. 103 Laos 5,921,545 July 2003 est. 104 Sierra Leone 5,732,681 July 2003 est. 105 Libya 5,499,074 July 2003 est. 106 Jordan 5,460,265 July 2003 est. 107 Slovakia 5,430,033 July 2003 est. 108 Togo 5,429,299 July 2003 est. 109 Denmark 5,384,384 July 2003 est. 110 Papua New Guinea 5,295,816 July 2003 est. 111 Finland 5,190,785 July 2003 est. 112 Nicaragua 5,128,517 July 2003 est. 113 Georgia 4,934,413 July 2003 est. 114 Kyrgyzstan 4,892,808 July 2003 est. 115 Turkmenistan 4,775,544 July 2003 est. 116 Singapore 4,608,595 July 2003 est. 117 Norway 4,546,123 July 2003 est. 118 Moldova 4,439,502 July 2003 est. 119 Croatia 4,422,248 July 2003 est. 120 Eritrea 4,362,254 July 2003 est. 121 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,989,018 July 2003 est. 122 New Zealand 3,951,307 July 2003 est. 123 Ireland 3,924,140 July 2003 est. 124 Costa Rica 3,896,092 July 2003 est. 125 Puerto Rico 3,885,877 July 2003 est. 126 Lebanon 3,727,703 July 2003 est. 127 Central African Republic 3,683,538 July 2003 est. 128 Lithuania 3,592,561 July 2003 est. 129 Albania 3,582,205 July 2003 est. 130 Uruguay 3,413,329 July 2003 est. 131 Armenia 3,326,448 July 2003 est. 132 Liberia 3,317,176 July 2003 est. 133 Panama 2,960,784 July 2003 est. 134 Congo, Republic of the 2,954,258 July 2003 est. 135 Mauritania 2,912,584 July 2003 est. 136 Oman 2,807,125 July 2003 est. 137 Mongolia 2,712,315 July 2003 est. 138 Jamaica 2,695,867 July 2003 est. 139 United Arab Emirates 2,484,818 July 2003 est. 140 Latvia 2,348,784 July 2003 est. 141 West Bank 2,237,194 July 2003 est. 142 Kuwait 2,183,161 July 2003 est. 143 Bhutan 2,139,549 July 2003 est. 144 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 2,063,122 July 2003 est. 145 Slovenia 1,935,677 July 2003 est. 146 Namibia 1,927,447 July 2003 est. 147 Lesotho 1,861,959 July 2003 est. 148 Botswana 1,573,267 July 2003 est. 149 Gambia, The 1,501,050 July 2003 est. 150 Estonia 1,408,556 July 2003 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 1,360,827 July 2003 est. 152 Gabon 1,321,560 July 2003 est. 153 Gaza Strip 1,274,868 July 2003 est. 154 Mauritius 1,210,447 July 2003 est. 155 Swaziland 1,161,219 July 2003 est. 156 Trinidad and Tobago 1,104,209 July 2003 est. 157 East Timor 997,853 July 2003 est. 158 Fiji 868,531 July 2003 est. 159 Qatar 817,052 July 2003 est. 160 Cyprus 771,657 July 2003 est. 161 Reunion 755,171 July 2003 est. 162 Guyana 702,100 July 2003 est. 163 Bahrain 667,238 July 2003 est. 164 Comoros 632,948 July 2003 est. 165 Equatorial Guinea 510,473 July 2003 est. 166 Solomon Islands 509,190 July 2003 est. 167 Macau 469,903 July 2003 est. 168 Djibouti 457,130 July 2003 est. 169 Luxembourg 454,157 July 2003 est. 170 Guadeloupe 440,189 July 2003 est. 171 Suriname 435,449 July 2003 est. 172 Martinique 425,966 July 2003 est. 173 Cape Verde 412,137 July 2003 est. 174 Malta 400,420 July 2003 est. 175 Brunei 358,098 July 2003 est. 176 Maldives 329,684 July 2003 est. 177 Bahamas, The 297,477 July 2003 est. 178 Iceland 280,798 July 2003 est. 179 Barbados 277,264 July 2003 est. 180 Belize 266,440 July 2003 est. 181 French Polynesia 262,125 July 2003 est. 182 Western Sahara 261,794 July 2003 est. 183 Netherlands Antilles 216,226 July 2003 est. 184 New Caledonia 210,798 July 2003 est. 185 Vanuatu 199,414 July 2003 est. 186 French Guiana 186,917 July 2003 est. 187 Mayotte 178,437 July 2003 est. 188 Samoa 178,173 July 2003 est. 189 Sao Tome and Principe 175,883 July 2003 est. 190 Guam 163,941 July 2003 est. 191 Saint Lucia 162,157 July 2003 est. 192 Virgin Islands 124,778 July 2003 est. 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 116,812 July 2003 est. 194 Micronesia, Federated States of 108,143 July 2003 est. 195 Tonga 108,141 July 2003 est. 196 Kiribati 98,549 July 2003 est. 197 Jersey 90,156 July 2003 est. 198 Grenada 89,258 July 2003 est. 199 Seychelles 80,469 July 2003 est. 200 Northern Mariana Islands 80,006 July 2003 est. 201 Man, Isle of 74,261 July 2003 est. 202 Aruba 70,844 July 2003 est. 203 American Samoa 70,260 July 2003 est. 204 Dominica 69,655 July 2003 est. 205 Andorra 69,150 July 2003 est. 206 Antigua and Barbuda 67,897 July 2003 est. 207 Guernsey 64,818 July 2003 est. 208 Bermuda 64,482 July 2003 est. 209 Marshall Islands 56,429 July 2003 est. 210 Greenland 56,385 July 2003 est. 211 Faroe Islands 46,345 July 2003 est. 212 Cayman Islands 41,934 July 2003 est. 213 Saint Kitts and Nevis 38,763 July 2003 est. 214 Liechtenstein 33,145 July 2003 est. 215 Monaco 32,130 July 2003 est. 216 San Marino 28,119 July 2003 est. 217 Gibraltar 27,776 July 2003 est. 218 British Virgin Islands 21,730 July 2003 est. 219 Cook Islands 21,008 July 2003 est. 220 Palau 19,717 July 2003 est. 221 Turks and Caicos Islands 19,350 July 2003 est. 222 Wallis and Futuna 15,734 July 2003 est. 223 Anguilla 12,738 July 2003 est. 224 Nauru 12,570 July 2003 est. 225 Tuvalu 11,305 July 2003 est. 226 Montserrat 8,995 July 2003 est. 227 Saint Helena 7,367 July 2003 est. 228 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6,976 July 2003 est. 229 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,967 July 2003 est. 230 Svalbard 2,811 July 2003 est. 231 Niue 2,145 July 2003 est. 232 Norfolk Island 1,853 July 2003 est. 233 Tokelau 1,418 July 2003 est. 234 Holy See (Vatican City) 911 July 2003 est. 235 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 630 July 2003 est. 236 Christmas Island 433 July 2003 est. 237 Pitcairn Islands 47 July 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2121

Rank Country Railways(km) Date of Information

1 World 1,122,650 2 United States 194,731 2000 3 Russia 87,157 2002 4 China 71,600 2002 5 India 63,518 2002 6 Canada 49,422 2002 7 Germany 45,514 2002 8 Australia 41,588 2002 9 Argentina 34,463 2002 10 France 32,682 2002 11 Brazil 31,543 2002 12 Poland 23,420 2002 13 Japan 23,168 2002 14 Ukraine 22,473 2002 15 South Africa 22,298 2002 16 Mexico 19,510 2002 17 Italy 19,493 2002 18 United Kingdom 16,893 2002 19 Spain 14,189 2002 20 Kazakhstan 13,601 2002 21 Sweden 11,481 2002 22 Romania 11,385 2002 23 Czech Republic 9,462 2002 24 Turkey 8,607 2002 25 Pakistan 8,163 2002 26 Hungary 7,875 2002 27 Iran 7,201 2002 28 Chile 6,585 2002 29 Indonesia 6,458 2002 30 Austria 6,024 2002 31 Sudan 5,978 2002 32 Finland 5,850 2002 33 Belarus 5,523 2002 34 Korea, North 5,214 2002 35 Egypt 5,105 2002 36 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4,772 2002 37 Switzerland 4,511 2002 38 Bulgaria 4,294 2002 39 Norway 4,178 2002 40 Thailand 4,071 2002 41 Serbia and Montenegro 4,059 2002 42 Algeria 3,973 2002 43 Burma 3,955 2002 44 Uzbekistan 3,950 2002 45 New Zealand 3,898 2002 46 Tanzania 3,690 2002 47 Slovakia 3,668 2002 48 Nigeria 3,557 2002 49 Bolivia 3,519 2002 50 Belgium 3,471 2002 51 Cuba 3,442 2002 52 Ireland 3,312 2002 53 Colombia 3,304 2002 54 Denmark 3,164 2002 55 Vietnam 3,142 2002 56 Korea, South 3,125 2002 57 Mozambique 3,123 2002 58 Zimbabwe 3,077 2002 59 Portugal 2,850 2002 60 Netherlands 2,808 2002 61 Kenya 2,778 2002 62 Angola 2,761 2002 63 Syria 2,743 2002 64 Bangladesh 2,706 2002 65 Greece 2,571 2002 66 Turkmenistan 2,440 2002 67 Malaysia 2,418 2002 68 Namibia 2,382 2002 69 Latvia 2,347 2002 70 Croatia 2,296 2002 71 Zambia 2,173 2002 72 Tunisia 2,152 2002 73 Azerbaijan 2,122 2002 74 Uruguay 2,073 2002 75 Lithuania 1,998 2002 76 Iraq 1,963 2003 77 Morocco 1,907 2002 78 Peru 1,829 2002 79 Georgia 1,612 2002 80 Sri Lanka 1,508 2002 81 Dominican Republic 1,503 2002 82 Saudi Arabia 1,392 2002 83 Moldova 1,300 2002 84 Uganda 1,241 2002 85 Slovenia 1,201 2002 86 Guinea 1,115 2002 87 Taiwan 1,108 2002 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,021 2002 89 Cameroon 1,008 2002 90 Estonia 968 2002 91 Ecuador 966 2002 92 Ghana 953 2002 93 Costa Rica 950 2002 94 Senegal 906 2002 95 Philippines 897 2002 96 Congo, Republic of the 894 2002 97 Botswana 888 2002 98 Guatemala 886 2002 99 Armenia 852 2002 100 Gabon 814 2002 101 Malawi 797 2002 102 Madagascar 732 2002 103 Mali 729 2002 104 Honduras 699 2002 105 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 699 2002 106 Venezuela 682 2002 107 Ethiopia 681 2002 108 Cote d'Ivoire 660 2002 109 Israel 640 2002 110 Burkina Faso 622 2002 111 Cambodia 602 2002 112 Fiji 597 2002 113 Benin 578 2002 114 Togo 525 2002 115 Jordan 505 2002 116 Liberia 490 2002 117 Tajikistan 482 2002 118 Albania 447 2002 119 Paraguay 441 2002 120 Kyrgyzstan 420 2002 121 Lebanon 401 2002 122 Panama 355 2002 123 Eritrea 306 2002 124 Swaziland 301 2002 125 El Salvador 283 2002 126 Luxembourg 274 2002 127 Jamaica 272 2002 128 Guyana 187 2001 est. 129 Suriname 166 2001 130 Djibouti 100 2002 131 Puerto Rico 96 2002 132 Sierra Leone 84 2001 133 Antigua and Barbuda 77 2001 est. 134 Man, Isle of 60 2002 135 Nepal 59 2002 136 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2002 137 Haiti 40 2001 est. 138 Singapore 39 139 Hong Kong 34 2001 140 Afghanistan 25 2001 141 Liechtenstein 19 2002 142 Brunei 13 2001 est. 143 Nicaragua 6 2002 144 Nauru 5 2001 145 Lesotho 3 1995 146 Monaco 2 2002 147 Holy See (Vatican City) 1 2001 est. 148 Equatorial Guinea 0

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2127

Rank Country Total fertility rate(children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Somalia 6.98 2003 est. 2 Niger 6.91 2003 est. 3 Yemen 6.82 2003 est. 4 Uganda 6.72 2003 est. 5 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.69 2003 est. 6 Mali 6.66 2003 est. 7 Chad 6.44 2003 est. 8 Angola 6.38 2003 est. 9 Burkina Faso 6.34 2003 est. 10 Liberia 6.23 2003 est. 11 Gaza Strip 6.17 2003 est. 12 Saudi Arabia 6.15 2003 est. 13 Malawi 6.10 2003 est. 14 Mauritania 6.08 2003 est. 15 Mayotte 6.07 2003 est. 16 Benin 6.04 2003 est. 17 Burundi 5.99 2003 est. 18 Oman 5.94 2003 est. 19 Guinea 5.90 2003 est. 20 Sao Tome and Principe 5.88 2003 est. 21 Sierra Leone 5.86 2003 est. 22 Eritrea 5.74 2003 est. 23 Madagascar 5.73 2003 est. 24 Afghanistan 5.64 2003 est. 25 Rwanda 5.60 2003 est. 26 Djibouti 5.56 2003 est. 27 Ethiopia 5.55 2003 est. 28 Gambia, The 5.53 2003 est. 29 Cote d'Ivoire 5.51 2003 est. 30 Nigeria 5.40 2003 est. 31 Maldives 5.26 2003 est. 32 Zambia 5.25 2003 est. 33 Tanzania 5.24 2003 est. 34 Comoros 5.21 2003 est. 35 Sudan 5.10 2003 est. 36 Guinea-Bissau 5.07 2003 est. 37 Togo 4.97 2003 est. 38 Bhutan 4.94 2003 est. 39 Laos 4.94 2003 est. 40 Senegal 4.93 2003 est. 41 Mozambique 4.87 2003 est. 42 Haiti 4.86 2003 est. 43 Gabon 4.83 2003 est. 44 Equatorial Guinea 4.75 2003 est. 45 Namibia 4.71 2003 est. 46 Central African Republic 4.68 2003 est. 47 Guatemala 4.67 2003 est. 48 West Bank 4.65 2003 est. 49 Cameroon 4.63 2003 est. 50 Iraq 4.52 2003 est. 51 Nepal 4.39 2003 est. 52 Solomon Islands 4.34 2003 est. 53 Kiribati 4.28 2003 est. 54 Tajikistan 4.17 2003 est. 55 Papua New Guinea 4.13 2003 est. 56 Marshall Islands 4.12 2003 est. 57 Pakistan 4.10 2003 est. 58 Honduras 4.07 2003 est. 59 Paraguay 4.02 2003 est. 60 Swaziland 3.92 2003 est. 61 Belize 3.86 2003 est. 62 East Timor 3.79 2003 est. 63 Cape Verde 3.77 2003 est. 64 Syria 3.72 2003 est. 65 Zimbabwe 3.66 2003 est. 66 Congo, Republic of the 3.65 2003 est. 67 Guam 3.62 2003 est. 68 Cambodia 3.58 2003 est. 69 Lesotho 3.52 2003 est. 70 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.50 2003 est. 71 Turkmenistan 3.50 2003 est. 72 Libya 3.49 2003 est. 73 Kenya 3.47 2003 est. 74 Nauru 3.40 2003 est. 75 Ghana 3.32 2003 est. 76 American Samoa 3.30 2003 est. 77 Philippines 3.29 2003 est. 78 Botswana 3.27 2003 est. 79 El Salvador 3.25 2003 est. 80 Bolivia 3.23 2003 est. 81 Samoa 3.21 2003 est. 82 Bangladesh 3.17 2003 est. 83 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.15 2003 est. 84 Malaysia 3.13 2003 est. 85 Kyrgyzstan 3.12 2003 est. 86 French Guiana 3.09 2003 est. 87 United Arab Emirates 3.09 2003 est. 88 Kuwait 3.08 2003 est. 89 Tuvalu 3.05 2003 est. 90 Egypt 3.02 2003 est. 91 Qatar 3.02 2003 est. 92 Jordan 3.00 2003 est. 93 Nicaragua 3.00 2003 est. 94 Uzbekistan 3.00 2003 est. 95 Tonga 3.00 2003 est. 96 Ecuador 2.99 2003 est. 97 Vanuatu 2.98 2003 est. 98 Dominican Republic 2.92 2003 est. 99 India 2.91 2003 est. 100 Morocco 2.89 2003 est. 101 Fiji 2.81 2003 est. 102 Peru 2.81 2003 est. 103 Bahrain 2.71 2003 est. 104 World 2.65 2003 est. 105 Colombia 2.61 2003 est. 106 Algeria 2.55 2003 est. 107 Mexico 2.53 2003 est. 108 Panama 2.53 2003 est. 109 Reunion 2.53 2003 est. 110 Indonesia 2.50 2003 est. 111 Israel 2.50 2003 est. 112 Palau 2.47 2003 est. 113 Grenada 2.45 2003 est. 114 Greenland 2.43 2003 est. 115 Suriname 2.40 2003 est. 116 New Caledonia 2.39 2003 est. 117 Costa Rica 2.38 2003 est. 118 Brunei 2.37 2003 est. 119 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.37 2003 est. 120 Venezuela 2.36 2003 est. 121 Uruguay 2.35 2003 est. 122 Azerbaijan 2.34 2003 est. 123 Saint Lucia 2.29 2003 est. 124 Antigua and Barbuda 2.28 2003 est. 125 Mongolia 2.28 2003 est. 126 Argentina 2.28 2003 est. 127 Bahamas, The 2.25 2003 est. 128 Korea, North 2.25 2003 est. 129 Faroe Islands 2.24 2003 est. 130 South Africa 2.24 2003 est. 131 Vietnam 2.24 2003 est. 132 Albania 2.22 2003 est. 133 Virgin Islands 2.22 2003 est. 134 Kazakhstan 2.16 2003 est. 135 Burma 2.15 2003 est. 136 French Polynesia 2.14 2003 est. 137 Chile 2.09 2003 est. 138 Guyana 2.07 2003 est. 139 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.07 2003 est. 140 United States 2.07 2003 est. 141 Netherlands Antilles 2.04 2003 est. 142 Turkey 2.03 2003 est. 143 Puerto Rico 2.02 2003 est. 144 Brazil 2.01 2003 est. 145 Jamaica 2.01 2003 est. 146 Dominica 1.99 2003 est. 147 Iran 1.99 2003 est. 148 Iceland 1.98 2003 est. 149 Lebanon 1.98 2003 est. 150 Mauritius 1.98 2003 est. 151 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.95 2003 est. 152 Croatia 1.93 2003 est. 153 Guadeloupe 1.92 2003 est. 154 Cayman Islands 1.91 2003 est. 155 Malta 1.91 2003 est. 156 Thailand 1.91 2003 est. 157 Bermuda 1.90 2003 est. 158 Tunisia 1.90 2003 est. 159 Sri Lanka 1.90 2003 est. 160 Ireland 1.89 2003 est. 161 Cyprus 1.88 2003 est. 162 France 1.85 2003 est. 163 Montserrat 1.80 2003 est. 164 Norway 1.80 2003 est. 165 Aruba 1.79 2003 est. 166 New Zealand 1.79 2003 est. 167 Seychelles 1.79 2003 est. 168 Martinique 1.79 2003 est. 169 Trinidad and Tobago 1.78 2003 est. 170 Serbia and Montenegro 1.77 2003 est. 171 Australia 1.76 2003 est. 172 Monaco 1.76 2003 est. 173 Anguilla 1.76 2003 est. 174 Northern Mariana Islands 1.75 2003 est. 175 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 1.75 2003 est. 176 Moldova 1.74 2003 est. 177 Denmark 1.73 2003 est. 178 British Virgin Islands 1.72 2003 est. 179 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.71 2003 est. 180 China 1.70 2003 est. 181 Luxembourg 1.70 2003 est. 182 Finland 1.70 2003 est. 183 United Kingdom 1.66 2003 est. 184 Barbados 1.65 2003 est. 185 Netherlands 1.65 2003 est. 186 Man, Isle of 1.65 2003 est. 187 Gibraltar 1.65 2003 est. 188 Belgium 1.62 2003 est. 189 Canada 1.61 2003 est. 190 Cuba 1.61 2003 est. 191 Jersey 1.57 2003 est. 192 Taiwan 1.57 2003 est. 193 Armenia 1.56 2003 est. 194 Korea, South 1.56 2003 est. 195 Saint Helena 1.54 2003 est. 196 Sweden 1.54 2003 est. 197 Georgia 1.51 2003 est. 198 Liechtenstein 1.50 2003 est. 199 Portugal 1.49 2003 est. 200 Switzerland 1.48 2003 est. 201 Lithuania 1.43 2003 est. 202 Austria 1.41 2003 est. 203 Japan 1.38 2003 est. 204 Guernsey 1.37 2003 est. 205 Poland 1.37 2003 est. 206 Germany 1.37 2003 est. 207 Romania 1.36 2003 est. 208 Greece 1.35 2003 est. 209 Belarus 1.34 2003 est. 210 Ukraine 1.34 2003 est. 211 Russia 1.33 2003 est. 212 Hong Kong 1.32 2003 est. 213 Macau 1.32 2003 est. 214 San Marino 1.31 2003 est. 215 Andorra 1.27 2003 est. 216 Slovenia 1.27 2003 est. 217 Estonia 1.27 2003 est. 218 Italy 1.26 2003 est. 219 Spain 1.26 2003 est. 220 Hungary 1.25 2003 est. 221 Slovakia 1.25 2003 est. 222 Singapore 1.24 2003 est. 223 Latvia 1.20 2003 est. 224 Czech Republic 1.18 2003 est. 225 Bulgaria 1.13 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2129

Rank Country Unemployment rate(%) Date of Information

1 Kiribati 70.00 1992 est. 2 Zimbabwe 70.00 2002 est. 3 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60.00 2000 est. 4 Gaza Strip 50.00 2002 est. 5 Zambia 50.00 2000 est. 6 West Bank 50.00 2002 est. 7 East Timor 50.00 8 Senegal 48.00 2001 est. 9 Nepal 47.00 2001 est. 10 Lesotho 45.00 2002 11 Botswana 40.00 2001 est. 12 Bangladesh 40.00 2002 est. 13 Bosnia and Herzegovina 40.00 2002 est. 14 Kenya 40.00 2001 est. 15 Tajikistan 40.00 2002 est. 16 Mayotte 38.00 1999 17 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 37.00 2002 est. 18 South Africa 37.00 2001 est. 19 Reunion 36.00 1999 est. 20 Namibia 35.00 1998 21 Swaziland 34.00 2000 est. 22 Serbia and Montenegro 32.00 2002 est. 23 Algeria 31.00 2002 est. 24 Marshall Islands 30.90 1999 est. 25 Cameroon 30.00 2001 est. 26 Yemen 30.00 1995 est. 27 World 30.00 28 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 1998 est. 29 Libya 30.00 2001 30 Honduras 28.00 2002 est. 31 Nigeria 28.00 1992 est. 32 Guadeloupe 27.80 1998 33 Martinique 27.20 1998 34 Saudi Arabia 25.00 2002 35 Vietnam 25.00 1995 est. 36 Nicaragua 24.00 2002 est. 37 Dominica 23.00 2000 est. 38 French Guiana 22.00 2001 39 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22.00 1997 est. 40 Croatia 21.70 2002 est. 41 Argentina 21.50 37377 42 Cape Verde 21.00 2000 est. 43 Mauritania 21.00 1999 est. 44 Mozambique 21.00 1997 est. 45 Gabon 21.00 1997 est. 46 Armenia 20.00 2001 est. 47 Syria 20.00 2002 est. 48 Mongolia 20.00 2000 49 Ghana 20.00 1997 est. 50 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 51 Uruguay 19.40 2002 52 Morocco 19.00 2002 est. 53 New Caledonia 19.00 1996 54 Sudan 18.70 2002 est. 55 Paraguay 18.20 2002 est. 56 Poland 18.10 2002 57 Bulgaria 18.00 2002 est. 58 Lebanon 18.00 1997 est. 59 Colombia 17.40 2002 est. 60 Slovakia 17.20 2002 est. 61 Albania 17.00 2001 est. 62 Georgia 17.00 2001 est. 63 Venezuela 17.00 2002 est. 64 Suriname 17.00 2000 65 Saint Lucia 16.50 1997 est. 66 Iran 16.30 2003 est. 67 Azerbaijan 16.00 2003 est. 68 Micronesia, Federated States of 16.00 1999 est. 69 Panama 16.00 2002 est. 70 Jordan 16.00 2001 est. 71 Jamaica 15.40 2002 est. 72 Tunisia 15.40 2002 est. 73 Bahrain 15.00 1998 est. 74 Guam 15.00 2000 est. 75 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 1998 est. 76 Mali 14.60 2001 est. 77 Dominican Republic 14.50 2002 est. 78 Saint Helena 14.00 1998 est. 79 Tonga 13.30 1996 est. 80 Cook Islands 13.00 1996 81 Cote d'Ivoire 13.00 1998 82 Grenada 12.50 2000 83 Lithuania 12.50 2001 est. 84 Estonia 12.40 2001 85 Egypt 12.00 2001 est. 86 Puerto Rico 12.00 2002 87 French Polynesia 11.80 1994 88 Spain 11.30 2002 est. 89 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 2001 est. 90 Slovenia 11.00 2002 est. 91 Trinidad and Tobago 10.80 2002 92 Turkey 10.80 2002 est. 93 Indonesia 10.60 2002 est. 94 Israel 10.40 2002 est. 95 Greece 10.30 2002 est. 96 Philippines 10.20 2002 97 Barbados 10.00 2001 est. 98 Uzbekistan 10.00 99 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 1997 est. 100 Greenland 10.00 2000 est. 101 El Salvador 10.00 2001 est. 102 Brunei 10.00 2001 est. 103 Czech Republic 9.80 2002 104 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 9.80 1997 105 Germany 9.80 2002 est. 106 Peru 9.40 2002 est. 107 Chile 9.20 2002 108 Belize 9.10 2002 109 France 9.10 2002 est. 110 Italy 9.10 2002 est. 111 India 8.80 2002 112 Kazakhstan 8.80 2002 est. 113 Mauritius 8.80 2002 est. 114 Finland 8.50 2002 est. 115 Romania 8.30 2002 116 Sri Lanka 8.00 2002 117 Central African Republic 8.00 2001 est. 118 Moldova 8.00 2002 est. 119 Russia 7.90 2002 120 Pakistan 7.80 2002 est. 121 Ecuador 7.70 2001 est. 122 Bolivia 7.60 2000 123 Fiji 7.60 1999 124 Latvia 7.60 2001 est. 125 Canada 7.60 2002 est. 126 Guatemala 7.50 1999 est. 127 Hong Kong 7.50 2002 est. 128 Belgium 7.20 2002 est. 129 Kyrgyzstan 7.20 1999 est. 130 Kuwait 7.00 2002 est. 131 Malta 7.00 2002 est. 132 Bahamas, The 6.90 2001 est. 133 Anguilla 6.70 2001 134 Brazil 6.40 2001 est. 135 Australia 6.30 2002 136 Macau 6.30 2002 137 Costa Rica 6.30 2002 est. 138 American Samoa 6.00 2000 139 Montserrat 6.00 1998 est. 140 Madagascar 5.90 1998 141 Hungary 5.80 2002 est. 142 United States 5.80 2002 143 Laos 5.70 1997 est. 144 Cyprus 5.60 2002 est. 145 Japan 5.40 2002 146 Mali 5.30 2001 est. 147 New Zealand 5.30 2002 est. 148 Taiwan 5.20 2002 est. 149 United Kingdom 5.20 2002 est. 150 Burma 5.10 2001 est. 151 Denmark 5.10 2002 152 Virgin Islands 4.90 March 1999 153 Austria 4.80 2002 est. 154 Portugal 4.70 2002 est. 155 Singapore 4.60 2002 est. 156 Bermuda 4.50 1993 157 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 1997 158 Ireland 4.30 2002 est. 159 Cayman Islands 4.10 1997 160 Cuba 4.10 2001 est. 161 Luxembourg 4.10 2002 est. 162 Sweden 4.00 2002 est. 163 Norway 3.90 2002 est. 164 Malaysia 3.80 2002 est. 165 Ukraine 3.80 2002 166 Cyprus 3.30 2002 est. 167 Korea, South 3.10 2002 est. 168 Monaco 3.10 1998 169 Mexico 3.00 2002 170 Netherlands 3.00 2002 est. 171 British Virgin Islands 3.00 1995 172 Thailand 2.90 2002 est. 173 Cambodia 2.80 1999 est. 174 Iceland 2.80 2002 est. 175 Qatar 2.70 2001 176 San Marino 2.60 2001 177 Palau 2.30 2000 est. 178 Belarus 2.10 179 Gibraltar 2.00 2001 est. 180 Kiribati 2.00 1992 est. 181 Switzerland 1.90 2002 est. 182 Liechtenstein 1.30 37500 183 Faroe Islands 1.00 October 2000 184 Man, Isle of 0.70 March 2003 185 Jersey 0.70 1998 est. 186 Aruba 0.60 187 Guernsey 0.50 1999 est. 188 Andorra 0.00 189 Nauru 0.00

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2147

Rank Country Area(sq km) Date of Information

1 World 510,072,000 2 Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 3 Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 4 Indian Ocean 68,556,000 5 Southern Ocean 20,327,000 6 Russia 17,075,200 7 Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 8 Antarctica 14,000,000 9 Canada 9,984,670 10 United States 9,629,091 11 China 9,596,960 12 Brazil 8,511,965 13 Australia 7,686,850 14 India 3,287,590 15 Argentina 2,766,890 16 Kazakhstan 2,717,300 17 Sudan 2,505,810 18 Algeria 2,381,740 19 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,345,410 20 Greenland 2,166,086 21 Mexico 1,972,550 22 Saudi Arabia 1,960,582 23 Indonesia 1,919,440 24 Libya 1,759,540 25 Iran 1,648,000 26 Mongolia 1,565,000 27 Peru 1,285,220 28 Chad 1,284,000 29 Niger 1,267,000 30 Angola 1,246,700 31 Mali 1,240,000 32 South Africa 1,219,912 33 Colombia 1,138,910 34 Ethiopia 1,127,127 35 Bolivia 1,098,580 36 Mauritania 1,030,700 37 Egypt 1,001,450 38 Tanzania 945,087 39 Nigeria 923,768 40 Venezuela 912,050 41 Namibia 825,418 42 Pakistan 803,940 43 Mozambique 801,590 44 Turkey 780,580 45 Chile 756,950 46 Zambia 752,614 47 Burma 678,500 48 Afghanistan 647,500 49 Somalia 637,657 50 Central African Republic 622,984 51 Ukraine 603,700 52 Botswana 600,370 53 Madagascar 587,040 54 Kenya 582,650 55 France 547,030 56 Yemen 527,970 57 Thailand 514,000 58 Spain 504,782 59 Turkmenistan 488,100 60 Cameroon 475,440 61 Papua New Guinea 462,840 62 Sweden 449,964 63 Uzbekistan 447,400 64 Morocco 446,550 65 Iraq 437,072 66 Paraguay 406,750 67 Zimbabwe 390,580 68 Japan 377,835 69 Germany 357,021 70 Congo, Republic of the 342,000 71 Finland 337,030 72 Malaysia 329,750 73 Vietnam 329,560 74 Norway 324,220 75 Cote d'Ivoire 322,460 76 Poland 312,685 77 Italy 301,230 78 Philippines 300,000 79 Ecuador 283,560 80 Burkina Faso 274,200 81 New Zealand 268,680 82 Gabon 267,667 83 Western Sahara 266,000 84 Guinea 245,857 85 United Kingdom 244,820 86 Ghana 239,460 87 Romania 237,500 88 Laos 236,800 89 Uganda 236,040 90 Guyana 214,970 91 Oman 212,460 92 Belarus 207,600 93 Kyrgyzstan 198,500 94 Senegal 196,190 95 Syria 185,180 96 Cambodia 181,040 97 Uruguay 176,220 98 Tunisia 163,610 99 Suriname 163,270 100 Bangladesh 144,000 101 Tajikistan 143,100 102 Nepal 140,800 103 Greece 131,940 104 Nicaragua 129,494 105 Eritrea 121,320 106 Korea, North 120,540 107 Malawi 118,480 108 Benin 112,620 109 Honduras 112,090 110 Liberia 111,370 111 Bulgaria 110,910 112 Cuba 110,860 113 Guatemala 108,890 114 Iceland 103,000 115 Serbia and Montenegro 102,350 116 Korea, South 98,480 117 Hungary 93,030 118 Portugal 92,391 119 Jordan 92,300 120 French Guiana 91,000 121 Azerbaijan 86,600 122 Austria 83,858 123 United Arab Emirates 82,880 124 Czech Republic 78,866 125 Panama 78,200 126 Sierra Leone 71,740 127 Ireland 70,280 128 Georgia 69,700 129 Sri Lanka 65,610 130 Lithuania 65,200 131 Latvia 64,589 132 Svalbard 62,049 133 Togo 56,785 134 Croatia 56,542 135 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,129 136 Costa Rica 51,100 137 Slovakia 48,845 138 Dominican Republic 48,730 139 Bhutan 47,000 140 Estonia 45,226 141 Denmark 43,094 142 Netherlands 41,526 143 Switzerland 41,290 144 Guinea-Bissau 36,120 145 Taiwan 35,980 146 Moldova 33,843 147 Belgium 30,510 148 Lesotho 30,355 149 Armenia 29,800 150 Albania 28,748 151 Solomon Islands 28,450 152 Equatorial Guinea 28,051 153 Burundi 27,830 154 Haiti 27,750 155 Rwanda 26,338 156 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 25,333 157 Djibouti 23,000 158 Belize 22,966 159 El Salvador 21,040 160 Israel 20,770 161 Slovenia 20,273 162 New Caledonia 19,060 163 Fiji 18,270 164 Kuwait 17,820 165 Swaziland 17,363 166 East Timor 15,007 167 Bahamas, The 13,940 168 Vanuatu 12,200 169 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12,173 170 Qatar 11,437 171 Gambia, The 11,300 172 Jamaica 10,991 173 Lebanon 10,400 174 Cyprus 9,250 175 Puerto Rico 9,104 176 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 7,829 177 West Bank 5,860 178 Brunei 5,770 179 Trinidad and Tobago 5,128 180 French Polynesia 4,167 181 Cape Verde 4,033 182 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 3,903 183 Samoa 2,944 184 Luxembourg 2,586 185 Reunion 2,517 186 Comoros 2,170 187 Mauritius 2,040 188 Guadeloupe 1,780 189 Faroe Islands 1,399 190 Martinique 1,100 191 Hong Kong 1,092 192 Sao Tome and Principe 1,001 193 Netherlands Antilles 960 194 Kiribati 811 195 Dominica 754 196 Tonga 748 197 Micronesia, Federated States of 702 198 Singapore 693 199 Bahrain 665 200 Saint Lucia 616 201 Man, Isle of 572 202 Guam 549 203 Northern Mariana Islands 477 204 Andorra 468 205 Palau 458 206 Seychelles 455 207 Antigua and Barbuda 443 208 Barbados 431 209 Turks and Caicos Islands 430 210 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 412 211 Saint Helena 410 212 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 389 213 Mayotte 374 214 Jan Mayen 373 215 Gaza Strip 360 216 Virgin Islands 352 217 Grenada 344 218 Malta 316 219 Maldives 300 220 Wallis and Futuna 274 221 Cayman Islands 262 222 Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 223 Niue 260 224 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 242 225 Cook Islands 240 226 American Samoa 199 227 Aruba 193 228 Marshall Islands 181 229 Liechtenstein 160 230 British Virgin Islands 153 231 Christmas Island 135 232 Jersey 116 233 Anguilla 102 234 Montserrat 102 235 Guernsey 78 236 San Marino 61 237 British Indian Ocean Territory 60 238 Bouvet Island 59 239 Bermuda 53 240 Pitcairn Islands 47 241 Norfolk Island 35 242 Europa Island 28 243 Tuvalu 26 244 Macau 25 245 Nauru 21 246 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 14 247 Palmyra Atoll 12 248 Tokelau 10 249 Gibraltar 7 250 Wake Island 7 251 Midway Islands 6 252 Clipperton Island 6 253 Navassa Island 5 254 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 5 255 Glorioso Islands 5 256 Spratly Islands 5 257 Jarvis Island 5 258 Juan de Nova Island 4 259 Coral Sea Islands 3 260 Johnston Atoll 3 261 Monaco 2 262 Howland Island 2 263 Baker Island 1 264 Kingman Reef 1 265 Tromelin Island 1 266 Holy See (Vatican City) 0 267 Bassas da India 0

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2150

Rank Country Telephones - main lines in use Date of Information

1 United States 194,000,000 1997 2 China 135,000,000 2000 3 Japan 60,381,000 1997 4 Germany 50,900,000 March 2001 5 United Kingdom 34,878,000 1997 6 France 34,860,000 yearend 1998 7 Russia 30,000,000 1998 8 India 27,700,000 October 2000 9 Italy 25,000,000 1999 10 Korea, South 24,000,000 2000 11 Canada 20,802,900 1999 12 Turkey 19,500,000 1999 13 Spain 17,336,000 1999 14 Brazil 17,039,000 1997 15 Taiwan 12,490,000 September 2000 16 Mexico 12,332,000 2000 17 Australia 10,050,000 2000 18 Ukraine 9,450,000 April 1999 19 Netherlands 9,132,400 1999 20 Poland 8,070,000 1998 21 Argentina 7,500,000 1998 22 Philippines 6,980,000 2001 23 Iran 6,313,000 1997 24 Sweden 6,017,000 December 1998 25 Thailand 5,600,000 2000 26 Indonesia 5,588,310 1998 27 Colombia 5,433,565 December 1997 28 Greece 5,431,000 1997 29 Portugal 5,300,000 yearend 1998 30 South Africa 5,000,000 2001 31 Switzerland 4,820,000 1998 32 Denmark 4,785,000 1997 33 Belgium 4,769,000 1997 34 Malaysia 4,600,000 2000 35 Austria 4,000,000 2001 36 Egypt 3,971,500 December 1998 37 Saudi Arabia 3,900,000 2002 est. 38 Czech Republic 3,869,000 2000 39 Hong Kong 3,839,000 1999 40 Romania 3,777,000 1997 41 Bulgaria 3,186,731 2001 42 Hungary 3,095,000 1997 43 Pakistan 2,861,000 44 Finland 2,847,900 2001 45 Israel 2,800,000 1999 46 Norway 2,735,000 1998 47 Chile 2,603,000 1998 48 Venezuela 2,600,000 1998 49 Vietnam 2,600,000 2000 50 Belarus 2,313,000 1997 51 Algeria 2,300,000 1998 52 Serbia and Montenegro 2,017,000 1995 53 Uzbekistan 1,980,000 1999 54 Singapore 1,950,000 2000 55 Slovakia 1,934,558 1998 56 Kazakhstan 1,920,000 2001 57 New Zealand 1,920,000 2000 58 Peru 1,800,000 2000 59 Croatia 1,721,139 2000 60 Ireland 1,600,000 2002 61 Morocco 1,391,000 1998 62 Puerto Rico 1,322,000 1997 63 Syria 1,313,000 1997 64 Lithuania 1,142,000 2001 65 Ecuador 1,115,272 1999 66 Korea, North 1,100,000 1997 67 Uruguay 929,141 2001 68 United Arab Emirates 915,223 1998 69 Azerbaijan 865,000 2002 70 Latvia 734,693 2000 71 Slovenia 722,000 1997 72 Dominican Republic 709,000 1997 73 Lebanon 700,000 1999 74 Iraq 675,000 75 Guatemala 665,061 June 2000 76 Tunisia 654,000 1997 77 Moldova 627,000 1997 78 Georgia 620,000 1997 79 Armenia 600,000 2002 80 Rwanda 600,000 2002 81 Estonia 501,691 2000 82 Bangladesh 500,000 2000 83 Libya 500,000 1998 84 Nigeria 500,000 2000 est. 85 Sri Lanka 494,509 1998 86 Cuba 473,031 2000 87 Costa Rica 450,000 88 Kuwait 412,000 1997 89 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 408,000 1997 90 Cyprus 405,000 91 Jordan 403,000 1997 92 Sudan 400,000 2000 93 Panama 396,000 1997 94 El Salvador 380,000 1998 95 Tajikistan 363,000 1997 96 Turkmenistan 363,000 1997 97 Jamaica 353,000 1996 98 Kyrgyzstan 351,000 1997 99 Bolivia 327,600 1996 100 Luxembourg 314,700 1999 101 Kenya 310,000 2001 102 Bosnia and Herzegovina 303,000 1997 103 Yemen 291,359 1999 104 Paraguay 290,475 2001 105 Mauritius 280,900 2000 106 Reunion 268,500 1999 107 Cote d'Ivoire 263,700 2000 108 Trinidad and Tobago 252,000 1999 109 Burma 250,000 2000 110 Ghana 240,000 2001 111 Nepal 236,816 January 2000 112 Senegal 234,916 2001 113 Honduras 234,000 1997 114 Ethiopia 231,900 2000 115 Zimbabwe 212,000 1997 116 Oman 201,000 1997 117 Iceland 196,984 2001 118 Malta 187,000 1997 119 Macau 176,902 November 2001 120 Guadeloupe 171,000 1996 121 Martinique 170,000 1997 122 Bahrain 152,000 1997 123 Qatar 142,000 1997 124 Nicaragua 140,000 1996 125 Botswana 131,000 September 2001 126 Zambia 130,000 2002 127 Tanzania 127,000 1998 128 Albania 120,000 2001 129 Namibia 110,200 2000 130 Barbados 108,000 1997 131 Mongolia 104,100 1999 132 Bahamas, The 96,000 1997 133 Gaza Strip 95,729 1997 134 West Bank 95,729 1997 135 Cameroon 95,000 2001 136 Mozambique 90,000 2001 137 Guam 84,134 1998 138 Cyprus 83,162 139 Fiji 80,901 1999 140 Brunei 79,000 1996 141 Netherlands Antilles 76,000 1995 142 Angola 72,000 1998 143 Guyana 70,000 2000 144 Jersey 65,500 1997 145 Virgin Islands 65,000 1997 146 Suriname 64,000 1997 147 Papua New Guinea 61,152 1999 148 Cape Verde 60,935 2002 149 Haiti 60,000 1997 150 Madagascar 55,000 2000 151 Burkina Faso 53,200 2000 152 Bermuda 52,000 1997 153 French Polynesia 52,000 1997 154 Benin 51,000 2000 155 Man, Isle of 51,000 1999 156 French Guiana 47,000 1997 157 New Caledonia 47,000 1997 158 Malawi 45,000 2000 159 Mali 45,000 2000 160 Guernsey 44,000 1996 161 Gabon 39,000 1998 162 Swaziland 38,500 2001 163 Guinea 37,000 1998 164 Saint Lucia 37,000 1997 165 Aruba 33,000 1997 166 Andorra 32,946 December 1998 167 Gambia, The 31,900 2000 168 Monaco 31,027 1995 169 Belize 31,000 1997 170 Eritrea 30,000 2001 171 Afghanistan 29,000 172 Antigua and Barbuda 28,000 1996 173 Grenada 27,000 1997 174 Mauritania 26,500 2001 175 Greenland 25,617 yearend 1999 176 Laos 25,000 1997 177 Sierra Leone 25,000 2001 178 Togo 25,000 1997 179 Faroe Islands 24,851 1999 180 Lesotho 22,200 2000 181 Congo, Republic of the 22,000 1998 182 Cambodia 21,800 mid-1998 183 Northern Mariana Islands 21,000 1996 184 Maldives 21,000 1999 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 20,500 1998 186 Liechtenstein 20,072 2000 187 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 20,000 2000 188 Niger 20,000 2001 189 Seychelles 19,635 1997 190 Cayman Islands 19,000 1995 191 Dominica 19,000 1996 192 Gibraltar 19,000 1997 193 Burundi 18,000 2002 194 San Marino 18,000 1998 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis 17,000 1997 196 Somalia 15,000 2000 197 American Samoa 13,000 1997 198 Mayotte 12,000 1998 199 Micronesia, Federated States of 11,000 2001 200 Djibouti 10,000 2002 201 British Virgin Islands 10,000 1996 202 Guinea-Bissau 10,000 2001 203 Chad 9,700 1999 204 Central African Republic 9,500 2000 205 Samoa 8,183 1998 206 Solomon Islands 8,000 1997 207 Tonga 8,000 1996 208 Comoros 7,000 2000 209 Liberia 6,700 2000 210 Palau 6,700 2002 211 Bhutan 6,000 1997 212 Equatorial Guinea 6,000 1998 213 Vanuatu 5,500 1998 214 Cook Islands 5,000 1997 215 Anguilla 4,974 2000 216 Sao Tome and Principe 4,600 2000 217 Marshall Islands 4,186 2001 218 Montserrat 4,000 1997 219 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,000 1997 220 Kiribati 3,800 1999 221 Turks and Caicos Islands 3,000 1994 222 Nauru 2,000 1996 223 Saint Helena 2,000 1997 224 Wallis and Futuna 1,125 1994 225 Norfolk Island 1,087 1983 226 Tuvalu 1,000 1997 227 Niue 376 1991 228 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 287 1992 229 Pitcairn Islands 1 1997 230 Antarctica 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2151

Rank Country Telephones - mobile cellular Date of Information

1 United States 69,209,000 1998 2 China 65,000,000 January 2001 3 Japan 63,880,000 2000 4 Germany 55,300,000 June 2001 5 United Kingdom 43,500,000 yearend 1998 6 Korea, South 28,000,000 September 2000 7 Italy 20,500,000 1999 8 Russia 19,000,000 January 2003 9 Turkey 17,100,000 2001 10 Taiwan 16,000,000 September 2000 11 Poland 13,000,000 2002 12 Philippines 11,350,000 2001 13 France 11,078,000 yearend 1998 14 Canada 8,751,300 1997 15 Australia 8,600,000 2000 16 Spain 8,394,000 1999 17 South Africa 7,060,000 2001 18 Austria 6,000,000 2001 19 Malaysia 5,000,000 2000 20 Brazil 4,400,000 1997 21 Czech Republic 4,346,000 2000 22 Netherlands 4,081,891 April 1999 23 Sweden 3,835,000 October 1998 24 Finland 3,728,600 2001 25 Hong Kong 3,700,000 December 1999 26 Thailand 3,100,000 2002 27 Portugal 3,074,194 1999 28 Argentina 3,000,000 December 1999 29 Ireland 3,000,000 2002 30 India 2,930,000 November 2000 31 Saudi Arabia 2,900,000 2002 est. 32 Singapore 2,740,000 2000 33 Israel 2,500,000 1999 34 New Zealand 2,200,000 2000 35 Norway 2,080,408 1998 36 Mexico 2,020,000 1998 37 Venezuela 2,000,000 1998 38 Switzerland 1,967,000 1999 39 Colombia 1,800,229 December 1998 40 Denmark 1,444,016 1997 41 Croatia 1,300,000 2001 42 Hungary 1,269,000 July 1999 43 Indonesia 1,070,000 1998 44 Bulgaria 1,054,000 2001 45 Slovenia 1,000,000 2000 46 United Arab Emirates 1,000,000 1999 47 Belgium 974,494 1997 48 Chile 944,225 1998 49 Greece 937,700 1997 50 Azerbaijan 800,000 2002 51 Slovakia 736,662 April 1999 52 Vietnam 730,155 2000 53 Estonia 711,000 yearend 2001 54 Guatemala 663,296 September 2000 55 Romania 645,500 1999 56 Lebanon 580,000 1999 57 Kenya 540,000 2001 58 Paraguay 510,000 2001 59 Peru 504,995 1998 60 Lithuania 500,000 2001 61 Cote d'Ivoire 450,000 2000 62 Latvia 401,263 2000 63 Kazakhstan 400,000 2001 64 Ecuador 384,000 1999 65 Egypt 380,000 1999 66 Senegal 373,965 2001 67 Uruguay 350,000 2001 68 Cameroon 300,000 2002 69 Mozambique 287,000 2002 70 Bangladesh 283,000 2000 71 Botswana 270,000 September 2001 72 Iran 265,000 August 1998 73 Albania 250,000 2001 74 Iceland 248,131 2001 75 Ukraine 236,000 1998 76 Sri Lanka 228,604 1999 77 Luxembourg 215,741 2000 78 Kuwait 210,000 1997 79 Nigeria 200,000 2001 80 Reunion 197,000 September 2000 81 Georgia 185,500 2000 82 Mauritius 180,000 2000 83 Puerto Rico 169,265 1996 84 Macau 158,251 November 2001 85 Pakistan 158,000 1998 86 Ghana 150,000 2001 87 Costa Rica 143,000 2000 88 Dominican Republic 130,149 1997 89 Uzbekistan 130,000 2003 90 Gabon 120,000 2000 91 Morocco 116,645 1998 92 Bolivia 116,000 1997 93 Zimbabwe 111,000 2001 94 Mongolia 110,000 2001 95 Zambia 90,000 2002 96 Serbia and Montenegro 87,000 1997 97 Namibia 82,000 2000 est. 98 Rwanda 81,000 2002 99 Cambodia 80,000 2000 100 Cyprus 70,000 101 Cyprus 68,000 102 Madagascar 63,100 2000 103 Oman 59,822 1997 104 Bahrain 58,543 1997 105 Benin 55,500 2000 106 Guam 55,000 1998 107 Jamaica 54,640 1996 108 Armenia 50,000 2002 109 Tunisia 50,000 1998 110 Malawi 49,000 2000 111 Swaziland 45,000 2001 112 Brunei 43,524 1996 113 Qatar 43,476 1997 114 El Salvador 40,163 1997 115 Mali 40,000 2001 116 Mauritania 35,000 2001 117 Algeria 33,500 1999 118 Yemen 32,042 2000 119 Burundi 30,000 2002 120 Sierra Leone 30,000 2001 121 Tanzania 30,000 1999 122 Cape Verde 28,119 2002 123 Angola 25,800 2000 124 Burkina Faso 25,200 2000 125 Lesotho 21,600 2000 126 Guinea 21,567 1998 127 Libya 20,000 1998 128 Sudan 20,000 2000 129 Ethiopia 17,800 2000 130 Malta 17,691 1997 131 Trinidad and Tobago 17,411 1997 132 Panama 17,000 1997 133 Seychelles 16,316 1999 134 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 2000 135 Martinique 15,000 1997 136 Honduras 14,427 1997 137 Andorra 14,117 December 1998 138 Netherlands Antilles 13,977 1996 139 New Caledonia 13,040 1998 140 Greenland 12,676 yearend 1999 141 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 12,362 1997 142 Guernsey 12,000 1997 143 Jordan 11,500 1995 144 Faroe Islands 10,761 1999 145 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9,000 1997 146 Uganda 9,000 1998 147 Burma 8,492 1997 148 Belarus 8,167 1997 149 Barbados 8,013 1997 150 Bermuda 7,980 1996 151 Nicaragua 7,911 1997 152 Sao Tome and Principe 6,942 1997 153 Niger 6,700 2002 154 Bahamas, The 6,152 1997 155 Guyana 6,100 2000 156 Gambia, The 5,624 2000 157 Chad 5,500 2000 158 French Polynesia 5,427 1997 159 Fiji 5,200 1997 160 Djibouti 5,000 2002 161 Laos 4,915 1997 162 Jersey 4,400 1997 163 Turkmenistan 4,300 1998 164 Suriname 4,090 1997 165 Aruba 3,402 1997 166 Congo, Republic of the 3,300 1998 167 Papua New Guinea 3,053 1996 168 Belize 3,023 1997 169 San Marino 3,010 1998 170 Togo 2,995 1997 171 Cuba 2,994 1997 172 American Samoa 2,550 1997 173 Cayman Islands 2,534 1995 174 Tajikistan 2,500 1997 175 Moldova 2,200 1997 176 Virgin Islands 2,000 1992 177 Anguilla 1,629 2000 178 Gibraltar 1,620 1997 179 Saint Lucia 1,600 1997 180 Samoa 1,545 February 1998 181 Antigua and Barbuda 1,300 1996 182 Maldives 1,290 1997 183 Northern Mariana Islands 1,200 1995 184 Palau 1,000 2002 185 Grenada 976 1997 186 Central African Republic 710 1998 187 Solomon Islands 658 1997 188 Marshall Islands 489 2001 189 Dominica 461 1996 190 Nauru 450 1994 191 Vanuatu 310 2000 192 Tonga 302 1996 193 Equatorial Guinea 300 1998 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis 205 1997 195 Montserrat 70 1994 196 Cook Islands 0 1994 197 Liberia 0 1998 198 Niue 0 1991 199 Guinea-Bissau 0 2001 200 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 1994 201 Tuvalu 0 1994 202 Western Sahara 0 1999 203 Wallis and Futuna 0 1994 204 Tokelau 0 2001 205 Saint Helena 0 1997 206 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 1994 207 Norfolk Island 0 1983 208 Mayotte 0 2000

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2153

Rank Country Internet users Date of Information

1 World 604,111,719 2 United States 165,750,000 2002 3 Japan 56,000,000 2002 4 China 45,800,000 2002 5 United Kingdom 34,300,000 2002 6 Germany 32,100,000 2002 7 Korea, South 25,600,000 2002 8 Italy 19,250,000 2001 9 Russia 18,000,000 2002 10 France 16,970,000 2002 11 Canada 16,840,000 2002 12 Brazil 13,980,000 2002 13 Taiwan 11,600,000 2001 14 Australia 10,630,000 2002 15 Netherlands 9,730,000 2002 16 Spain 7,890,000 2002 17 India 7,000,000 2002 18 Poland 6,400,000 2001 19 Sweden 6,020,000 2002 20 Malaysia 5,700,000 2002 21 Philippines 4,500,000 2002 22 Indonesia 4,400,000 2002 23 Portugal 4,400,000 2002 24 Hong Kong 4,350,000 2002 25 Argentina 3,880,000 2001 26 Switzerland 3,850,000 2002 27 Belgium 3,760,000 2002 28 Austria 3,700,000 2002 29 Mexico 3,500,000 2002 30 Denmark 3,370,000 2002 31 Chile 3,100,000 2002 32 South Africa 3,068,000 2002 33 Peru 3,000,000 2002 34 Czech Republic 2,690,000 2001 35 Finland 2,690,000 2002 36 Norway 2,680,000 2002 37 Turkey 2,500,000 2002 38 Singapore 2,310,000 2002 39 New Zealand 2,060,000 2002 40 Israel 1,940,000 2001 41 Saudi Arabia 1,453,000 2002 42 Greece 1,400,000 2002 43 Iran 1,326,000 2002 est. 44 Ireland 1,310,000 2002 45 Venezuela 1,300,000 2002 46 Hungary 1,200,000 2001 47 Thailand 1,200,000 2001 48 Pakistan 1,200,000 2000 49 Colombia 1,150,000 2002 50 Romania 1,000,000 2002 51 United Arab Emirates 900,000 2002 52 Ukraine 750,000 2001 53 Slovakia 700,000 2000 54 Egypt 600,000 2002 55 Puerto Rico 600,000 2002 56 Slovenia 600,000 2001 57 Bulgaria 585,000 2001 58 Kenya 500,000 2002 59 Croatia 480,000 2001 60 Estonia 429,700 2002 61 Belarus 422,000 2002 62 Morocco 400,000 2002 63 Vietnam 400,000 2002 64 Serbia and Montenegro 400,000 2001 65 Uruguay 400,000 2002 66 Tunisia 400,000 2002 67 Costa Rica 384,000 2002 68 Lithuania 341,000 2001 69 Ecuador 328,000 2002 70 Latvia 312,000 2001 71 Lebanon 300,000 2001 72 Tanzania 300,000 2002 73 Iceland 220,000 2002 74 Jordan 212,000 2002 75 Ghana 200,000 2002 76 Guatemala 200,000 2002 77 Kuwait 200,000 2002 78 Dominican Republic 186,000 2002 79 Algeria 180,000 2001 80 Mauritius 158,000 2002 81 Bangladesh 150,000 2002 82 Cyprus 150,000 2002 83 Bahrain 140,200 2002 84 Papua New Guinea 135,000 2001 85 Sri Lanka 121,500 2001 86 Cuba 120,000 2002 87 Oman 120,000 2002 88 Trinidad and Tobago 120,000 2002 89 Macau 101,000 2002 90 Jamaica 100,000 2002 91 Nigeria 100,000 2000 92 Zimbabwe 100,000 2002 93 Uzbekistan 100,000 2002 94 Senegal 100,000 2002 95 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 100,000 2001 96 Luxembourg 100,000 2001 97 Kazakhstan 100,000 2002 98 Guyana 95,000 2002 99 Bolivia 78,000 2000 100 Qatar 75,000 2001 101 Cote d'Ivoire 70,000 2002 102 Angola 60,000 2002 103 Gaza Strip 60,000 104 West Bank 60,000 105 Uganda 60,000 2002 106 Syria 60,000 2002 107 Nepal 60,000 2002 108 Malta 59,000 2002 109 Sudan 56,000 2002 110 Kyrgyzstan 51,600 2001 111 Togo 50,000 2002 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina 45,000 2002 113 Panama 45,000 2000 114 Cameroon 45,000 December 2001 115 Namibia 45,000 2002 116 El Salvador 40,000 2000 117 Honduras 40,000 2000 118 Mongolia 40,000 2002 119 Brunei 35,000 2002 120 Madagascar 35,000 2002 121 Malawi 35,000 2002 122 Botswana 33,000 2001 123 Armenia 30,000 2001 124 Haiti 30,000 2002 125 Mali 30,000 2002 126 Azerbaijan 25,000 2002 127 Zambia 25,000 2002 128 Burkina Faso 25,000 2002 129 Georgia 25,000 2002 130 Benin 25,000 2002 131 Bermuda 25,000 2000 132 Andorra 24,500 2001 133 Aruba 24,000 2002 134 New Caledonia 24,000 2001 135 Mozambique 22,500 2000 136 Ethiopia 20,000 2002 137 Nicaragua 20,000 2000 138 Paraguay 20,000 2000 139 Rwanda 20,000 2002 140 Sierra Leone 20,000 2001 141 Libya 20,000 2001 142 Greenland 20,000 2002 143 Belize 18,000 2002 144 Gabon 18,000 2002 145 Yemen 17,000 2002 146 Bahamas, The 16,900 2002 147 French Polynesia 16,000 2002 148 Fiji 15,000 2002 149 Moldova 15,000 2000 150 Guinea 15,000 2002 151 Suriname 14,500 2002 152 Iraq 12,500 2001 153 Albania 12,000 2001 154 Virgin Islands 12,000 2000 155 Niger 12,000 2002 156 Cape Verde 12,000 2002 157 Burma 10,000 2002 158 Reunion 10,000 2000 159 Laos 10,000 2002 160 Eritrea 10,000 2002 161 Cambodia 10,000 2002 162 Seychelles 9,000 2002 163 Sao Tome and Principe 9,000 2002 164 Solomon Islands 8,400 2002 165 Mauritania 7,500 2001 166 Swaziland 7,000 2002 167 Barbados 6,000 2000 168 Burundi 6,000 2002 169 Maldives 6,000 2001 170 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6,000 2002 171 Grenada 5,200 2002 172 Antigua and Barbuda 5,000 2001 173 Gambia, The 5,000 2001 174 Guam 5,000 2000 175 Martinique 5,000 2000 176 Tajikistan 5,000 2002 177 Lesotho 5,000 2002 178 Chad 4,000 2002 179 Guinea-Bissau 4,000 2002 180 Guadeloupe 4,000 2000 181 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3,500 2001 182 Djibouti 3,300 2002 183 Faroe Islands 3,000 2000 184 Vanuatu 3,000 2000 185 Samoa 3,000 2002 186 Saint Lucia 3,000 2000 187 Bhutan 2,500 2002 188 Comoros 2,500 2002 189 Central African Republic 2,000 2002 190 Dominica 2,000 2000 191 Micronesia, Federated States of 2,000 2000 192 Netherlands Antilles 2,000 2000 193 Turkmenistan 2,000 2000 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2,000 2000 195 French Guiana 2,000 2000 196 Kiribati 1,000 2000 197 Tonga 1,000 2000 198 Anguilla 919 2000 199 Equatorial Guinea 900 2002 200 Marshall Islands 900 2002 201 Congo, Republic of the 500 2001 202 Liberia 500 2000 203 Somalia 200 2000

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2155

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) Date of Information

1 Botswana 38.80 2001 est. 2 Zimbabwe 33.70 2001 est. 3 Swaziland 33.40 2001 est. 4 Lesotho 31.00 2001 est. 5 Namibia 22.50 2001 est. 6 Zambia 21.50 2001 est. 7 South Africa 20.10 2001 est. 8 Kenya 15.00 2001 est. 9 Malawi 15.00 2001 est. 10 Mozambique 13.00 2001 est. 11 Central African Republic 12.90 2001 est. 12 Cameroon 11.80 2001 est. 13 Djibouti 11.75 2001 est. 14 Cote d'Ivoire 9.70 2001 est. 15 Gabon 9.00 2001 est. 16 Liberia 9.00 2001 est. 17 Rwanda 8.90 2001 est. 18 Burundi 8.30 2001 est. 19 Tanzania 7.80 2001 est. 20 Congo, Republic of the 7.20 2001 est. 21 Sierra Leone 7.00 2001 est. 22 Burkina Faso 6.50 2001 est. 23 Ethiopia 6.40 2001 est. 24 Haiti 6.10 2001 est. 25 Togo 6.00 2001 est. 26 Nigeria 5.80 2001 est. 27 Angola 5.50 2001 est. 28 Uganda 5.00 2001 est. 29 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.90 2001 est. 30 Niger 4.00 2001 est. 31 Benin 3.60 2001 est. 32 Chad 3.60 2001 est. 33 Bahamas, The 3.50 2001 est. 34 Equatorial Guinea 3.40 2001 est. 35 Ghana 3.00 2001 est. 36 Eritrea 2.80 2001 est. 37 Guinea-Bissau 2.80 2001 est. 38 Cambodia 2.70 2001 est. 39 Guyana 2.70 2001 est. 40 Sudan 2.60 2001 est. 41 Dominican Republic 2.50 2001 est. 42 Trinidad and Tobago 2.50 2001 est. 43 Belize 2.00 2001 est. 44 Burma 1.99 2001 est. 45 Mauritania 1.80 2001 est. 46 Thailand 1.80 2001 est. 47 Mali 1.70 2001 est. 48 Gambia, The 1.60 2001 est. 49 Honduras 1.60 2001 est. 50 Guinea 1.54 2001 est. 51 Panama 1.50 2001 est. 52 Barbados 1.20 2001 est. 53 Jamaica 1.20 2001 est. 54 Suriname 1.20 2001 est. 55 Estonia 1.00 2001 est. 56 Ukraine 1.00 2001 est. 57 Somalia 1.00 2001 est. 58 Guatemala 1.00 2001 est. 59 Russia 0.90 2001 est. 60 India 0.80 2001 est. 61 Argentina 0.70 2001 est. 62 Papua New Guinea 0.70 2001 est. 63 Brazil 0.70 2001 est. 64 Costa Rica 0.60 2001 est. 65 United States 0.60 2001 est. 66 El Salvador 0.60 2001 est. 67 Nepal 0.50 2001 est. 68 Senegal 0.50 2001 est. 69 Switzerland 0.50 2001 est. 70 Venezuela 0.50 2001 est. 71 Spain 0.50 2001 est. 72 Portugal 0.50 2001 est. 73 Colombia 0.40 2001 est. 74 Latvia 0.40 2001 est. 75 Malaysia 0.40 2001 est. 76 Peru 0.40 2001 est. 77 Italy 0.40 2001 est. 78 Bahrain 0.30 2001 est. 79 Vietnam 0.30 2001 est. 80 Uruguay 0.30 2001 est. 81 Mexico 0.30 2001 est. 82 Madagascar 0.30 2001 est. 83 Ecuador 0.30 2001 est. 84 Chile 0.30 2001 est. 85 Canada 0.30 2001 est. 86 France 0.30 2001 est. 87 Cyprus 0.30 2001 est. 88 Belarus 0.30 2001 est. 89 Armenia 0.20 2001 est. 90 Belgium 0.20 2001 est. 91 Serbia and Montenegro 0.20 2001 est. 92 Singapore 0.20 2001 est. 93 Nicaragua 0.20 2001 est. 94 Netherlands 0.20 2001 est. 95 Moldova 0.20 2001 est. 96 Libya 0.20 2001 est. 97 Luxembourg 0.20 2001 est. 98 Iceland 0.20 2001 est. 99 Greece 0.20 2001 est. 100 Denmark 0.20 2001 est. 101 Brunei 0.20 2001 est. 102 Austria 0.20 2001 est. 103 United Arab Emirates 0.18 2001 est. 104 Comoros 0.12 2001 est. 105 Kuwait 0.12 2001 est. 106 Paraguay 0.11 2001 est. 107 Algeria 0.10 2001 est. 108 Australia 0.10 2001 est. 109 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.10 2001 est. 110 Bhutan 0.10 2001 est. 111 Cuba 0.10 2001 est. 112 Hong Kong 0.10 2001 est. 113 Germany 0.10 2001 est. 114 Georgia 0.10 2001 est. 115 Fiji 0.10 2001 est. 116 Finland 0.10 2001 est. 117 Czech Republic 0.10 2001 est. 118 Ireland 0.10 2001 est. 119 Egypt 0.10 2001 est. 120 China 0.10 2001 est. 121 Tajikistan 0.10 2001 est. 122 Sweden 0.10 2001 est. 123 Slovenia 0.10 2001 est. 124 Philippines 0.10 2001 est. 125 Romania 0.10 2001 est. 126 Poland 0.10 2001 est. 127 Pakistan 0.10 2001 est. 128 New Zealand 0.10 2001 est. 129 Morocco 0.10 2001 est. 130 Yemen 0.10 2001 est. 131 Uzbekistan 0.10 2001 est. 132 United Kingdom 0.10 2001 est. 133 Turkmenistan 0.10 2001 est. 134 Turkey 0.10 2001 est. 135 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 0.10 2001 est. 136 Mongolia 0.10 2001 est. 137 Slovakia 0.10 2001 est. 138 Lithuania 0.10 2001 est. 139 Laos 0.10 2001 est. 140 Kazakhstan 0.10 2001 est. 141 Korea, South 0.10 2001 est. 142 Kyrgyzstan 0.10 2001 est. 143 Norway 0.10 2001 est. 144 Maldives 0.10 2001 est. 145 Oman 0.10 2001 est. 146 Malta 0.10 2001 est. 147 Mauritius 0.10 2001 est. 148 Jordan 0.10 2001 est. 149 Japan 0.10 2001 est. 150 Iraq 0.10 2001 est. 151 Israel 0.10 2001 est. 152 Iran 0.10 2001 est. 153 Indonesia 0.10 2001 est. 154 Hungary 0.10 2001 est. 155 Croatia 0.10 2001 est. 156 Sri Lanka 0.10 2001 est. 157 Bulgaria 0.10 2001 est. 158 Bolivia 0.10 2001 est. 159 Bangladesh 0.10 2001 est. 160 Azerbaijan 0.10 2001 est. 161 Lebanon 0.09 2001 est. 162 Qatar 0.09 2001 est. 163 Tunisia 0.04 2001 est. 164 Cape Verde 0.04 165 Afghanistan 0.01 2001 est. 166 Syria 0.01 2001 est. 167 Saudi Arabia 0.01 2001 est. 168 Svalbard 0.00 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2156

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS Date of Information

1 South Africa 5,000,000 2001 est. 2 India 3,970,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 3,500,000 2001 est. 4 Kenya 2,500,000 2001 est. 5 Zimbabwe 2,300,000 2001 est. 6 Ethiopia 2,100,000 2001 est. 7 Tanzania 1,500,000 2001 est. 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,300,000 2001 est. 9 Zambia 1,200,000 2001 est. 10 Mozambique 1,100,000 2001 est. 11 Cameroon 920,000 2001 est. 12 United States 900,000 2001 est. 13 China 850,000 2001 est. 14 Malawi 850,000 2001 est. 15 Cote d'Ivoire 770,000 2001 est. 16 Russia 700,000 2001 est. 17 Thailand 670,000 2001 est. 18 Brazil 610,000 2001 est. 19 Uganda 600,000 2001 est. 20 Burma 530,000 2001 est. 21 Rwanda 500,000 2001 est. 22 Sudan 450,000 2001 est. 23 Burkina Faso 440,000 2001 est. 24 Burundi 390,000 2001 est. 25 Ghana 360,000 2001 est. 26 Lesotho 360,000 2001 est. 27 Angola 350,000 2001 est. 28 Botswana 330,000 2001 est. 29 Central African Republic 250,000 2001 est. 30 Haiti 250,000 2001 est. 31 Ukraine 250,000 2001 est. 32 Namibia 230,000 2001 est. 33 Cambodia 170,000 2001 est. 34 Sierra Leone 170,000 2001 est. 35 Swaziland 170,000 2001 est. 36 Chad 150,000 2001 est. 37 Togo 150,000 2001 est. 38 Mexico 150,000 2001 est. 39 Colombia 140,000 2001 est. 40 Argentina 130,000 2001 est. 41 Vietnam 130,000 2001 est. 42 Spain 130,000 2001 est. 43 Dominican Republic 130,000 2001 est. 44 Liberia 125,000 2001 est. 45 Benin 120,000 2001 est. 46 Indonesia 120,000 2001 est. 47 Congo, Republic of the 110,000 2001 est. 48 Mali 110,000 2001 est. 49 France 100,000 2001 est. 50 Italy 100,000 2001 est. 51 Pakistan 78,000 2001 est. 52 Guatemala 67,000 2001 est. 53 Venezuela 62,000 1999 est. 54 Nepal 58,000 2001 est. 55 Honduras 57,000 2001 est. 56 Canada 55,000 2001 est. 57 Eritrea 55,000 2001 est. 58 Guinea 55,000 1999 est. 59 Peru 53,000 2001 est. 60 Somalia 43,000 2001 est. 61 Malaysia 42,000 2001 est. 62 Germany 41,000 2001 est. 63 Djibouti 37,000 2001 est. 64 United Kingdom 34,000 2001 est. 65 Portugal 27,000 2001 est. 66 Senegal 27,000 2001 est. 67 Panama 25,000 2001 est. 68 El Salvador 24,000 2001 est. 69 Gabon 23,000 1999 est. 70 Madagascar 22,000 2001 est. 71 Chile 20,000 2001 est. 72 Iran 20,000 2001 est. 73 Jamaica 20,000 2001 est. 74 Ecuador 20,000 2001 est. 75 Switzerland 19,000 2001 est. 76 Guyana 18,000 2001 est. 77 Netherlands 17,000 2001 est. 78 Trinidad and Tobago 17,000 2001 est. 79 Guinea-Bissau 17,000 2001 est. 80 Papua New Guinea 17,000 2001 est. 81 Belarus 15,000 2001 est. 82 Bangladesh 13,000 2001 est. 83 Morocco 13,000 2001 est. 84 Australia 12,000 2001 est. 85 Japan 12,000 2001 est. 86 Costa Rica 11,000 2001 est. 87 Serbia and Montenegro 10,000 2001 est. 88 Austria 9,900 2001 est. 89 Yemen 9,900 2001 est. 90 Philippines 9,400 2001 est. 91 Greece 8,800 2001 est. 92 Belgium 8,500 2001 est. 93 Gambia, The 8,400 2001 est. 94 Egypt 8,000 2001 est. 95 Estonia 7,700 2001 est. 96 Puerto Rico 7,397 97 Libya 7,000 2001 est. 98 Mauritania 6,600 1999 est. 99 Romania 6,500 2001 est. 100 Uruguay 6,300 2001 est. 101 Bahamas, The 6,200 2001 est. 102 Kazakhstan 6,000 2001 est. 103 Equatorial Guinea 5,900 2001 est. 104 Nicaragua 5,800 2001 est. 105 Moldova 5,500 2001 est. 106 Latvia 5,000 2001 est. 107 Sri Lanka 4,800 2001 est. 108 Bolivia 4,600 2001 est. 109 Korea, South 4,000 2001 est. 110 Denmark 3,800 2001 est. 111 Suriname 3,700 2001 est. 112 Singapore 3,400 2001 est. 113 Sweden 3,300 2001 est. 114 Cuba 3,200 2001 est. 115 Paraguay 3,000 1999 est. 116 Hungary 2,800 2001 est. 117 Hong Kong 2,600 2001 est. 118 Belize 2,500 2001 est. 119 Armenia 2,400 2001 est. 120 Israel 2,400 1999 est. 121 Ireland 2,400 2001 est. 122 Barbados 1,800 2001 est. 123 Norway 1,800 2001 est. 124 Azerbaijan 1,400 2001 est. 125 Laos 1,400 2001 est. 126 Lithuania 1,300 2001 est. 127 Oman 1,300 2001 est. 128 Finland 1,200 2001 est. 129 New Zealand 1,200 2001 est. 130 Bahrain 1,000 131 Iraq 1,000 132 Jordan 1,000 133 Cyprus 1,000 1999 est. 134 Georgia 900 2001 est. 135 Cape Verde 775 136 Uzbekistan 740 2001 est. 137 Mauritius 700 2001 est. 138 Czech Republic 500 2001 est. 139 Kyrgyzstan 500 2001 est. 140 Bulgaria 346 2001 est. 141 Fiji 300 2001 est. 142 Slovenia 280 2001 est. 143 Iceland 220 2001 est. 144 Croatia 200 2001 est. 145 Tajikistan 200 2001 est. 146 Bhutan 100 1999 est. 147 Turkmenistan 100 1999 est. 148 Maldives 100 2001 est. 149 Brunei 100 2001 est. 150 Slovakia 100 1999 est. 151 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 100 1999 est. 152 Mongolia 100 1999 est. 153 Greenland 100 154 Samoa 12 155 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2157

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - deaths Date of Information

1 South Africa 360,000 2001 est. 2 India 310,000 2001 est. 3 Zimbabwe 200,000 2001 est. 4 Kenya 190,000 2001 est. 5 Nigeria 170,000 2001 est. 6 Ethiopia 160,000 2001 est. 7 Tanzania 140,000 2001 est. 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 120,000 2001 est. 9 Zambia 120,000 2001 est. 10 Uganda 84,000 2001 est. 11 Malawi 80,000 2001 est. 12 Cote d'Ivoire 75,000 2001 est. 13 Burma 65,000 2001 est. 14 Mozambique 60,000 2001 est. 15 Thailand 55,000 2001 est. 16 Cameroon 53,000 2001 est. 17 Rwanda 49,000 2001 est. 18 Burkina Faso 44,000 2001 est. 19 Burundi 40,000 2001 est. 20 China 30,000 2001 est. 21 Haiti 30,000 2001 est. 22 Ghana 28,000 2001 est. 23 Botswana 26,000 2001 est. 24 Lesotho 25,000 2001 est. 25 Angola 24,000 2001 est. 26 Sudan 23,000 2001 est. 27 Central African Republic 22,000 2001 est. 28 United States 15,000 2001 est. 29 Chad 14,000 2001 est. 30 Namibia 13,000 2001 est. 31 Cambodia 12,000 2001 est. 32 Swaziland 12,000 2001 est. 33 Togo 12,000 2001 est. 34 Congo, Republic of the 11,000 2001 est. 35 Mali 11,000 2001 est. 36 Sierra Leone 11,000 2001 est. 37 Ukraine 11,000 2001 est. 38 Guinea 9,000 2001 est. 39 Russia 9,000 2001 est. 40 Brazil 8,400 2001 est. 41 Benin 8,100 2001 est. 42 Dominican Republic 7,800 2001 est. 43 Vietnam 6,600 2001 est. 44 Niger 6,000 2001 est. 45 Colombia 5,600 2001 est. 46 Guatemala 5,200 2001 est. 47 Liberia 5,000 2001 est. 48 Indonesia 4,600 2001 est. 49 Pakistan 4,500 2001 est. 50 Mexico 4,200 2001 est. 51 Peru 3,900 2001 est. 52 Honduras 3,300 2001 est. 53 Gabon 3,000 2001 est. 54 Malaysia 2,500 2001 est. 55 Senegal 2,500 2001 est. 56 Nepal 2,400 2001 est. 57 Spain 2,300 2001 est. 58 El Salvador 2,100 2001 est. 59 Djibouti 2,000 2001 est. 60 Venezuela 2,000 2001 est. 61 Panama 1,900 2001 est. 62 Argentina 1,800 2001 est. 63 Ecuador 1,700 2001 est. 64 Guyana 1,300 2001 est. 65 Guinea-Bissau 1,200 2001 est. 66 Trinidad and Tobago 1,200 2001 est. 67 Italy 1,100 2001 est. 68 Belarus 1,000 2001 est. 69 Portugal 1,000 2001 est. 70 Jamaica 980 2001 est. 71 Costa Rica 890 2001 est. 72 Papua New Guinea 880 2001 est. 73 Madagascar 870 2001 est. 74 France 800 2001 est. 75 Philippines 720 2001 est. 76 Germany 660 2001 est. 77 Bangladesh 650 2001 est. 78 Bahamas, The 610 2001 est. 79 Mauritania 610 2001 est. 80 Canada 500 2001 est. 81 Uruguay 500 2001 est. 82 United Kingdom 460 2001 est. 83 Japan 430 2001 est. 84 Gambia, The 400 2001 est. 85 Nicaragua 400 2001 est. 86 Equatorial Guinea 370 2001 est. 87 Eritrea 350 2001 est. 88 Romania 350 2001 est. 89 Suriname 330 2001 est. 90 Belize 300 2001 est. 91 Moldova 300 2001 est. 92 Kazakhstan 300 2001 est. 93 Bolivia 290 2001 est. 94 Iran 290 2001 est. 95 Barbados 250 2001 est. 96 Sri Lanka 250 2001 est. 97 Cape Verde 225 98 Chile 220 2001 est. 99 Korea, South 220 2001 est. 100 Paraguay 220 2001 est. 101 Laos 150 2001 est. 102 Singapore 140 2001 est. 103 Cuba 120 2001 est. 104 Netherlands 110 2001 est. 105 Azerbaijan 100 2001 est. 106 Denmark 100 2001 est. 107 Estonia 100 2001 est. 108 Latvia 100 2001 est. 109 Kyrgyzstan 100 2001 est. 110 Israel 100 2001 est. 111 Iceland 100 2001 est. 112 Hungary 100 2001 est. 113 Hong Kong 100 2001 est. 114 Greece 100 2001 est. 115 Georgia 100 2001 est. 116 Finland 100 2001 est. 117 Serbia and Montenegro 100 2001 est. 118 Uzbekistan 100 2001 est. 119 Poland 100 2001 est. 120 New Zealand 100 2001 est. 121 Norway 100 2001 est. 122 Malta 100 2001 est. 123 Mauritius 100 2001 est. 124 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 100 2001 est. 125 Luxembourg 100 2001 est. 126 Slovakia 100 2001 est. 127 Lithuania 100 2001 est. 128 Turkmenistan 100 2001 est. 129 Tajikistan 100 2001 est. 130 Switzerland 100 2001 est. 131 Sweden 100 2001 est. 132 Slovenia 100 2001 est. 133 Ireland 100 2001 est. 134 Belgium 100 2001 est. 135 Austria 100 2001 est. 136 Bulgaria 100 2001 est. 137 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 2001 est. 138 Australia 100 2001 est. 139 Armenia 100 2001 est. 140 Czech Republic 10 2001 est. 141 Croatia 10 2001 est. 142 Samoa 3 143 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2173

Rank Country Oil - production(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 75,460,000 2001 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 8,711,000 2001 est. 3 United States 8,054,000 2001 est. 4 Russia 7,286,000 2001 est. 5 Iran 3,804,000 2001 est. 6 Mexico 3,590,000 2001 est. 7 Norway 3,408,000 2001 est. 8 China 3,300,000 2001 est. 9 Venezuela 3,080,000 2001 est. 10 Canada 2,738,000 2001 est. 11 United Arab Emirates 2,566,000 2001 est. 12 United Kingdom 2,541,000 2001 est. 13 Iraq 2,452,000 2001 est. 14 Nigeria 2,256,000 2001 est. 15 Kuwait 2,117,000 2001 est. 16 Brazil 1,561,000 2001 est. 17 Algeria 1,520,000 2001 est. 18 Indonesia 1,451,000 2001 est. 19 Libya 1,429,000 2001 est. 20 Oman 963,800 2001 est. 21 Qatar 864,200 2001 est. 22 Argentina 828,600 2001 est. 23 Egypt 816,900 2001 est. 24 Kazakhstan 798,200 2001 est. 25 Angola 742,400 2001 est. 26 India 732,400 2001 est. 27 Australia 731,000 2001 est. 28 Malaysia 729,200 2001 est. 29 Colombia 614,400 2001 est. 30 Syria 522,700 2001 est. 31 Yemen 438,500 2001 est. 32 Ecuador 421,200 2001 est. 33 Vietnam 356,700 2001 est. 34 Denmark 346,200 2001 est. 35 Azerbaijan 307,200 2001 est. 36 Gabon 301,300 2001 est. 37 Congo, Republic of the 275,000 2001 est. 38 Brunei 217,200 2001 est. 39 Sudan 209,100 2001 est. 40 South Africa 196,200 2001 est. 41 Equatorial Guinea 181,400 2001 est. 42 Thailand 173,800 2001 est. 43 Turkmenistan 162,500 2001 est. 44 Uzbekistan 142,700 2001 est. 45 Romania 127,500 2001 est. 46 Trinidad and Tobago 125,400 2001 est. 47 Peru 95,100 2001 est. 48 Ukraine 86,490 2001 est. 49 Germany 85,860 2001 est. 50 Italy 79,460 2001 est. 51 Cameroon 76,650 2001 est. 52 Tunisia 72,580 2001 est. 53 Papua New Guinea 67,500 2001 est. 54 Pakistan 62,870 2001 est. 55 Cuba 50,000 2001 est. 56 Turkey 48,000 2001 est. 57 Netherlands 46,200 2001 est. 58 Bolivia 44,340 2001 est. 59 Bahrain 43,000 2001 est. 60 New Zealand 42,160 2001 est. 61 Hungary 41,190 2001 est. 62 Belarus 37,000 2001 est. 63 France 34,920 2001 est. 64 Croatia 29,000 2001 est. 65 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 24,000 2001 est. 66 Guatemala 21,080 2001 est. 67 Austria 20,670 2001 est. 68 Japan 17,330 2001 est. 69 Poland 17,180 2001 est. 70 Serbia and Montenegro 15,000 2001 est. 71 Burma 14,170 2001 est. 72 Chile 13,640 2001 est. 73 Cote d'Ivoire 11,000 2001 est. 74 Suriname 10,000 2001 est. 75 Philippines 8,460 2001 est. 76 Czech Republic 7,419 2001 est. 77 Spain 7,099 2001 est. 78 Ghana 7,000 2001 est. 79 Greece 5,992 2001 est. 80 Albania 5,952 2001 est. 81 Estonia 5,100 2001 est. 82 Lithuania 4,594 2001 est. 83 Bangladesh 3,581 2001 est. 84 Georgia 2,000 2001 est. 85 Kyrgyzstan 2,000 2001 est. 86 Barbados 1,271 2001 est. 87 Taiwan 1,100 2001 est. 88 Slovakia 1,000 2001 est. 89 Benin 700 2001 est. 90 Bulgaria 603 2001 est. 91 Morocco 400 2001 est. 92 Tajikistan 250 2001 est. 93 Israel 80 2001 est. 94 Jordan 40 2001 est. 95 Slovenia 20 2001 est. 96 Aruba 0 2001 est. 97 American Samoa 0 2001 est. 98 Armenia 0 2001 est. 99 Bermuda 0 2001 est. 100 Bahamas, The 0 2001 est. 101 Solomon Islands 0 2001 est. 102 Zimbabwe 0 2001 est. 103 Zambia 0 2001 est. 104 Swaziland 0 2001 est. 105 Samoa 0 2001 est. 106 Western Sahara 0 2001 est. 107 Namibia 0 2001 est. 108 Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 109 British Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 110 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2001 est. 111 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 112 Burkina Faso 0 2001 est. 113 Uganda 0 2001 est. 114 Tanzania 0 2001 est. 115 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2001 est. 116 Togo 0 2001 est. 117 Tonga 0 2001 est. 118 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2001 est. 119 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 120 Sweden 0 2001 est. 121 Saint Lucia 0 2001 est. 122 Somalia 0 2001 est. 123 Singapore 0 2001 est. 124 Sierra Leone 0 2001 est. 125 Saint Helena 0 2001 est. 126 Senegal 0 2001 est. 127 Seychelles 0 2001 est. 128 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2001 est. 129 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2001 est. 130 Rwanda 0 2001 est. 131 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 132 Reunion 0 2001 est. 133 Guinea-Bissau 0 2001 est. 134 Latvia 0 2001 est. 135 Lebanon 0 2001 est. 136 Laos 0 2001 est. 137 Korea, South 0 2001 est. 138 Kiribati 0 2001 est. 139 Korea, North 0 2001 est. 140 Kenya 0 2001 est. 141 Jamaica 0 2001 est. 142 Haiti 0 2001 est. 143 Portugal 0 2001 est. 144 Panama 0 2001 est. 145 Paraguay 0 2001 est. 146 Nicaragua 0 2001 est. 147 Netherlands Antilles 0 2001 est. 148 Nauru 0 2001 est. 149 Nepal 0 2001 est. 150 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 151 Maldives 0 2001 est. 152 Malta 0 2001 est. 153 Mauritania 0 2001 est. 154 Mauritius 0 2001 est. 155 Mali 0 2001 est. 156 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 0 2001 est. 157 Malawi 0 2001 est. 158 Montserrat 0 2001 est. 159 Vanuatu 0 2001 est. 160 Niger 0 2001 est. 161 Niue 0 2001 est. 162 New Caledonia 0 2001 est. 163 Mongolia 0 2001 est. 164 Moldova 0 2001 est. 165 Macau 0 2001 est. 166 Martinique 0 2001 est. 167 Madagascar 0 2001 est. 168 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 169 Lesotho 0 2001 est. 170 Liberia 0 2001 est. 171 Guyana 0 2001 est. 172 Guinea 0 2001 est. 173 Guam 0 2001 est. 174 Guadeloupe 0 2001 est. 175 Greenland 0 2001 est. 176 Grenada 0 2001 est. 177 Gibraltar 0 2001 est. 178 Gambia, The 0 2001 est. 179 Iceland 0 2001 est. 180 Honduras 0 2001 est. 181 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 182 French Polynesia 0 2001 est. 183 Faroe Islands 0 2001 est. 184 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 est. 185 Fiji 0 2001 est. 186 Finland 0 2001 est. 187 French Guiana 0 2001 est. 188 Ethiopia 0 2001 est. 189 El Salvador 0 2001 est. 190 Eritrea 0 2001 est. 191 Ireland 0 2001 est. 192 Dominican Republic 0 2001 est. 193 Dominica 0 2001 est. 194 Djibouti 0 2001 est. 195 Cyprus 0 2001 est. 196 Cook Islands 0 2001 est. 197 Cape Verde 0 2001 est. 198 Central African Republic 0 2001 est. 199 Costa Rica 0 2001 est. 200 Comoros 0 2001 est. 201 Cayman Islands 0 2001 est. 202 Sri Lanka 0 2001 est. 203 Chad 0 2001 est. 204 Cambodia 0 2001 est. 205 Burundi 0 2001 est. 206 Bhutan 0 2001 est. 207 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 208 Belize 0 2001 est. 209 Belgium 0 2001 est. 210 Botswana 0 2001 est. 211 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2001 est. 212 Afghanistan 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2174

Rank Country Oil - consumption(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 76,210,000 2001 est. 2 United States 19,650,000 2001 est. 3 Japan 5,290,000 2001 est. 4 China 4,975,000 2001 est. 5 Germany 2,813,000 2001 est. 6 Russia 2,595,000 2001 est. 7 Brazil 2,199,000 2001 est. 8 Korea, South 2,140,000 2001 est. 9 India 2,130,000 2001 est. 10 France 2,026,000 2001 est. 11 Italy 1,866,000 2001 est. 12 United Kingdom 1,710,000 2001 est. 13 Canada 1,703,000 2001 est. 14 Mexico 1,507,000 2001 est. 15 Spain 1,497,000 2001 est. 16 Saudi Arabia 1,452,000 2001 est. 17 Iran 1,277,000 2001 est. 18 Indonesia 1,045,000 2001 est. 19 Taiwan 988,000 2001 est. 20 Netherlands 895,300 2001 est. 21 Australia 796,500 2001 est. 22 Thailand 785,000 2001 est. 23 Singapore 700,000 2001 est. 24 Turkey 619,500 2001 est. 25 Belgium 595,100 2001 est. 26 Egypt 562,000 2001 est. 27 Venezuela 505,000 2001 est. 28 Argentina 486,000 2001 est. 29 Malaysia 472,000 2001 est. 30 Iraq 460,000 2001 est. 31 South Africa 460,000 2001 est. 32 Poland 424,100 2001 est. 33 Greece 405,700 2001 est. 34 Pakistan 365,000 2001 est. 35 Philippines 343,000 2001 est. 36 Portugal 339,800 2001 est. 37 Sweden 328,600 2001 est. 38 United Arab Emirates 310,000 2001 est. 39 Switzerland 290,400 2001 est. 40 Ukraine 290,000 2001 est. 41 Nigeria 275,000 2001 est. 42 Kuwait 273,000 2001 est. 43 Syria 265,000 2001 est. 44 Austria 262,400 2001 est. 45 Israel 260,000 2001 est. 46 Hong Kong 257,000 2001 est. 47 Colombia 252,000 2001 est. 48 Chile 241,000 2001 est. 49 Belarus 230,000 2001 est. 50 Denmark 218,000 2001 est. 51 Libya 216,000 2001 est. 52 Romania 215,000 2001 est. 53 Finland 211,400 2001 est. 54 Algeria 209,000 2001 est. 55 Kazakhstan 195,000 2001 est. 56 Puerto Rico 190,000 2001 est. 57 Vietnam 185,000 2001 est. 58 Czech Republic 175,700 2001 est. 59 Ireland 174,400 2001 est. 60 Norway 171,100 2001 est. 61 Morocco 167,000 2001 est. 62 Cuba 163,000 2001 est. 63 Peru 161,000 2001 est. 64 Uzbekistan 142,000 2001 est. 65 Hungary 140,700 2001 est. 66 Azerbaijan 140,000 2001 est. 67 New Zealand 132,700 2001 est. 68 Dominican Republic 129,000 2001 est. 69 Ecuador 129,000 2001 est. 70 Lebanon 107,000 2001 est. 71 Jordan 103,000 2001 est. 72 Bulgaria 94,000 2001 est. 73 Croatia 89,000 2001 est. 74 Tunisia 87,000 2001 est. 75 Korea, North 85,000 2001 est. 76 Slovakia 82,000 2001 est. 77 Sri Lanka 75,000 2001 est. 78 Yemen 74,000 2001 est. 79 Lithuania 72,000 2001 est. 80 Netherlands Antilles 72,000 2001 est. 81 Bangladesh 71,000 2001 est. 82 Jamaica 66,000 2001 est. 83 Virgin Islands 66,000 2001 est. 84 Serbia and Montenegro 64,000 2001 est. 85 Turkmenistan 63,000 2001 est. 86 Guatemala 61,000 2001 est. 87 Kenya 57,000 2001 est. 88 Slovenia 53,300 2001 est. 89 Oman 53,000 2001 est. 90 Panama 52,000 2001 est. 91 Luxembourg 50,650 2001 est. 92 Sudan 50,000 2001 est. 93 Bolivia 49,000 2001 est. 94 Cyprus 49,000 2001 est. 95 Latvia 44,000 2001 est. 96 Gibraltar 42,000 2001 est. 97 Uruguay 41,500 2001 est. 98 El Salvador 39,000 2001 est. 99 Burma 38,000 2001 est. 100 Ghana 38,000 2001 est. 101 Costa Rica 37,000 2001 est. 102 Cote d'Ivoire 32,000 2001 est. 103 Georgia 31,500 2001 est. 104 Angola 31,000 2001 est. 105 Senegal 31,000 2001 est. 106 Bahrain 31,000 2001 est. 107 Honduras 29,000 2001 est. 108 Qatar 29,000 2001 est. 109 Paraguay 25,000 2001 est. 110 Nicaragua 24,500 2001 est. 111 Estonia 24,000 2001 est. 112 Mauritania 24,000 2001 est. 113 Moldova 24,000 2001 est. 114 Trinidad and Tobago 24,000 2001 est. 115 Bahamas, The 23,000 2001 est. 116 Ethiopia 23,000 2001 est. 117 Zimbabwe 23,000 2001 est. 118 Albania 22,400 2001 est. 119 Cameroon 22,000 2001 est. 120 Mauritius 21,000 2001 est. 121 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20,000 2001 est. 122 Kyrgyzstan 20,000 2001 est. 123 Malta 20,000 2001 est. 124 Tajikistan 20,000 2001 est. 125 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 20,000 2001 est. 126 Guam 20,000 2001 est. 127 Reunion 18,000 2001 est. 128 Tanzania 17,000 2001 est. 129 Iceland 16,300 2001 est. 130 Botswana 16,000 2001 est. 131 Nepal 16,000 2001 est. 132 Papua New Guinea 15,000 2001 est. 133 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,000 2001 est. 134 Martinique 13,500 2001 est. 135 Brunei 13,000 2001 est. 136 Namibia 13,000 2001 est. 137 Guadeloupe 13,000 2001 est. 138 Madagascar 13,000 2001 est. 139 Gabon 13,000 2001 est. 140 Benin 11,500 2001 est. 141 Djibouti 11,300 2001 est. 142 Guyana 11,000 2001 est. 143 Macau 11,000 2001 est. 144 Zambia 11,000 2001 est. 145 Haiti 11,000 2001 est. 146 Barbados 10,900 2001 est. 147 Suriname 10,000 2001 est. 148 Togo 10,000 2001 est. 149 Mongolia 8,750 2001 est. 150 Uganda 8,750 2001 est. 151 New Caledonia 8,750 2001 est. 152 Guinea 8,600 2001 est. 153 Mozambique 8,500 2001 est. 154 Burkina Faso 8,000 2001 est. 155 Aruba 6,500 2001 est. 156 French Guiana 6,500 2001 est. 157 Sierra Leone 6,500 2001 est. 158 Eritrea 6,000 2001 est. 159 Armenia 5,700 2001 est. 160 Fiji 5,700 2001 est. 161 Malawi 5,400 2001 est. 162 Rwanda 5,300 2001 est. 163 Belize 5,000 2001 est. 164 Congo, Republic of the 5,000 2001 est. 165 Niger 5,000 2001 est. 166 French Polynesia 4,750 2001 est. 167 Faroe Islands 4,500 2001 est. 168 Bermuda 4,000 2001 est. 169 Somalia 4,000 2001 est. 170 Mali 4,000 2001 est. 171 Seychelles 4,000 2001 est. 172 American Samoa 3,800 2001 est. 173 Greenland 3,700 2001 est. 174 Antigua and Barbuda 3,600 2001 est. 175 Cambodia 3,600 2001 est. 176 Afghanistan 3,500 2001 est. 177 Swaziland 3,500 2001 est. 178 Maldives 3,200 2001 est. 179 Liberia 3,100 2001 est. 180 Burundi 2,750 2001 est. 181 Laos 2,750 2001 est. 182 Guinea-Bissau 2,500 2001 est. 183 Cayman Islands 2,400 2001 est. 184 Saint Lucia 2,400 2001 est. 185 Central African Republic 2,400 2001 est. 186 Cape Verde 2,000 2001 est. 187 Equatorial Guinea 2,000 2001 est. 188 Gambia, The 1,900 2001 est. 189 Western Sahara 1,800 2001 est. 190 Chad 1,500 2001 est. 191 Lesotho 1,500 2001 192 Solomon Islands 1,250 2001 est. 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,250 2001 est. 194 Bhutan 1,020 2001 est. 195 Grenada 1,000 2001 est. 196 Nauru 1,000 2001 est. 197 Samoa 1,000 2001 est. 198 Tonga 1,000 2001 est. 199 Saint Kitts and Nevis 710 2001 est. 200 Comoros 700 2001 est. 201 Sao Tome and Principe 700 2001 est. 202 Dominica 600 2001 est. 203 Vanuatu 600 2001 est. 204 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 600 2001 est. 205 Cook Islands 450 2001 est. 206 British Virgin Islands 420 2001 est. 207 Montserrat 400 2001 est. 208 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 200 2001 est. 209 Saint Helena 200 2001 est. 210 Kiribati 190 2001 est. 211 Niue 20 2001 est. 212 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

Rank code: @2175

Rank Country Oil - imports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Japan 5,449,000 2001 2 Germany 3,081,000 2001 3 Korea, South 2,965,000 2001 4 Netherlands 2,284,000 2001 5 France 2,281,000 2001 6 Italy 2,158,000 2001 7 Spain 1,582,000 2001 8 United Kingdom 1,418,000 2001 9 Canada 1,145,000 2001 10 Belgium 1,042,000 2001 11 Turkey 616,500 2001 12 Sweden 553,100 2001 13 Australia 530,800 2001 14 Greece 468,300 2001 15 Poland 413,700 2001 16 Mexico 374,700 2001 17 Portugal 357,300 2001 18 Finland 318,300 2001 19 Switzerland 289,500 2001 20 Austria 262,000 2001 21 Denmark 195,000 2001 22 Czech Republic 192,300 2001 23 Ireland 178,600 2001 24 Hungary 136,600 2001 25 New Zealand 119,700 2001 26 Norway 88,870 2001 27 Luxembourg 50,700 2001 28 Iceland 15,470 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2176

Rank Country Oil - exports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Norway 3,466,000 2001 2 United Kingdom 2,205,000 2001 3 Canada 2,008,000 2001 4 Mexico 1,881,000 2001 5 Netherlands 1,418,000 2001 6 Korea, South 804,700 2001 7 Australia 523,400 2001 8 Italy 456,600 2001 9 Belgium 450,000 2001 10 France 409,600 2001 11 Germany 404,300 2001 12 Denmark 332,100 2001 13 Sweden 203,700 2001 14 Spain 135,100 2001 15 Finland 101,000 2001 16 Japan 93,360 2001 17 Greece 84,720 2001 18 Poland 53,000 2001 19 Hungary 47,180 2001 20 Turkey 46,110 2001 21 Austria 35,470 2001 22 New Zealand 30,220 2001 23 Portugal 28,830 2001 24 Ireland 27,450 2001 25 Czech Republic 26,670 2001 26 Switzerland 10,420 2001 27 Luxembourg 634 2001 28 Iceland 0 2001

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2178

Rank Country Oil - proved reserves(bbl) Date of Information

1 World 1,025,000,000,000 37257 2 Saudi Arabia 261,700,000,000 37257 3 Iraq 113,800,000,000 37257 4 Kuwait 97,680,000,000 37257 5 Iran 94,390,000,000 37257 6 United Arab Emirates 80,310,000,000 37257 7 Venezuela 63,950,000,000 37257 8 Russia 51,220,000,000 37257 9 Libya 29,750,000,000 37257 10 Nigeria 27,000,000,000 37257 11 China 26,750,000,000 37257 12 Mexico 25,030,000,000 37257 13 United States 22,450,000,000 37257 14 Qatar 14,510,000,000 37257 15 Algeria 13,100,000,000 37257 16 Norway 9,859,000,000 37257 17 Brazil 8,507,000,000 37257 18 Indonesia 7,083,000,000 37257 19 Oman 5,703,000,000 37257 20 Angola 5,691,000,000 37257 21 Canada 5,112,000,000 37257 22 United Kingdom 4,741,000,000 37257 23 India 4,330,000,000 37257 24 Malaysia 3,729,000,000 37257 25 Australia 3,664,000,000 37257 26 Egypt 3,308,000,000 37257 27 Yemen 3,200,000,000 37257 28 Argentina 2,927,000,000 37257 29 Kazakhstan 2,709,000,000 37257 30 Gabon 2,450,000,000 37257 31 Syria 2,400,000,000 37257 32 Ecuador 2,358,000,000 37257 33 Colombia 1,800,000,000 37257 34 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,538,000,000 37257 35 Vietnam 1,400,000,000 37257 36 Brunei 1,255,000,000 37257 37 Denmark 1,230,000,000 37257 38 Romania 1,055,000,000 37257 39 Trinidad and Tobago 716,000,000 37257 40 Sudan 631,500,000 37257 41 Peru 614,700,000 37257 42 Azerbaijan 589,000,000 37257 43 Italy 586,600,000 37257 44 Equatorial Guinea 563,500,000 37257 45 Thailand 551,500,000 37257 46 Cuba 532,000,000 37257 47 Bolivia 458,800,000 37257 48 Tunisia 417,000,000 37257 49 Papua New Guinea 345,200,000 37257 50 Germany 327,300,000 37257 51 Pakistan 297,100,000 37257 52 Uzbekistan 297,000,000 37257 53 Turkey 288,400,000 37257 54 Turkmenistan 273,000,000 37257 55 Guatemala 263,000,000 37257 56 Cameroon 200,000,000 37257 57 Ukraine 197,500,000 37257 58 Albania 185,500,000 37257 59 Philippines 164,000,000 37257 60 France 144,300,000 37257 61 Burma 142,500,000 37257 62 Poland 116,400,000 37257 63 Hungary 110,700,000 37257 64 Croatia 93,600,000 37257 65 Congo, Republic of the 93,500,000 37257 66 New Zealand 89,620,000 37257 67 Netherlands 88,060,000 37257 68 Austria 85,690,000 37257 69 Chile 81,050,000 37257 70 Bahrain 62,280,000 37257 71 Cote d'Ivoire 50,000,000 37257 72 Serbia and Montenegro 38,750,000 37257 73 Suriname 37,000,000 37257 74 Japan 29,290,000 37257 75 Bangladesh 28,450,000 37257 76 Czech Republic 17,250,000 37257 77 Spain 10,500,000 37257 78 Ghana 8,255,000 37257 79 Bulgaria 8,100,000 37257 80 South Africa 7,840,000 37257 81 Greece 4,500,000 37257 82 Slovakia 4,500,000 37257 83 Benin 4,105,000 37257 84 Taiwan 2,000,000 37257 85 Israel 1,920,000 37257 86 Barbados 1,254,000 37257 87 Morocco 900,000 37257 88 Jordan 445,000 37257 89 Ethiopia 214,000 37257 90 Afghanistan 0 37257 91 Mozambique 0 37257 92 Tanzania 0 37257 93 Namibia 0 37257 94 Somalia 0 37257 95 Rwanda 0 37257 96 Ireland 0 37257 97 Madagascar 0 37257

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Rank code: @2179

Rank Country Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 161,200,000,000,000 37257 2 Russia 47,860,000,000,000 37257 3 Iran 24,800,000,000,000 37257 4 Qatar 17,930,000,000,000 37257 5 Saudi Arabia 6,339,000,000,000 37257 6 United Arab Emirates 5,892,000,000,000 37257 7 United States 5,195,000,000,000 37257 8 Algeria 4,739,000,000,000 37257 9 Venezuela 4,202,000,000,000 37257 10 Nigeria 4,007,000,000,000 37257 11 Iraq 3,149,000,000,000 37257 12 Indonesia 2,549,000,000,000 37257 13 Australia 2,407,000,000,000 37257 14 Malaysia 2,230,000,000,000 37257 15 Norway 1,716,000,000,000 37257 16 Netherlands 1,693,000,000,000 37257 17 Canada 1,691,000,000,000 37257 18 Kuwait 1,548,000,000,000 37257 19 Turkmenistan 1,430,000,000,000 37257 20 Libya 1,321,000,000,000 37257 21 China 1,290,000,000,000 37257 22 Egypt 1,264,000,000,000 37257 23 Mexico 969,200,000,000 37257 24 Uzbekistan 937,300,000,000 37257 25 Kazakhstan 920,300,000,000 37257 26 Oman 846,400,000,000 37257 27 Argentina 768,000,000,000 37257 28 Bolivia 727,200,000,000 37257 29 United Kingdom 714,900,000,000 37257 30 Pakistan 695,600,000,000 37257 31 Trinidad and Tobago 610,600,000,000 37257 32 Ukraine 560,700,000,000 37257 33 India 542,400,000,000 37257 34 Yemen 480,000,000,000 37257 35 Papua New Guinea 385,500,000,000 37257 36 Thailand 368,200,000,000 37257 37 Brunei 315,000,000,000 37257 38 Burma 314,400,000,000 37257 39 Germany 298,300,000,000 37257 40 Peru 245,100,000,000 37257 41 Syria 240,700,000,000 37257 42 Brazil 221,700,000,000 37257 43 Italy 209,700,000,000 37257 44 Vietnam 192,600,000,000 37257 45 Poland 154,400,000,000 37257 46 Bangladesh 150,300,000,000 37257 47 Colombia 132,000,000,000 37257 48 Romania 111,100,000,000 37257 49 Ecuador 106,500,000,000 37257 50 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 104,800,000,000 37257 51 Philippines 104,600,000,000 37257 52 Sudan 99,110,000,000 37257 53 Denmark 81,980,000,000 37257 54 Angola 79,570,000,000 37257 55 Tunisia 77,160,000,000 37257 56 Equatorial Guinea 68,530,000,000 37257 57 Chile 67,780,000,000 37257 58 Gabon 66,470,000,000 37257 59 Mozambique 63,710,000,000 37257 60 Azerbaijan 62,300,000,000 37257 61 New Zealand 58,940,000,000 37257 62 Cameroon 55,220,000,000 37257 63 Hungary 50,450,000,000 37257 64 Afghanistan 49,980,000,000 37257 65 Bahrain 46,000,000,000 37257 66 Cuba 42,620,000,000 37257 67 Taiwan 38,230,000,000 37257 68 Croatia 34,360,000,000 37257 69 Namibia 31,150,000,000 37257 70 Rwanda 28,320,000,000 37257 71 Austria 24,900,000,000 37257 72 Serbia and Montenegro 24,070,000,000 37257 73 Israel 20,810,000,000 37257 74 Japan 20,020,000,000 37257 75 Cote d'Ivoire 14,870,000,000 37257 76 France 12,860,000,000 37257 77 Ethiopia 12,460,000,000 37257 78 Ghana 11,890,000,000 37257 79 Tanzania 11,330,000,000 37257 80 Ireland 9,911,000,000 37257 81 Turkey 8,685,000,000 37257 82 Slovakia 7,504,000,000 37257 83 Bulgaria 3,724,000,000 37257 84 Albania 3,316,000,000 37257 85 Jordan 3,256,000,000 37257 86 Czech Republic 3,057,000,000 37257 87 Somalia 2,832,000,000 37257 88 Guatemala 1,543,000,000 37257 89 Morocco 665,400,000 37257 90 Benin 608,800,000 37257 91 Congo, Republic of the 495,500,000 37257 92 Greece 254,900,000 37257 93 Spain 254,900,000 37257 94 Barbados 70,790,000 37257 95 South Africa 14,160,000 37257 96 Madagascar 0 37257 97 Suriname 0 37257

This file was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACC: Arab Cooperation Council

ACCT: Agency for the French-Speaking Community

ACP Group: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB: African Development Bank

AFESD: Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution: Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of
Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent
Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur
Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the
Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their
Transboundary Fluxes

AL: Arab League

AMF: Arab Monetary Fund

AMU: Arab Maghreb Union

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources: Convention on the Conservation of
Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Antarctic Seals: Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum

AsDB: Asian Development Bank

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Autodin: Automatic Digital Network

bbl/day: barrels per day

BCIE: Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC: Central African States Development Bank

Benelux: Benelux Economic Union

Biodiversity: Convention on Biological Diversity

BIS: Bank for International Settlements

BSEC: Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C: Commonwealth

CACM: Central American Common Market

CAEU: Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN: Andean Community of Nations

Caricom: Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB: citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS: Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC: Customs Cooperation Council

CDB: Caribbean Development Bank

CE: Council of Europe

CEI: Central European Initiative

CEMA: Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; also known as CMEA or
Comecon

CEMAC: Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa

CEPGL: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research

c.i.f.: cost, insurance, and freight

CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES: see Endangered Species

Climate Change: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol: Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change

COCOM: Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

COMESA: Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation

CP: Colombo Plan

CY: calendar year

DC: developed country

Desertification: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

DSN: Defense Switched Network

DWT: deadweight ton

EADB: East African Development Bank

EAPC: Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC: European Community

ECA: Economic Commission for Africa

ECE: Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO: Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States

ECS: European Coal and Steel Community

EEC: European Economic Community

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

EIB: European Investment Bank

EMU: Economic and Monetary Union

Endangered Species: Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente: Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA: European Space Agency

ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est.: estimate

EU: European Union

Euratom: European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat: European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im: Export-Import Bank of the United States

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX: facsimile

f.o.b.: free on board

FLS: Front Line States

FRG: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

FSU: former Soviet Union

FY: fiscal year

F.Y.R.O.M.: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

FZ: Franc Zone

G-2: Group of 2

G-3: Group of 3

G-5: Group of 5

G-6: Group of 6

G-7: Group of 7

G-8: Group of 8

G-9: Group of 9

G-10: Group of 10

G-11: Group of 11

G-15: Group of 15

G-24: Group of 24

G-77: Group of 77

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTrO

GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP: gross domestic product

GDR: German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP: gross national product

GRT: gross register ton

GUUAM: acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP: gross world product

Habitat: United Nations Center for Human Settlements

Hazardous Wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF: high-frequency

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IBEC: International Bank for Economic Cooperation

IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank)

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC: International Chamber of Commerce

ICCt: International Criminal Court

ICFTU: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID: International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA: International Development Association

IDB: Islamic Development Bank

IEA: International Energy Agency

IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC: International Finance Corporation

IFCTU: International Federation of Christian Trade Unions

IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies

IGAD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IGADD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development

IHO: International Hydrographic Organization

IIB: International Investment Bank

ILO: International Labor Organization

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat: International Mobile Satellite Organization

InOC: Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW: International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women

Intelsat: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik: International Organization of Space Communications

IOC: International Olympic Committee

IOM: International Organization for Migration

ISO: International Organization for Standardization

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

kHz: kilohertz

km: kilometer

kW: kilowatt

kWh: kilowatt-hour

LAES: Latin American Economic System

LAIA: Latin American Integration Association

Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LDC: less developed country

LLDC: least developed country

London Convention: see Marine Dumping

LOS: see Law of the Sea

m: meter

Marecs: Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping Wastes and Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation: Convention on Fishing and Conservation of
Living Resources of the High Seas

MARPOL: see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel: Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur: Southern Cone Common Market

MHz: megahertz

MIGA: Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINURSO: United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MIPOHUH: United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti

MONUC: United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA: not available

NAM: Nonaligned Movement

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC: Nordic Council

NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL: negligible

NIB: Nordic Investment Bank

NIC: newly industrializing country

NIE: newly industrializing economy

NIS: new independent states

NM: nautical mile

NMT: Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG: Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban: Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the
Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ: New Zealand

OAPEC: Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS: Organization of American States

OAU: Organization of African Unity

ODA: official development assistance

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference

OOF: other official flows

OPANAL: Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin
America and the Caribbean

OPCW: Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection: Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

PCA: Permanent Court of Arbitration

PDRY: People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South
Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

PFP: Partnership for Peace

Ramsar: see Wetlands

RG: Rio Group

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU: Southern African Customs Union

SADC: Southern African Development Community

SCO: Shanghai Cooperative Organization

SFRY: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

SHF: super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution: Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Sparteca: South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation
Agreement

SPC: South Pacific Commission

SPF: South Pacific Forum

sq km: square kilometer

sq mi: square mile

TAT: Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE: United Arab Emirates

UDEAC: Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF: ultra-high-frequency

UK: United Kingdom

UN: United Nations

UNAMA: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP: United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP: United Nations Development Program

UNEP: United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization

UNFICYP: United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCRHR: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund

UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute

UNIDIR: United Nations Disarmament Research

UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNIKOM: United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission

UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIBH: United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

UNMIK: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMISET: United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor

UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOP: United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka

UNMOT: United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan

UNMOVIC: United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection
Commission

UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOMSIL: United Nations Mission of Observers in Sierra Leone

UNOPS: United Nations Office of Project Services

UNPREDEP: United Nations Preventive Deployment Force

UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSC: United Nations Security Council

UNSSC: United Nations System Staff College

UNTAET: United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

UNTSO: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU: United Nations University

UPU: Universal Postal Union

US: United States

USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

USSR/EE: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/Eastern Europe

VHF: very-high-frequency

VSAT: very small aperture terminal

WADB: West African Development Bank

WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL: World Confederation of Labor

Wetlands: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
Especially As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU: Western European Union

WFC: World Food Council

WFP: World Food Program

WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling: International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO: World Health Organization

WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO: World Meteorological Organization

WP: Warsaw Pact

WTO: see WToO for World Tourism Organization or WTrO for World Trade
Organization

WToO: World Tourism Organization

WTrO: World Trade Organization

YAR: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

ZC: Zangger Committee

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

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Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

advanced developing countries: another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies: a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino which are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group): established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (77) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau,
Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African Development Bank (AfDB): note - also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)

established - 4 August 1963

aim - to promote economic and social development

regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote
d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU): note - replaces Organization of African Unity
(OAU)

established - 8 July 2001

aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions

members - (52) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT): note - formerly
Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation

established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996

aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries

members - (51) Albania, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco,
Morocco, New Brunswick (Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam

observers - (4) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL): note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)

established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty

aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons

members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN): note - formerly known as the Andean
Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean
Common Market (Ancom)

established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969

aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration

members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA): note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

Arab Cooperation Council (ACC): established - 16 February 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market

members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen; note - the ACC has remained inactive since the Gulf crisis

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD): established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab League (AL): note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF): established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2
February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): established - 7 November 1989

aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin

members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam

observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum

Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

regional members - (44) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated
States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

associate member - (1) Papua New Guinea

dialogue partners - (12) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): established - NA 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

dialogue partners - (13) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, US

Australia Group: established - NA 1984

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Commission, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS): established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (50) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, UK, US

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium,
Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - NA 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Big Six: note - not to be confused with the Group of 6

established - NA 1967

aim - to foster economic cooperation

members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC): established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine

observers - (9) Austria, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom): established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname,
Trinidad and Tobago

associate members - (4) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

observers - (8) Aruba, Bermuda, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and
Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC): see Monetary and
Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC): note - acronym from
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (11) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE): note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico

established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations

aim - to promote economic integration and development

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

nonregional members - (4) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan

Central American Common Market (CACM): established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991

aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

Central European Initiative (CEI): note - evolved from the
Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA July 1992 present name adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (17) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

centrally planned economies : a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market- oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, USSR, Vietnam

Colombo Plan (CP): established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1
July 1951 commenced full operations

aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific

members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

provisional member - (1) Mongolia

Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

established - 31 December 1931

aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire

members - (54) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica,
Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya,
Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua
New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe (suspended)

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991

aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR

members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Communist countries: traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM): established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 which focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East- West control of advanced technology

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as
CMEA or Comecon

established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964

aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations

members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Council of Europe (CE): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (44) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK

guests - (1) Serbia and Montenegro

observers - (6) Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): established - 6 March 1992

aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication

members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

Council of the Entente (Entente): established - 29 May 1959

aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination

members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - see World Customs
Organization (WCO)

developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" which adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published
IMF statistics include the following 126 developing countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica,
Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note -
this category would presumably also cover the following 46 other
countries that are traditionally included in the more comprehensive
group of "less developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British
Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana,
French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada,
Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man,
Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk
Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico,
Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks
and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West
Bank, Western Sahara

East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)

members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

established - 20 September 1976

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): established - 28
May 1975

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): established - 27-29 January 1985

aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development

members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

associate member - (1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the
European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

proposed - 1-2 December 1969 at summit conference of heads of government; signed - 7 February 1992 - Maastricht Treaty

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted

members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North
Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)

aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization

members - (62) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank
(EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC): was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA): established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960

aim - to promote expansion of free trade

members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB): established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958

aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954

aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only

members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

observers - (7) European Commission, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating state - (1) Canada

European Union (EU): note - evolved from the European Community (EC)

established - 7 February 1992; effective - 1 November 1993

aim - to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which superseded the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

membership applicants - (13) Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey

First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EC, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

Four Dragons: the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des
Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - NA 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc

members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France's three overseas territories, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna, use the Comptoires Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF)

Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in
South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola,
Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): see the World Trade
Organization (WTrO)

Group of 2 (G-2): informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

Group of 3 (G-3): established - NA September 1990

aim - mechanism for policy coordination

members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

Group of 5 (G-5): established - 22 September 1985

aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers

members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6): note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le
Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six

established - 22 May 1984

aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament

members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7): note - membership is the same as the Big Seven

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers

members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 8 (G-8): established - NA October 1975

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977

members - (9) Canada, EU (as one member), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA

aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis

members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden

Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984

established - NA October 1962

aim - to coordinate credit policy

members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group; established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia; aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement

established - NA September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 24 (G-24): established - 1 August 1989

aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF

members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago,
Venezuela

Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June1964; NA October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (133 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Palestine Liberation Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation
Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

established - 25 May 1981

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs

members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

GUUAM: note - acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

established - 7 June 2001

aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states

members - (5) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

high-income countries: another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC): established - 21 December 1982

aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic

members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

industrial countries: another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): note - also known as Banco
Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959

aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America

members - (46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD): note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)

established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development

aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members

members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (135) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African
Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, and
Seychelles membership has been approved; membership will take effect
once legal instruments have been deposited

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): established - NA 1919

aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels

members - (84 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): established - 7
December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947

aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,
El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): established - 17
February 1863

aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime

members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU): established
- NA December 1949

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (231 affiliated organizations in the following 149 countries
plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Albania, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia,
Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine
Liberation Organization

International Court of Justice (ICJ): note - also known as the World
Court

established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice

aim - primary judicial organ of the UN

members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Court (ICCt): established - 11 April 2002

aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice

members - (89) Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia,
Canada, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Jordan, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda,
UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

signatory states - (54) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile,
Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic,
Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Liberia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco,
Mozambique, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and
Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine,
UAE, US, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zimbabwe

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): established -
NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police
Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted

aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime

members - (181) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin
Islands

International Development Association (IDA): established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960

aim - to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (164)

Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US

Part II - (137 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD

members - (26) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs

members - (179) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Comoros, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -
NA November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (162)

Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Venezuela

Category III - (127 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,
Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography

members - (70) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau),
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Monaco,
Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname,
Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar

International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency

members - (162) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen

associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in British Colombia, Canada

National Olympic Committees - (198 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola
(suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto
Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation
Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as
Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants
from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration
(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for
Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (98) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra
Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine,
UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (33) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See,
India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, NZ,
Papua New Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia,
Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established - NA
February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity

members - (94 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (34) Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,
Bolivia, Brunei, Cameroon, Estonia, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Sudan,
Swaziland, Turkmenistan, Yemen

subscriber members - (12) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Mali, Niger

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established
- NA 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (176 countries); note - same as membership for
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name

effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (53 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema
Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation

members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and
Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (23) China, Commission of the European Communities,
Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-
American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin America
Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama,
Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,
Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

middle-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966

aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market

members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all those countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs

members - (114 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (13) Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12
February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (19) Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy
Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London
Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability

members - (40) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South
Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EU

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and
Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

partners for cooperation - (9) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention

members - (148) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

signatory states - (25) Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone; note - states have signed but not ratified the convention

Organization of African Unity (OAU): established 25 May 1963; to
promote unity and cooperation among African states; members were
 Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
ended 8 July 2001 with the establishment of the African Union

Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (56) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14
September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25
September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (10) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECA, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the South Pacific
Commission (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,
French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

Pacific Island Forum : note - formerly known as South Pacific Forum
(SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observer - (1) New Caledonia

Paris Club: established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO

members - (30) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary,
Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (97) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca): established - NA 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the
Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

associate member - (2) Bolivia, Chile

Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:

1) Secretariat

2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS,
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, United Nations Center for Human Settlements (Habitat),
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Program
(UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations
Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (UNHCHR), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United
Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations
Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office of Project
Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute
for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College
(UNSSC), and United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)

3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (ANAMA), United
Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement Observer
Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United
Nations Iraq/Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission, United Nations
Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), United Nations Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission
for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission
in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission
(UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), United
Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and United
Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social
Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,
Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission
on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for
Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the
Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for
Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association
(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International
Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union
(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World
Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTrO)

5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)

6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

UN members - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN members are represented in the General
Assembly

observers - (1 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH): established
28 November 1997; to support the professionalization of the Haitian
National Police; established by UN Security Council; members were
Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo,
Tunisia, US; mission ended March 2000

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (191) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November 1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31
May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated
States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December 1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (191) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3
December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems

members (executive committee) - (61) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Hungary,
India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US,
Venezuela

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members

members - (169) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research

members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK): established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self- government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief

members - (48) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal,
NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine UK, US,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19
March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council

members - (8) Fiji, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM): established - 9 April 1991

aim - to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security Council

members - (32) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Denmark, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania,
Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP): established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO): established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, El
Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland,
Portugal, Russia, US, Uruguay

United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH): established - 21 December 1995

aim - to establish an International Police Task Force (IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina

members - (47) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Netherlands,
Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,
Vanuatu

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established - 31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (44) Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy,
Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway,
Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US,
Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22
October 1999

aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law

members - (31) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea,
Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP): established - 1 February 1996

aim - to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula in southern Croatia

members - (22) Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya,
Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Switzerland,
Ukraine

United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT): established 16 December 1994; to monitor and investigate violations of the cease- fire of 17 September 1994 between Tajikistan and the Tajik opposition and to assist in the political negotiation process; established by the UN Security Council; members were Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Ukraine, Uruguay; mission ended May 2000

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established - 17 May 2002

aim - to provide assistance to structures critical to political stability; to provide law enforcement and public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to external security

members - (29) Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt,
Fiji, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique,
Nepal, NZ, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and
Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, US, Uruguay

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - NA December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24
August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (22) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South
Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US,
Uruguay

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces

members - (51) Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established - 4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, South Korea, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - NA July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems

members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP): established 31 March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, US; mandate ended 25 March 1999

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees

members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): established - NA 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 11 individual members

United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Angola (2003-04), Bulgaria (2002-03), Cameroon (2002- 03), Chile (2003-04), Germany (2003-04), Guinea (2002-03), Mexico (2002-03), Pakistan (2003-04), Spain (2003-04), Syria (2002-03)

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET): established 25 October 1999 to provide security throughout the territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to support capacity-building for self-government; 28 members including Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Ireland, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -
NA June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,
China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque
Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of
WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey

associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and
International Finance Corporation (IFC)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the
International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4
October 1968

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (102 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French
Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua,
Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs
Cooperation Council (CCC)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (161) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,
Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (192) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East
Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

associate members - (2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau

observers - (2) Holy See, Liechtenstein

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency

members - (179) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951

aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (185) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British
Caribbean Territories, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Tourism Organization (WToO): established - 2 January 1975

aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace

members - (140) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico

observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Trade Organization (WTrO): note - succeeded General Agreement on
Tariff and Trade (GATT)

established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995

aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers

members - (145) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (31) Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Holy See, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Nepal, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen; note - must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers

Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s

aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)

members - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Air Pollution

see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty

opened for signature - 1 December 1959

entered into force - 23 June 1961

objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South latitude

parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal

note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes

opened for signature - 22 March 1989

entered into force - 5 May 1992

objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate

parties - (149) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity

see Convention on Biological Diversity

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals

opened for signature - 1 June 1972

entered into force - 11 March 1978

objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica

parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

Convention on Biological Diversity

note - abbreviated as Biodiversity

opened for signature - 5 June 1992

entered into force - 29 December 1993

objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity

parties - (182) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Afghanistan, Kuwait, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, Tuvalu, US

Climate Change

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation

opened for signature - 29 April 1958

entered into force - 20 March 1966

objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited

parties - (37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina
Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland,
France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US,
Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan,
Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution

opened for signature - 13 November 1979

entered into force - 16 March 1983

objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution

parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources

opened for signature - 5 May 1980

entered into force - 7 April 1982

objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources

parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)

note - abbreviated as Endangered Species

opened for signature - 3 March 1973

entered into force - 1 July 1975

objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits

parties - (156) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Ireland, Kuwait, Lesotho

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)

note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping

opened for signature - 29 December 1972

entered into force - 30 August 1975

objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention

parties - (78) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde,
Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt,
Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras,
Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya,
Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu

Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques

note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification

opened for signature - 10 December 1976

entered into force - 5 October 1978

objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations

parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ,
Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam,
Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,
Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,
Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

note - abbreviated as Wetlands

opened for signature - 2 February 1971

entered into force - 21 December 1975

objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value

parties - (125) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia

Desertification

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

Endangered Species

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Environmental Modification

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

Hazardous Wastes

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

note - abbreviated as Whaling

opened for signature - 2 December 1946

entered into force - 10 November 1948

objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks

parties - (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France,
Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South
Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Panama,
Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83

opened for signature - 18 November 1983

entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force

objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources

parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia,
Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94

opened for signature - 26 January 1994

entered into force - 1 January 1997

objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective

parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,
Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

opened for signature - 16 March 1998, but not yet in force

objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries

parties - (49) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Bolivia, Burundi, Colombia, Cook Islands, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji,
The Gambia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan,
Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niue,
Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Senegal, Trinidad
and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (57) Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Marshall
Islands, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, US, Vietnam, Zambia

Law of the Sea

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

Marine Dumping

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

Marine Life Conservation

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection

opened for signature - 16 September 1987

entered into force - 1 January 1989

objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it

parties - (183) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Nuclear Test Ban

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

Ozone Layer Protection

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution

opened for signature - 17 February 1978

entered into force - 2 October 1983

objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances

parties - (119) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

opened for signature - 4 October 1991

entered into force - 14 January 1998

objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty

consultative parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland,
Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay

non consultative parties - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

opened for signature - 31 October 1988

entered into force - 14 February 1991

objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes

parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

opened for signature - 18 November 1991

entered into force - 29 September 1997

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

opened for signature - 14 June 1994

entered into force - 5 August 1998

objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes

parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

opened for signature - 24 June 1998, but not yet in force

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (8) Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (28) Armenia,
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, EU, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

opened for signature - 8 July 1985

entered into force - 2 September 1987

objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993

parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Ship Pollution

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban

opened for signature - 5 August 1963

entered into force - 10 October 1963

objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons

parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San
Marino, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Yemen

Tropical Timber 83

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea

opened for signature - 10 December 1982

entered into force - 16 November 1994

objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment

parties - (137) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti,
Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,
Monaco, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (33) Afghanistan,
Belarus, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central
African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Denmark,
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Hungary, Iran, North Korea,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue,
Qatar, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in
Africa

note - abbreviated as Desertification

opened for signature - 14 October 1994

entered into force - 26 December 1996

objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements

parties - (178) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change

opened for signature - 9 May 1992

entered into force - 21 March 1994

objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

parties - (186) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Afghanistan, Liberia

Wetlands

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

=====================================================================

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS PUB 10-4) is maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (Department of State) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10-4 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166:Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

Entity FIPS 10-4 —- ISO 3166 — Internet Comment

Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 .af
Albania AL AL ALB 008 .al
Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 .dz
American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 .as
Andorra AN AD AND 020 .ad
Angola AO AO AGO 024 .ao
Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 .ai
Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 .aq
  ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 .ag
Argentina AR AR ARG 032 .ar
Armenia AM AM ARM 051 .am
Aruba AA AW ABW 533 .aw
Ashmore and
  Cartier Islands AT - - - -
  ISO includes with Australia

Australia AS AU AUS 036 .au
  ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria AU AT AUT 040 .at
Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 .az
Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 .bs
Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 .bh
Baker Island FQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 .bd
Barbados BB BB BRB 052 .bb
Bassas da India BS - - - -
  ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Belarus BO BY BLR 112 .by
Belgium BE BE BEL 056 .be
Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 .bz
Benin BN BJ BEN 204 .bj
Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 .bm
Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 .bt
Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 .bo
Bosnia and
  Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 .ba
Botswana BC BW BWA 072 .bw
Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 .bv
Brazil BR BR BRA 076 .br
British Indian
  Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 .io
British Virgin
  Islands VI VG VGB 092 .vg
Brunei BX BN BRN 096 .bn
Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 .bg
Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 .bf
Burma BM MM MMR 104 .mm
  ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi BY BI BDI 108 .bi
Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 .kh
Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 .cm
Canada CA CA CAN 124 .ca
Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 .cv
Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 .ky
Central African
  Republic CT CF CAF 140 .cf
Chad CD TD TCD 148 .td
Chile CI CL CHL 152 .cl
China CH CN CHN 156 .cn
  see also Taiwan

Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 .cx
Clipperton Island IP - - - -
  ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands CK CC CCK 166 .cc
Colombia CO CO COL 170 .co
Comoros CN KM COM 174 .km
Congo, Democratic
  Republic of the CG ZR ZAR 180 .cd
  formerly Zaire

Congo,
  Republic of the CF CG COG 178 .cg
Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 .ck
Coral Sea Islands CR - - - -
  ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 .cr
Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 .ci
Croatia HR HR HRV 191 .hr
Cuba CU CU CUB 192 .cu
Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 .cy
Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 .cz
Denmark DA DK DNK 208 .dk
Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 .dj
Dominica DO DM DMA 212 .dm
Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 .do
East Timor TT TP TLS 626 .tp
Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 .ec
Egypt EG EG EGY 818 .eg
El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 .sv
Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 .gq
Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 .er
Estonia EN EE EST 233 .ee
Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 .et
Europa Island EU - - - -
  ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Falkland Islands
  (Islas Malvinas) FA FK FLK 238 .fk
Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 .fo
Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 .fj
Finland FI FI FIN 246 .fi
France FR FR FRA 250 .fr
France,
  Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx
  ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French
  Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
  Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint
  Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 .gf
French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 .pf
  ISO includes Clipperton Island

French Southern
  and Antarctic
  Lands FS TF ATF 260 .tf
  FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of
  Antarctica (Terre Adelie)

Gabon GB GA GAB 266 .ga
Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 .gm
Gaza Strip GZ - - - -
Georgia GG GE GEO 268 .ge
Germany GM DE DEU 276 .de
Ghana GH GH GHA 288 .gh
Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 .gi
Glorioso Islands GO - - - -
  ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Greece GR GR GRC 300 .gr
Greenland GL GL GRL 304 .gl
Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 .gd
Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 .gp
Guam GQ GU GUM 316 .gu
Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 .gt
Guernsey GK - - - .gg
  ISO includes with the UK

Guinea GV GN GIN 324 .gn
Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 .gw
Guyana GY GY GUY 328 .gy
Haiti HA HT HTI 332 .ht
Heard Island and
  McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 .hm
Holy See
  (Vatican City) VT VA VAT 336 .va
Honduras HO HN HND 340 .hn
Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 .hk
Howland Island HQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary HU HU HUN 348 .hu
Iceland IC IS ISL 352 .is
India IN IN IND 356 .in
Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 .id
Iran IR IR IRN 364 .ir
Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 .iq
Ireland EI IE IRL 372 .ie
Israel IS IL ISR 376 .il
Italy IT IT ITA 380 .it
Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 .jm
Jan Mayen JN - - - -
  ISO includes with Svalbard

Japan JA JP JPN 392 .jp
Jarvis Island DQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey JE - - - .je
  ISO includes with the UK

Johnston Atoll JQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan JO JO JOR 400 .jo
Juan de Nova Island JU - - - -
  ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 .kz
Kenya KE KE KEN 404 .ke
Kingman Reef KQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 .ki
Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 .kp
Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 .kr
Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 .kw
Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 .kg
Laos LA LA LAO 418 .la
Latvia LG LV LVA 428 .lv
Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 .lb
Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 .ls
Liberia LI LR LBR 430 .lr
Libya LY LY LBY 434 .ly
Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 .li
Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 .lt
Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 .lu
Macau MC MO MAC 446 .mo
Macedonia, The
  Republic of MK MK MKD 807 .mk
Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 .mg
Malawi MI MW MWI 454 .mw
Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 .my
Maldives MV MV MDV 462 .mv
Mali ML ML MLI 466 .ml
Malta MT MT MLT 470 .mt
Man, Isle of IM - - - .im
  ISO includes with the UK

Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 .mh
Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 .mq
Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 .mr
Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 .mu
Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 .yt
Mexico MX MX MEX 484 .mx
Micronesia,
  Federated
  States of FM FM FSM 583 .fm
Midway Islands MQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Miscellaneous
  (French) Indian
  Ocean Islands - - - - -
  ISO includes Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island

Moldova MD MD MDA 498 .md
Monaco MN MC MCO 492 .mc
Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 .mn
Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 .ms
Morocco MO MA MAR 504 .ma
Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 .mz
Myanmar - - - - -
  see Burma

Namibia WA NA NAM 516 .na
Nauru NR NR NRU 520 .nr
Navassa Island BQ - - - -
Nepal NP NP NPL 524 .np
Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 .nl
Netherlands
  Antilles NT AN ANT 530 .an
New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 .nc
New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 .nz
Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 .ni
Niger NG NE NER 562 .ne
Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 .ng
Niue NE NU NIU 570 .nu
Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 .nf
Northern Mariana
  Islands CQ MP MNP 580 .mp
Norway NO NO NOR 578 .no
Oman MU OM OMN 512 .om
Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 .pk
Palau PS PW PLW 585 .pw
Palmyra Atoll LQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama PM PA PAN 591 .pa
Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 .pg
Paracel Islands PF - - - -
Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 .py
Peru PE PE PER 604 .pe
Philippines RP PH PHL 608 .ph
Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 .pn
Poland PL PL POL 616 .pl
Portugal PO PT PRT 620 .pt
Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 .pr
Qatar QA QA QAT 634 .qa
Reunion RE RE REU 638 .re
Romania RO RO ROM 642 .ro
Russia RS RU RUS 643 .ru
Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 .rw
Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 .sh
Saint Kitts
  and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 .kn
Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 .lc
Saint Pierre
  and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 .pm
Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 .vc
Samoa WS WS WSM 882 .ws
San Marino SM SM SMR 674 .sm
Sao Tome and
  Principe TP ST STP 678 .st
Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 .sa
Senegal SG SN SEN 686 .sn
Serbia and
  Montenegro YI YU YUG 891 .yu
Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 .sc
Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 .sl
Singapore SN SG SGP 702 .sg
Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 .sk
Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 .si
Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 .sb
Somalia SO SO SOM 706 .so
South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 .za
South Georgia and
  the Islands SX GS SGS 239 .gs
Spain SP ES ESP 724 .es
Spratly Islands PG - - - -
Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 .lk
Sudan SU SD SDN 736 .sd
Suriname NS SR SUR 740 .sr
Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 .sj
  ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 .sz
Sweden SW SE SWE 752 .se
Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 .ch
Syria SY SY SYR 760 .sy
Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 .tw
Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 .tj
Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 .tz
Thailand TH TH THA 764 .th
Togo TO TG TGO 768 .tg
Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 .tk
Tonga TN TO TON 776 .to
Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 .tt
Tromelin Island TE - - - -
  ISO includes with the Miscellaneous Islands

Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 .tn
Turkey TU TR TUR 792 .tr
Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 .tm
Turks and
  Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 .tc
Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 .tv
Uganda UG UG UGA 800 .ug
Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 .ua
United Arab
  Emirates AE AE ARE 784 .ae
United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 .uk
  ISO includes Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey

United States US US USA 840 .us
United States
  Minor Outlying
  Islands - UM UMI 581 .um
  ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
  Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Palmyra Atoll,
  Wake Island

Uruguay UY UY URY 858 .uy
Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 .uz
Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 .vu
Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 .ve
Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 .vn
Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 .vi
Virgin Islands (UK) - - - - .vg
  see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US) - - - - .vi
  see Virgin Islands

Wake Island WQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 .wf
West Bank WE - - - -
Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 .eh
Western Samoa - - - - .ws
  see Samoa

World - - - - - the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

Yemen YM YE YEM 887 .ye Zaire - - - - - see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia ZA ZM ZWB 894 .zm
Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 .zw

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

=====================================================================

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization

IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd
Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization

ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958,
published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC),
United States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National
Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)

DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

  Principal Oceans and Seas of the World
  With Hydrographic Codes by Institution

IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18

  Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A
  Atlantic Ocean - - - -
  North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A
  South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A
  Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B
  Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A
  Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 -
  Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E
  Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W
  Pacific Ocean - - - -
  North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A
  South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A
  South China and Eastern
    Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus
                                                     others others

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

=====================================================================

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

          Name Entry in The World Latitude Longitude
                               Factbook (deg min) (deg min)

Abidjan (capital) Cote d'Ivoire 5 19 N 4 02 W
Abkhazia (region) Georgia 43 00 N 41 00 E
Abu Dhabi (capital) United Arab Emirates 24 28 N 54 22 E
Abu Musa (island) Iran 25 52 N 55 03 E
Abuja (capital) Nigeria 9 12 N 7 11 E
Abyssinia (former name Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E
for Ethiopia)
Acapulco (city) Mexico 16 51 N 99 55 W
Accra (capital) Ghana 5 33 N 0 13 W
Adamstown (capital) Pitcairn Islands 25 04 S 130 05 W
Addis Ababa (capital) Ethiopia 9 02 N 38 42 E
Adelie Land (claimed by Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E
France; also Terre
Adelie)
Aden (city) Yemen 12 46 N 45 01 E
Aden, Gulf of Indian Ocean 12 30 N 48 00 E
Admiralty Island United States 57 44 N 134 20 W
                          (Alaska)
Admiralty Islands Papua New Guinea 2 10 S 147 00 E
Adriatic Sea Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 16 00 E
Adygey (region) Russia 44 30 N 40 10 E
Aegean Islands Greece 38 00 N 25 00 E
Aegean Sea Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 25 00 E
Afars and Issas, French Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E
Territory of the (or
FTAI; former name for
Djibouti)
Afghanestan (local name Afghanistan 33 00 N 65 00 E
for Afghanistan)
Agalega Islands Mauritius 10 25 S 56 40 E
Agana (city; former name Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E
for Hagatna)
Ajaccio (city) France (Corsica) 41 55 N 8 44 E
Ajaria (region) Georgia 41 45 N 42 10 E
Akmola (city; former name Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
for Astana)
Aksai Chin (region) China (de facto), 35 00 N 79 00 E
                          India (claimed)
Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah Saudi Arabia 25 00 N 45 00 E
(local name for Saudi
Arabia)
Al Bahrayn (local name Bahrain 26 00 N 50 33 E
for Bahrain)
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E
Muttahidah (local name
for the United Arab
Emirates)
Al Iraq (local name for Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E
Iraq)
Al Jaza'ir (local name Algeria 28 00 N 3 00 E
for Algeria)
Al Kuwayt (local name for Kuwait 29 30 N 45 45 E
Kuwait)
Al Maghrib (local name Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W
for Morocco)
Al Urdun (local name for Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E
Jordan)
Al Yaman (local name for Yemen 15 00 N 48 00 E
Yemen)
Aland Islands Finland 60 15 N 20 00 E
Alaska (state) United States 65 00 N 153 00 W
Alaska, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 58 00 N 145 00 W
Alboran Sea Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 2 30 W
Aldabra Islands (Groupe Seychelles 9 25 S 46 22 E
d'Aldabra)
Alderney (island) Guernsey 49 43 N 2 12 W
Aleutian Islands United States 52 00 N 176 00 W
                          (Alaska)
Alexander Archipelago United States 57 00 N 134 00 W
(island group) (Alaska)
Alexander Island Antarctica 71 00 S 70 00 W
Alexandretta (region; Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E
former name for
Iskenderun)
Alexandria (city) Egypt 31 12 N 29 54 E
Algiers (capital) Algeria 36 47 N 2 03 E
Alhucemas, Penon de Spain 35 13 N 3 53 W
(island group)
Alma-Ata (city; former Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
name for Almaty)
Almaty (former capital) Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
Alofi (capital) Niue 19 01 S 169 55 W
Alphonse Island Seychelles 7 01 S 52 45 E
Alsace (region) France 48 30 N 7 20 E
Amami Strait Pacific Ocean 28 40 N 129 30 E
Amindivi Islands (former India 11 30 N 72 30 E
name for Laccadive
Islands)
Amirante Isles (island Seychelles 6 00 S 53 10 E
group; also Les
Amirantes)
Amman (capital) Jordan 31 57 N 35 56 E
Amsterdam (capital) Netherlands 52 23 N 4 54 E
Amsterdam Island (Ile French Southern and 37 52 S 77 32 E
Amsterdam) Antarctic Lands
Amundsen Sea Southern Ocean 72 30 S 112 00 W
Amur River China, Russia 52 56 N 141 10 E
Amurskiy Liman (strait) Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 141 30 E
Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf) Pacific Ocean 64 00 N 177 00 E
Anatolia (region) Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E
Andaman Islands India 12 00 N 92 45 E
Andaman Sea Indian Ocean 10 00 N 95 00 E
Andorra la Vella Andorra 42 30 N 1 30 E
(capital)
Andros (island) Greece 37 45 N 24 42 E
Andros Island The Bahamas 24 26 N 77 57 W
Anegada Passage Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 63 40 W
Angkor Wat (ruins) Cambodia 13 26 N 103 50 E
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
(former name for Sudan)
Anjouan (island) Comoros 12 15 S 44 25 E
Ankara (capital) Turkey 39 56 N 32 52 E
Annobon (island) Equatorial Guinea 1 25 S 5 36 E
Antananarivo (capital) Madagascar 18 52 S 47 30 E
Antigua (island) Antigua and Barbuda 14 34 N 90 44 W
Antipodes Islands New Zealand 49 41 S 178 43 E
Antwerp (city) Belgium 51 13 N 4 25 E
Aomen (local Chinese Macau 22 10 N 113 33 E
short-form name for
Macau)
Aozou Strip (region) Chad 22 00 N 18 00 E
Apia (capital) Samoa 13 50 S 171 45W
Aqaba, Gulf of Indian Ocean 29 00 N 34 30 E
Arab, Shatt al (river) Iran, Iraq 29 57 N 48 34 E
Arabian Sea Indian Ocean 15 00 N 65 00 E
Arafura Sea Pacific Ocean 9 00 S 133 00 E
Aral Sea Kazakhstan, 45 00 N 60 00 E
                          Uzbekistan
Argun River China, Russia 53 20 N 121 28 E
Aru Sea Pacific Ocean 6 15 S 135 00 E
Ascension Island Saint Helena 7 57 S 14 22 W
Ashgabat (capital) Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E
Ashkhabad (see Ashgabat) Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E
Asmara (capital) Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E
Asmera (see Asmara) Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E
As-Sudan (local name for Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
Sudan)
Assumption Island Seychelles 9 46 S 46 34 E
Astana (capital; formerly Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
Akmola)
Asuncion (capital) Paraguay 25 16 S 57 40 W
Asuncion Island Northern Mariana 19 40 N 145 24 E
                          Islands
Atacama (desert) Chile 23 00 S 70 10 W
Atacama (region) Chile 24 30 S 69 15 W
Athens (capital) Greece 37 59 N 23 44 E
Attu Island United States 52 55 N 172 57 E
Auckland Islands New Zealand 51 00 S 166 30 E
Australes, Iles (island French Polynesia 23 20 S 151 00 W
group; also Iles Tubuai)
Avarua (capital) Cook Islands 21 12 S 159 46 W
Axel Heiberg Island Canada 79 30 N 90 00 W
Azad Kashmir (region) Pakistan 34 30 N 74 00 E
Azarbaycan (local name Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E
for Azerbaijan)
Azerbaidzhan (local name Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E
for Azerbaijan)
Azores (islands) Portugal 38 30 N 28 00 W
Azov, Sea of Atlantic Ocean 49 00 N 36 00 E

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003

=====================================================================

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